St. Vartan Armenian Church of Mississauga

P.O. Box 53010, 5100 Erin Mills Parkway, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5A7

Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan, Pastor

Telephone (905) 549-2711    stvartan@cogeco.ca

Holy Translators Remembered This Weekend

On Sunday, Oct. 9, the Armenian Church commemorates the lives and accomplishments of the Holy Translators, including: Mesrob, Yeghishe, Moses the Poet, David the Philosopher, Gregory of Narek, Nerses the Graceful.

The Feast of the Holy Translators is one of the Armenian Church’s most popular feasts. There are, in fact, two commemorations:  one is on the Thursday following the fourth Sunday after Pentecost which occurs either in June or July; and the other on the second Saturday of October. Holy Translators Day honors the churchmen who cultivated and energized our faith by means of vigorous leadership, discoveries (the alphabet), histories, prayers and music.

The October commemoration focuses on the invention of the Armenian alphabet (406) and on the lives of the founders of the alphabet, St. Mesrob Mashtots and Catholicos Sahak. Mesrob and Sahak, together with some of their students, translated the Holy Bible (Astvadzashounch, Breath of God). Schools were opened and the works of world-renowned scholars were translated into Armenian.

Also honoured on this feast day, are the many who followed in subsequent centuries, men who translated great works of theology, philosophy and history into Armenian and also wrote original masterpieces.

Indeed, the "Holy Translators" are a diverse group of brilliant writers whose dates extend as late as the 12th century and include the brilliant clergymen, St. Gregory of Narek (951-1003) and Catholicos St. Nersess Shnorhali (1102-1173).  St. Gregory of Narek (Kri-kor Na-re-gah-tzee) was one of the greatest mystic poets in the history of the Armenian Church.  He was called "mystic" because his poems focused on the wonder and mystery of his relationship with God.  

St. Gregory was born in the village of Narek on the southern shore of Lake Van.  He was educated and spent his entire life at the monastery of Narek -- taught and encouraged by his father, Bishop Khosrov; and his uncle, the famous scholar Ananias.

St. Nersess Shnorhali, the Grace-filled (Shuh-nor-ha-lee) was an outstanding church leader in Armenia’s history. Born in 1100, St. Nersess was the son of a prince, studied at the Garmir Vank, and was ordained at the age of 18. He succeeded his brother Krikor as Catholicos in 1166, by which time he had also gained fame as a writer of powerful prayers (including the 24-verse "I Confess with Faith" recited during Lent), laments, and poems and a composer of hymns.

As a Catholicos, he was a dynamic leader, renowned for his ecumenical efforts as well as his ability to unite and inspire his clergy and people. His most famous work is "The Book of Lamentations" which confesses his unworthiness before Almighty God.  This collection of poems, eventually called simply the "Narek" were considered so full of strength and life that they were placed at the side or under the pillow of anyone ailing.

October 9, 2005

Today’s service features Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan, Preacher and Celebrant @ 1 p.m. Sunday School @1:30 p.m. with teacher Ani Altounian. The children will be learning about Thanksgiving and the Harvest.

“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! Psalm 30:11-12

Welcome to St. Vartan Armenian Church

If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Badarak this afternoon.  Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to be with us. We believe that you will sense God’s Spirit among us as we worship today. Requiem services can be requested for the next church service by calling Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan by Friday, October 21, 2005.

Friday Nights Are St. Vartan Youth or Family Nights

Twice a month, St. Vartan Armenian Church will be holding evening service and Bible Study on Friday nights. They will be followed by youth/family activities, all to take place at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church at 8 p.m. at 1541 Oakhill Drive, Oakville.  We invite you and your family to participate.  Dates to mark on your calendar: Oct. 14 and 28, Nov. 11 and 25, and Dec. 9 and 23.  For more information, please call Ani Shalvardjian (905) 826-6319 or email her at ani1@gmail.com.

Evening Service and Movie Mayrig  Friday, Oct. 14

Friday, Oct. 14, St. Vartan will hold an evening service and Bible study at

8 p.m. followed by the screening of the Henri Verneuil film Mayrig.

Henri Verneuil was born in  October 1920, in Turkey, as Achod Malakian. When he was four years old, his family joined thousands of Armenians fleeing the Turkish government’s massacres of the Armenians, and arrived in Marseille. Henri became a well-known director, writer, producer and actor. He was a naturalized French citizen of Armenian ancestry who, at the end of his life, devoted his two final full-length features to this part of his childhood and heritage. Henri died in January 2002.

Join us at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church at 1541 Oakhill Drive, Oakville. Please note the film is not suitable for young children.

Are You New to St. Vartan Armenian Church?

At St. Vartan, we understand how being a newcomer can be a bit intimidating.  It is our goal to do all we can to make your time with us comfortable and enjoyable.  Immediately following the service today we have planned a Thanksgiving dinner and we invite you to join us in the parish hall.  We’re glad you’re here and we hope to see you again.  Our next service is Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.

Mailing List Being Updated - Make Sure You’re On It

Please fill out the mailing list forms you can find on clipboards at the doors of the church today.  The Parish Council needs to update its mailing list and doesn’t want to miss anyone in future mailings.  If you would like to receive church news by email, please let us know.

Wanted:  Generous Sponsors

Would you like to help make the St. Vartan “Let it Snow” Ball on Nov. 19 an even more fantastic night? The Dance Committee is looking for sponsors and booklet advertisers:

Band                                        $500 x 5 Still need 2.

Lottery gifts                             donations can be gifts or services

White Wine for tables             $300 (or $150 x 2) Still need 1.           
Red Wine for tables                $300 (or $150 x 2) We have 2 sponsors!   
Table Decorations                  $200 We have a sponsor!                      
Door Prize Gift                        $500                                                      
Booklet Ad, Full Page              $100

Booklet Ad, Half Page             $50

All donations will receive a tax receipt from St. Vartan Armenian Church. Your contribution will be recognized in the dance booklet and will help make the evening a memorable one for everyone. Please contact Maggie Satouri (905) 858-5043 or Najda Zada (905) 796-6769 to be a sponsor or to advertise. Thank you.

ACYOC Retreat Oct. 15:  In Search of Our Identity

Who are you, really, as a young Armenian born or living in Canada?  The Armenian Church Youth Organization of Canada (ACYOC) invites you to share in the discussion led by Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Armenian Church of Canada in Kingston, Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Participants will be leaving at 8 a.m. from Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Toronto for the Holiday Inn Kingston at 2 Princess Avenue, Kingston. Lunch and snacks will be provided.  For more information, call Greg (416) 937-6467 or Sally (416) 509-7259.  Please confirm attendance with them as soon as possible.

Everyone Loves to Party With the St. Vartan Crowd  Because:   WE KNOW HOW TO PARTY!

Join us for a memorable night of dining and dancing at the Novotel Hotel on Saturday, Nov. 19, with the popular Montreal band Nostalgia. 

The “Let It Snow” Ball is a chance to get dressed up and enjoy a night out with your loved ones and friends.  For tickets, please call Maggie Satouri (905) 858-5043 or Najda Zada (905) 796-6769 or any Parish Council members, or email margritt@rogers.com. 

If you purchase tickets before Nov. 5, you’ll be eligible for the Early Bird draw.

Did you know? News Stories and Photos Now Available on St. Vartan’s Website:  www.stvartan.ca

Meet St. Vartan’s Leaders

This is the first in a series of articles introducing you to our church leaders.  This week, we introduce you to His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Armenian Church of Canada.

Bishop Bagrat Galstanian

It is an undeniable truth and we should emphasize it again, that the Armenian alphabet was invented so that we could speak with God in our own language.  To glorify God in a foreign language was not an inconvenience, but it was important to understand and to live God’s relationship with us through the Armenian language, according to the peculiarity of our identity. Bishop Bagrat Galstanian on the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet.

Bishop Galstanian was born in Giumri, Armenia, on May 20, 1971. He attended the Gevorgyan Seminary of Etchmiadzin and was ordained a deacon in 1993, and a celibate priest in 1995.

He taught Armenian religious music and theology in the Gevorgyan and then in the Vazgenyan seminaries and was appointed editor in chief of the “Etchmiadzin” monthly.

In 1998 he went to England, where he studied at the Holy Resurrection Theological College of Mirfield and in the University of Leeds. At the completion of his studies in England he returned to Armenia in 2000 and His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II appointed him rector of the Vazgenyan Seminary.

In 2002 he was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Arakadzodn in Armenia. On May 31, 2003, the General Assembly of the Canadian Diocese elected Very Rev. Fr. Bagrat Galstanian as Primate of the Canadian Diocese. On June 22 of the same year, His Holiness Karekin II ordained Very Rev. Fr. Galstanian as Bishop in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Bishop Galstanian travels the country visiting Armenian parishes and mission parishes, with his home base at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral of Montreal, where the diocesan office is housed.

Welcome back.  We hope you enjoyed your summer.  Our next Badarak will be Sunday, Oct. 23, 2005 at 1 p.m. at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church.  See you then