St. Vartan Armenian Church of
Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan,
Pastor
Telephone (905) 549-2711
stvartan@cogeco.ca
(905) 617-7888
Holy Week
Great Monday is dedicated to the creation of the
world, of Heaven and Earth, as the foundation of Christ’s Second Creation. We recall the fig tree that did not bear
fruit and was condemned by Christ (Matt.
Great Tuesday recalls the parable of the wise and
foolish maidens who waited for their bridegroom without enough oil for their
lamps (Matt 25:1-13). We pray and wait, spiritually preparing ourselves to
receive Christ while recognizing we are all sinners.
Great Wednesday we recall the fallen woman who
anoints Christ with costly oil and kisses his feet, in contrast to Judas who
betrayed Christ for money (Matt. 26:3-16).
Maundy Thursday marks the first Holy Communion,
which Christ distributed to His 12 apostles at the Last Supper. During the
Passover Meal, Christ broke and distributed unleavened bread and passed the
wine. He told the Apostles that this was His Body and Blood of the New
Covenant. In the Evening, the service of the Washing of the Feet takes place
in memory of the Lord's example on Holy Thursday. Jesus washed His
disciples' feet, setting an example of humility and love for the earliest
members of the Church. At night, an all-night vigil called Khavaroom (darkness) is kept in memory of the last night of
our Lord on earth when Jesus prayed in the
Good Friday is the most solemn and sad day for
Christians, when the suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus are recalled. In
the evening, at the burial service, a replica of a tomb is placed in the
chancel of the church. It is adorned
with flowers and during the service is taken in procession around the church.
As they leave, the faithful approach the tomb, kiss the Bible and take a
flower.
Holy Saturday (Easter Eve) is dedicated to the Saviour’s burial and the sealing of the tomb. The
Divine Liturgy, called Jurakalooytz (Candlemass), is celebrated at the end of the day, when
every lamp was lit to signify the beginning of a new day. The mystery of
salvation in the Resurrection of Christ is celebrated. Lights are dim until Isaiah 60 is read, then
they are suddenly turned on and the joy of Easter Eve is begun.
Good Friday, April 14 and
Holy
Burial Service Friday
@
Divine Liturgy Saturday @
Sunday School Saturday @
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given
complete authority in heaven and on earth.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the
commands I have given you. And be sure
of this: I am with you always, even to
the end of the age.” Matthew 28: 16-20 .
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 evening. 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.
Does lighting a candle have magical powers? Are we supposed to light
candles for good luck?
No and no. Lighting a candle is symbolic of the Light that
Jesus brings into the world. St. Gregory the Illuminator brought the Light of
Christ to the Armenian nation by preaching the Gospel. Lighting a candle helps
remind us of Jesus' Light, and thus helps focus us on God while we pray. We
don't light a candle for good luck. We
light a candle to help us pray well.
Bunnies, Cheoregs and Coloured
Easter Eggs
Another sure way to tell it’s
Easter is because we are selling bunnies, home-made cheoeregs
and coloured Easter eggs this weekend at St. Vartan Armenian Church.
We ask you to please support the fund-raising efforts of our
hard-working volunteers.
If you have placed an order for these items, they will be
available at Easter Sunday’s Soorp Badarak on
We Welcome Newcomers and Visitors
Immediately following the service today we have a coffee
hour 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 on Easter
Sunday, April 16 at
Are You On Our Mailing List?
Please fill out the forms you can find on clipboards at the
doors of the church today. The Parish
Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date. Sign up to receive church news by email.
St Vartan Faithful Saw the
What a vast amount of knowledge about the
David was born in the
Volunteer Reporters, Digital Photographers Needed
If you would like to try your hand at writing short news
stories or taking digital pictures at our church events, please join our team. St.
Vartan Armenian Church needs writers and
photographers to provide material for its Sunday tertig,
its website and the Diocesan website.
Please call Ani Shalvardjian,
or email anijan2@gmail.com. Thanks.
St.Vartan's Armenian Cafe on Palm
Sunday was a BIG hit !
More than 30 children, under the age of 10, acted as hosts
and hostesses on Palm Sunday, with the help of teens and proud and dedicated
parents and grandparents as invaluable organizers. The crowds were
plentiful, just like in Jesus' time. The red, blue, and orange-coloured long buffet table was full of boeregs,
cheoregs, paklava, tri-colour fruit salad, and even cookies decorated with the
Armenian flag. Drinks included traditional Armenian coffee, spring water
direct from
Did you know? News Stories and Photos Now Available on St. Vartan’s Website:
www.stvartan.ca
Join Father Hayrik on a Special Visit This
Summer to
Meet with His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians. Celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the Holy See
of Etchmeadzin. Sightsee in
Join the pilgrimage to
Information and registration session
on
DIVINE LITURGY
Evening Service & Bible Study*
Schedule for April 2006