1

`

Êàð²Ü ÈàôêàÚ

THE ALTAR OF LIGHT

FFFFFFFFFFFFF PERIODICAL Յունուար – January 20, 2013

ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CHURCH OF MISSISSAUGA

FFFFFFFFFFFFF

2

BIBLE READINGS

2 Timothy 2:15-26

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who

does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more

and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them

are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say

that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of

some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this

inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,”and, “Everyone who

confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of

wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.

Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for

special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any

good work.

Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and

peace, along with those who call on the Lordout of a pure heart. Don’t

have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know

they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome

but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must

be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance

leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their

senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive

to do his will.

3

Բ. Տոմոթէոս Բ 15-26

æ³Ý³° ¹áõÝ ù»½ ·Ý³Ñ³ï»ÉÇ óáÛó ï³É ²ëïáõÍáÛ ³éç»õ« ÁÉɳÉáí

³ÛÝåÇëÇ ·áñͳõáñ ÙÁª áñ åÇïÇ ã³Ùãݳ۫ ßÇï³Ï µ³ó³ïñ»Éáí

×ßÙ³ñïáõû³Ý ËûëùÁ£ ´³Ûó Ñ»éá°õ Ï»óÇñ ëñµ³åÇÕÍ

áõݳÛݳµ³ÝáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñ¿Ý« ù³ÝÇ áñ ³ÝáÝù ³õ»ÉÇ åÇïÇ Û³é³ç¹ÇÙ»Ý

³Ùµ³ñßïáõû³Ý Ù¿ç« »õ ³ÝáÝó ËûëùÁ åÇïÇ ×³ñ³Ï¿ ù³ÕóÏ»ÕÇ

å¿ë£ ²ëáÝóÙ¿° »Ý ÐÇÙ»Ýáë »õ öÇÕ»ïáë« áñáÝù íñÇå³Í »Ý

×ßÙ³ñïáõûݿݪ Áë»Éáí ÿ Ù»é»ÉÝ»ñáõÝ Û³ñáõÃÇõÝÁ ³ñ¹¿Ý »Õ³Í ¿«

»õ ÏÁ ÏáñÍ³Ý»Ý áÙ³Ýó ѳõ³ïùÁ£ ê³Ï³ÛÝ ²ëïáõÍáÛ ÑÇÙÁ ³Ùáõñ ÏÁ

Ï»Ý³Û »õ áõÝÇ ë³° ÏÝÇùÁ© "î¿ñÁ ÏÁ ׳ÝãÝ³Û ³ÝáÝù áñ ÇñÝ »Ý¬« ݳ»õ©

"à°í áñ Ï°³ñï³ë³Ý¿ øñÇëïáëÇ ³ÝáõÝÁª ÃáÕ Ñ»é³Ý³Û

³ÝÇñ³õáõûݿ¬£

Ø»Í ï³Ý ÙÁ Ù¿ç Ï³Ý á°ã ÙdzÛÝ áëÏÇ¿ áõ ³ñͳÿ ³ÝûÃÝ»ñ« ³ÛÉ Ý³»õ

÷³Ûï¿ »õ ÑáÕ¿ ³ÝûÃÝ»ñ£ àÙ³Ýù å³ïÇõÇ Ñ³Ù³ñ »Ý« áõ áÙ³Ýùª

³Ýå³ïáõáõû³Ý ѳٳñ£ àõëïÇ »Ã¿ Ù¿ÏÁ Ù³ùñ¿ ÇÝù½ÇÝù ³ëáÝóÙ¿«

åÇïÇ ÁÉÉ³Û å³ïÇõÇ ³Ýûà ÙÁª ëñµ³ó³Í »õ åÇï³ÝÇ Çñ î¿ñáç«

å³ïñ³ëïáõ³Í ³Ù¿Ý µ³ñÇ ·áñÍÇ Ñ³Ù³ñ£

ö³ËÇ°ñ ݳ»õ »ñÇï³ë³ñ¹³Ï³Ý ó³ÝÏáõÃÇõÝÝ»ñ¿Ý« áõ Ñ»ï³Ùá°õï

»ÕÇñ ³ñ¹³ñáõû³Ý« ѳõ³ïùÇ« ëÇñáÛ« ˳ճÕáõû³Ý« ³Ýá°Ýó Ñ»ïª

áñ ÏÁ ϳÝã»Ý î¿ñáç ³ÝáõÝÁ Ù³ùáõñ ëÇñïáí£ ´³Ûó Ññ³Å³ñ¿° ÛÇÙ³ñ

»õ ³ÝÇÙ³ëï í¿×»ñ¿Ý« ·ÇïݳÉáí áñ ÏéÇõÝ»ñ ÏÁ ÍÝÇÝ ³ÝáÝóÙ¿£ î¿ñáç

ͳé³Ý å¿ïù ã¿ ÏéáõÇ« ѳ峪 ÁÉÉ³Û Ñ»½³Ñ³ÙµáÛñ µáÉáñÇÝ Ñ³Ý¹¿å«

ëáñí»óÝ»Éáõ Áݹáõݳϫ ³Ýá˳ϳɫ Áݹ¹ÇÙ³óáÕÝ»ñÁ Ñ»½áõû³Ùµ

ÏñÃáÕ« áñ ûñ»õë ²ëïáõ³Í ³å³ß˳ñáõÃÇõÝ ï³Û ³ÝáÝóª

×ßÙ³ñïáõÃÇõÝÁ ·ÇïݳÉáõ ѳٳñ« áõ ëó÷ÇÝ â³ñ³ËûëÇÝ

óϳñ¹¿Ý« áñÙ¿ µéÝáõ³Í »Ýª ³Ýáñ ϳÙùÇÝ Í³é³Û»Éáõ£

4

JOHN - Յովհաննու 6:15-21

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force,

withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got

into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was

dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and

the waters grew rough. When they had rowed about three or four miles,

they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they

were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Then

they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat

reached the shore where they were heading.

àõñ»ÙÝ ÚÇëáõë« ·ÇïݳÉáí ÿ åÇïÇ ·³Ý Û³÷ßï³Ï»Éáõ ½ÇÝùª

áñå¿ë½Ç ó·³õáñ ÁÝ»Ý ½ÇÝù« ¹³ñÓ»³É É»éÁ ·Ý³óª ³é³ÝÓÇÝ£

ºñµ ÇñÇÏáõÝ »Õ³õª Çñ ³ß³Ï»ñïÝ»ñÁ Çç³Ý Íáí»½»ñùÁ« áõ ݳõ

ÙïÝ»Éáí Ïþ»ñóÛÇÝ ÍáíáõÝ ÙÇõë ÏáÕÙÁª γ÷³éݳÛáõÙ£ ²ñ¹¿Ý

ÙÃÝó³Í ¿ñ« µ³Ûó ¹»é ÚÇëáõë »Ï³Í ã¿ñ Çñ»Ýó£ ÌáíÝ ³É ³É»ÏáÍ ¿ñª

ë³ëïÇÏ ÷ãáÕ Ñáí¿Ý£ ºñµ ÃÇ í³ñ»Éáí ùë³ÝÑÇÝ· ϳ٠»ñ»ëáõÝ

³ëå³ñ¿½Ç ã³÷ ·³óÇݪ ï»ë³Ý ÚÇëáõëÁ« áñ ÏÁ Ùûï»Ý³ñ ݳõáõݪ

ÍáíáõÝ íñ³Û ù³É»Éáí« áõ í³Ëó³Ý£

´³Ûó ÇÝù Áë³õ ³ÝáÝó© §º°ë »Ù« ÙÇ° í³Ëݳù¦£ àõëïÇ áõ½»óÇÝ

ÁݹáõÝÇÉ ½ÇÝù ݳõáõÝ Ù¿ç© »õ ݳõÁ ÇëÏáÛÝ Ñ³ë³õ ³ÛÝ »ñÏÇñÁª áõñ

Ïþ»ñóÛÇÝ£

5

January 20, 2013

EVE OF THE FAST OF CATECHUMENS ´³ñ»Ï»Ý¹³Ý ²é³ç³õáñ³ó å³Ñáó

The Fast of Catechumens is peculiar only to the Armenian Church. It begins three

weeks before the Great Lent. In ancient times people could eat only bread and

salt during the fast of Catechumens. On those days it was not allowed to

celebrate Divine Liturgy either.

The meaning of the Fast of Catechumens is the purification of the five human

senses from pagan impurity. In the ancient Church there was a custom to fast

during five days before baptism. St. Gregory the Illuminator ordered King Tiridates

and others to fast for five days before baptism in order to get freed of the evil.

That is the reason also for fasting of Catechumens to be called “fast of salvation”

from the evil.

According to the tradition, the fasting of Catechumens was initiated by St.

Gregory the illuminator in memory of the above-mentioned practice.

There are two explanations regarding the name of this feast.

It is called the fast of Catechumens:

1. As the precursor of the Great Lent, and

2. As the first Armenian fast.

On the fifth day of the fasting of Catechumens, on Friday, the remembrance day

of the Prophet Jonah is celebrated, but it is celebrated not as the feast of Prophet

Jonah, but as the memory of an example of great repentance and abstinence

which Jonah urged. At times, wrongly, the fasting of Catechumens was called the

fast of St. Sarkis, because the Armenian Church celebrates the feast of St. Sarkis

on Saturday following the fast. In Middle Ages the Byzantine and the Georgian

Churches blamed the Armenian Church for the fasting of Catechumens, relating it

to St. Sarkis, to whom they ascribed sorcery. According to the testimonies of

Armenian medieval writers. Greek and Latin Churches also had the fasting of

Catechumens in ancient times.

6

January 26, 2013 Feast of St. Sarkis the Captain,

Patron of Love and Youth, his son Martyros

and his 14 Soldiers-Companions

By the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All

Armenians, the Feast of St. Sarkis the Captain and his soldiers-companions is

proclaimed day of blessing of the youth.

Captain St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved saints among the Armenian nation.

Together with his 14 soldiers-companions he was martyred for the sake of Christian

faith.

During the period of reign of the king Kostandianos the Great (285-337) St. Sarkis,

being very courageous, was appointed the prince and General in chief of the region of

Cappadocia bordering Armenia. When during the period of reign of the king Julianos

the Betrayer (360-363) the persecutions against Christians started by God’s will St.

Sarkis and his only son – Martyros, came to live in Armenia, and the Armenian king

Tiran, grandson of Tiridates, received them very well. From Armenia St. Sarkis and his

son went to Persia, and started serving in the army of the Persian king Shapouh as

the captain of regiments. Become aware of the fact that Sarkis was Christian the king

Shapouh ordered him to worship the fire and offer sacrifice to the heathen gods. But

the captain immediately refused to obey the order saying, “We should worship one

God - the Holy Trinity, which has created the earth and the heaven. Whereas fire or

idols are not gods and the human being may destroy them.” After these words the

saint destroyed the temple. The annoyed crowd fell on the saint and his son. First the

son of the saint was martyred. The saint was put into prison and remaining unshaken

in his faith was beheaded. After the martyrdom of the saint light appeared over his

body. 14 soldiers-companions of the saint also were martyred for the sake of Christian

faith.

For the Armenian nation St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved. It isn’t casual that St.

Mesrop Mashtots brought the relics of the saint to the village Karbi (Ashtarak Region)

and the Church of St. Sarkis was built over his relics.

Sts. Atomians were the Armenian captains Atom Gnouni and Manajihr Reshtouni who

together with their regiments served in the Persian royal court during the period of

reign of the idolater king Hazkert. Upon the excitation of archimagi king Hazkert

started persecutions against Christians in order to eradicate Christian faith in Persia.

7

Captains Atom Gnouni and Manajihr Reshtouni received an edict from Hazkert inviting

the captains together with their regiments to the royal palace with the intention of

forcing them to apostasy. At first the Armenian captains obeyed the order, but being

aware of the trap prepared by the king they started back home and on their way home

they stopped in the province of Andzevatsyats. Becoming aware of the numerous

Persian Army persecuting them soldiers of the captain Atom Gnouni, encouraged by

the prophesy of a saint hermit living on the mountain preferred voluntary martyrdom.

Persian Army reaching the Armenian regiment surrounded them and killed the saints

by words. Whereas Manajihr Reshtouni and his soldiers reached his native land –

Reshtounik, where he confessed his being Christian and was martyred in 449 AD.

NEXT DIVINE LITURGY

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2013

Mailing Address WEBSITE

Saint Vartan

Armenian Church of Mississauga

(Please note that this is just the mailing address

and not the church location address)

P.O. Box 53010

5100 Erin Mills Parkway

Mississauga, Ontario, L5M 5A7

www.saintvartan.com

WELCOME TO ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CHURCH OF MISSISSAUGA

If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Divine Liturgy this

afternoon. Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to be with us. We believe that

you will feel God’s Spirit and his renewing love among us as we worship together.

ARE YOU ON OUR MAILING LIST?

The Parish Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date. Sign up to receive church news by email.

St. Vartan Parish Priest: Rev. Fr. Myron Sarkissian (647) 970 77 99

hovhansar@hotmail.com - DER MYRON

8

MEMORIAL SERVICE – ՀՈԳԵՀԱՆԳԻՍՏ

In Memory of

ANTRANIG KOUNDAKJIAN Requested by Koundakjian, Jelilian, Nazarian and Arzouhaljian families

In Memory of

ROFIK TCHADERDJIAN Requested by Hamboyan, Tchaderdjian and Madzounian families