THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST EVE OF THE FAST OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
SYNAXIS READINGS
ISAIAH 1:2-15
ROM. 6:12-23
MATTHEW. 12:1-8
Father᾽s Day Picnic from 10:00 am
Blessing of the four corners of the world (Antasdan) &
Blessing of the fathers at 12:00 pm
ROMANS 6:12-23
Therefore, do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means!
16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. 18You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
19I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to
righteousness leading to holiness. 20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in b Christ Jesus our Lord.
MATTHEW. 12:1-8
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
EVE OF THE FAST OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
This Sunday, June 18, is the Eve of The Fast of St. Gregory the Illuminator. This fast starts from Monday to Friday (June 19- 23) and is dedicated to the Feast of Discovery of the Relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator (this year June 24). During this fast feast days are permitted. The relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator are one of the most significant relics of all Christian churches.
FEAST OF DISCOVERY OF THE RELICS OF ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
On June 24th, the Armenian Church commemorates one of the three feast days dedicated to St. Gregory the Illuminator: the discovery of his relics. His principle feast by all Christians is celebrated on September 30th.
St. Gregory is considered to be the “Apostle of Armenia.” After years of evangelizing, St. Gregory sought solitude and an ascetic life. He chose a cave on Mount Sebouh as his dwelling place. It was here that Gregory died alone around 328 AD, some say after seven years of solitude. Shepherds found his body and without realizing who he was buried him under a pile of stones. Later a hermit, Garnik of Basen, who had been a disciple of St. Gregory, saw a vision and went to Mount Sebouh where he found the site of Gregory’s burial. He took the remains to the village of Thortan for burial, where King Drtad was buried. The discovery by Garnik is placed in the reign of Emperor Zeno (474-491), though this is contested by some scholars.
The relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator are one of our most revered within the Armenian Church, as well as all Christian Churches. Following their discovery, some were taken to various places for safekeeping, among them Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), Byzantium, and Italy. The Right Hand of the Saint, preserved in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, is one of the most important sanctities of the Armenian Church, and is used by the Catholicos of All Armenians during the blessing of the Holy Chrism (Muron). To commemorate the day, Divine Liturgy is celebrated in our Churches.
LIST OF DONATIONS TO BETWEEN JUNE 10-16, 2023
FATHERS DAY PICNIC
Anonymous Donor $500
Mr. & Mrs. Armen & Silva Kurkjian $50
Mr. & Mrs. Alexan & Nora Baltayan $50
Mrs. Seza Nazarian $200
GENERAL DONATIONS
Mr. Henry Ertasci $50
LOUMA
Mr. & Mrs. Alexan & Nora Baltayan $50
Mr. Rostom Mirzoyan $50
IN MEMORY OF
The Late Raffy Hanimyan
Mr. & Mrs. Jirair & Diana Hanimyan $200
The Late Hrand Hovhannisian
Mrs. Alenoush Mirzayance $100
The Late Merza Esteefo, Murad Esteefo, Estifan Muradian
Mr. Bedros Muradian $100
The Late Nerses Kazandjian
Mr. Kyork Kazanjian $300 (Church & HTAC Women’s Guild)
Mr. & Mrs. Norayr Kevorkian $30
Mr. Hagop Mahsrjian $50
Mr. Georges & Hilda Kalachian $30
Ms. Gloria Antonian $20
We thank all our donors for supporting Holy Trinity Armenian Church through their heartfelt donations. If you prefer to stay anonymous, please contact the Church office and inform the administration.
Don’t miss the opportunity to have an amazing day with friends and family. See you at Milne D am Park on June 18!
Vicar of Armenian Church
Canadian Diocese and Parish Priest Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian
Pastor’s Assistant Rev. Fr. Hayari Tanashian
Church Office Hours:
Monday to Friday - 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Executive Secretary, Ani Sarvarian
Ani@TorontoArmenianChurch.com
Administrative Secretary, Betty Panossian
Betty@TorontoArmenianChurch.com
920 Progress Ave. Toronto, ON, M1G 3T5 Tel: 416 431 3001
www.TorontoArmenianChurch.com
info@TorontoArmenianChurch.com
@TorontoArmenianChurch.com