The Shogh Sunday Bulletin Issue # 208 - August 13, 2023

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

SYNAXIS READINGS

SONGS 4:9-15; IS. 7:10-16; GAL. 3:29-4:7;LUKE 2:1-7

Morning Service at 9:30 am

Divine Liturgy at 10:30 am

Celebrated by:

REV. ARCHPRIEST FR. ZAREH ZARGARIAN

Vicar and Parish Priest

Choirmaster: Dn. Shahe Altounian

Organist: Mrs. Sona Artinian

3:29-4:7

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces a of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, c Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. LUKE

2:1-7

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER-OF-GOD

On Sunday August 13 the Armenian Church celebrates The Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God. This Feast is the 4th of the 5 Tabernacle feasts of the Armenian Church and the oldest of all feasts dedicated to St. Mary. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast on the Sunday nearest to August 15, a practice adopted at the time of St. Nersess the Graceful. The Catholic and Orthodox Churches Celebrate this feast every yeaer on August 15.

There is little information about the details of St. Mary’s life in the New Testament and the story of her Assumption has been preserved and passed on to us through the Holy and Sacred

Tradition of the Apostolic Church. After the Ascension of our Lord the

Holy Virgin lived in Jerusalem for about 15 years after under the care of St. John the Evangelist. She often visited the Empty Tomb of Jesus Christ and prayed. During one such visit to the tomb, the Archangel Gabriel appeared and gave her the news of her imminent assumption to heaven. After St. Mary passed away, all the Apostles, except Bartholomew, conducted her funeral at her tomb in the Garden of Gethsemane. The tradition says that they could hear angelic singing for three days, which they interpreted the angels’ singing as a sign that our Lord had assumed [taken up] His Mother into heaven as he had promised her. St. Bartholomew the Apostle was absent and did not participate in the burial service of St. Mary. Upon his return to Jerusalem, he wishes to see St. Mary for the last time. When the apostles opened the tomb they found it the empty and saw it as a confirmation of the promise that Jesus Christ had delivered His mother to His heavenly kingdom, and she had not been dead but had fallen asleep. For this reason, the church also refers to the end of her earthly life as “the dormition”.

GRAPE BLESSING

Following the Divine Liturgy, the Church holds the grape-blessing ceremony, which “officially” opens the season of grape. Most of the

Armenians refuse to taste grape before it is “blessed”. The Armenian Apostolic Church chose grape as a symbol of the harvest. During the ceremony the priest reads the prayer of St. Nerses the Gracious.

In the Armenian Church grapes are given preference over other fruits to be blessed as the first fruit of the harvest. This is conditioned by a number of historical and religious circumstances. According to the generalized tradition the choice of grapes over other fruits is usually explained by the convenience of the season. Also, our Lord described himself as the vine. The Communion wine, that symbolizes the blood of our Lord, is made from grapes. The canons of the Armenian Church do not prohibit eating grapes before the Blessing of the Grapes, and the tradition of abstaining from eating grapes before the ceremony is rooted in the people, and has become a national custom.

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August 13, 2023 the Armenian Church celebrates THE FEAST OF ASSUMPTION OF THE HOLY MOTHER-OF-GOD

On this occasion the following names are celebrated:

Following the Divine Liturgy individuals who carry the names listed below are invited to receive God’s blessing.

Mariam, Mari, Mary, Marie Jeanne, Maria, Marineh, Maro, Mayranoush, Marietta, Maritza, Takouhi, Takoug, Surpouhi, Sourpig, Makrouhi, Isgouhi, Arpenig, Arevig, Aaghavni, Margarit, Yeranouhi, Yeranig, Azniv, Antaram, Arusyak, Arous, Pergrouhi, Pergroug, Yerchanik, Sultanig, Lousaper, Lousarpi, Lousentag, Lousineh,Gousineh, Berjouhi, Berjoug, Vergine, Denchali & Dirouhi.

FEASTS DEDICATED TO ST. MARY, THE MOTHER OF GOD

The Armenian church celebrates the following feasts dedicated to the Holy Mother of God:

-Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary by Anna-Armenian and the Greek Orthodox churches observe this feast on December 9, and the Roman Catholic Church celebrates on December

-Feast of the Nativity of the Holy Mother-of-God - The birth of St. Mary is celebrated by all traditional churches on September 8.

-Presentation of the Holy Mother-of-God to the Temple - The Feast of the Presentation of the Holy Mother-of-God to the Temple is celebrated by all the traditional churches on November 21.

-The Annunciation - The Annunciation commemorates the tidings which the Angel Gabriel brought to Mary. It was part of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy. The Annunciation is observed in the Armenian Church on April 7.

-Discovery of the Box (Fifth Sunday after Pentecost)

-Discovery of the Belt (Second Sunday after the Assumption)

-Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God.

Monday, August 14, 2023

Requiem Service at 10:30 am

At York Cemetery, Section 3 at the site of Genocide Memorial Monument, 160 Beecroft Rd. Toronto M2N 5Z5)

The blessing of individual graves by Rev. Archpriest Fr. Zareh Zargarian (Section 3) and Rev. Fr. Hayari Tanashian (Section 30)

To schedule the blessing of your loved ones’ graves, please contact the Church office at 416-431-3001

List of Donations between August 5-11, 2023

Donations of grapes/monetary donations for Grape Blessing

Ceremony

Mr. & Mrs. John & Margritt Satrouri

Mrs. Narine Galstyan

Mrs. Diana Bogosyan

Mrs. Rita Musluyan

Mrs. Cervart Asvatoort

Miss Jenia Aramian $100

Mr & Mrs. Simon & Salpi Kutyan $50

Mr. Henry S Abraham $100

Mrs. Odet Pirdjahan $100

Mr. & Mrs. Madat & Tamar Mamourian $40

Ms Payloun Movsessian $15

General

Mr. Henry S Abraham $200

Armenian Market

Mr. Derick Aghamalian $80

In Memory of

THE LATE ANOUSH DERMARDIROSIAN

Ms Kassandra Lake $110

Ms Arus Grigoryan & Family $50

Ms Susanna Yau and Family $50

Mr. Khachik Sarkissian $50

Ms Mary Sarkissian $100

Mr. & Mrs. Edo & Rosik Khatchatoutian $40

Mr. & Mrs. Shahe & Setta Keshishian $100

Mr. & Mrs. Serge & Maria Keshishian $100

Mr. Serkis Bozuk and Family $100

Mr. Varazh Abed-Stephen, Hasmig Stepanian, Mara Ohanjanian $100

Mr. & Mrs. Vartan & Aida Frankian $50

Mr. Shirag Najarian $100

Mrs. Odet Pirdjahan $20

THE LATE KARNEEK VARJABEDIAN

Ms Hersebma Manook $100

THE LATE HELEN ABRAHAMIANS

Mr. & Mrs. Norman & Marlin Ustun $100

APPRECIATION

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.

Donations may be made: Over the phone: 416 431 3001

E-transfer via: info@TorontoArmenianChurch.com

Cheques payable to: HTAC

Altar

Arrangement by Ken's Flowers

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