Cathia Hamparian Children’s Memorial – Invitation to attend and participate

Dear Family and Friends,
 
Cathia Hamparian Children’s Memorial Candle Lighting will take place on Sunday December 8, at 6:45p.m.

at St Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church (2215 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena) and virtually on Epostle.net

 
Wishing you early Happy Thanksgiving! The time when families get together to celebrate, be thankful for our blessings, and the start of the busy Christmas season, the music, the festivities, the decorations… The time with the empty seat on the festive table for us, bereaved families.
 
As Cathia’s parents and family, we’ve been in this journey for 28 years!!! Not a day goes by without thinking of her, missing her. We have come a long way from the first years when we didn’t know what to do, how to overcome this period. When we didn’t want to leave the house, hoping it all passes quickly, as tears and sorrow and emptiness were part of our everyday life; our new us, heartbroken, trying to live without her physical presence. With every year we got stronger, we learned to love again and be thankful for the precious memories of her and the time we had with her. Those memories kept us going, and the eternal love we have for Cathia, the honor of being her parents and family.
The comforting event all these years is the Children’s Memorial Service on the 2nd Sunday of December. We began commemorating 27 years ago in Cathia’s memory and have continued every year ever since. Many of you have been part of this commemoration and have shared pictures of your loved ones. Last year we launched a virtual memorial with all of those pictures as stars in heaven. This year we will once again LIVE STREAM the event as well as meeting in person at St Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in Pasadena. Please join us in person at 7PM (Pacific Time) or, if you cannot make it, please join us on the web at Children’s Memorial – epostle from anywhere in the world. You will be entering the portal where our children’s stars shine all all around us. Walk in the Gallery and watch us live. We are adding a new feature this year: You may add a note to your child’s star where visitors can learn more about these special angels. Please email me by December 5, a small note if you would like to add a note.
If you know of families who have lost a child, please forward the information to them. Bereaved families find comfort in this event by sharing, talking, lighting a candle and honoring our Shining Stars
🙏🏻🌠
 
Please accept this as an invitation to come and join us.
 
Sincerely,
Maria Hamparian, Cathia’s mom
(626) 826-7833

 

Advent 28-50: Fasting

Advent Day 28 of 50: Fasting

Today’s passage talks about the third member of the trinity of faith expressions. In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke about acts of charity, then about prayer. And today, he continues with…

When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:16-18)

Fasting is the third expression of faith that Lord explains is between you and your Creator.

Fasting is a physical deprivation of food. Like prayer and acts of charity, fasting is one more necessary element in the life of the Christian. Not only did Jesus teach it, he practiced fasting, most notably during his 40 day period of seclusion in the wilderness following his baptism and prior to beginning his ministry.

Fasting strengthens the will and resolve of an individual. During a fast, an individual feels hunger, sometimes accompanied by pain. It is at those moments of physical yearning that we understand the words of Jesus during his 40 day fast, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

A call to fast and prayer is a call to learn about your strengths and limits. It is necessary to prepare and strengthen your inner self for spiritual warfare. Behind all the physical wars out there, there are even bigger spiritual battles that cannot be escaped. Often, people look outside of themselves for the solutions to their fears and problems. Each of us has it within us to be a part of the solution.

Let us pray, Lord and God, Jesus Christ. Before you started your holy ministry here on earth, you secluded yourself and fasted. You taught us that we do not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. May those words satisfy our hunger for righteousness and strengthen our soul and conscience to stand upright for peace and understanding. We thank you along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

Mt Davidson Time Capsule Unearthed

Time Capsule Unearthed at San Francisco’s 
Mt. Davidson Cross Commemorating First
 Easter Sunrise Service in 1923 Reveal of 90 year-old time capsule items and burial of new time capsule; 
Religious and political leaders joined for historic event

On Saturday, April 1st, 2023, a time capsule was unearthed from the foot of Mt. Davidson Cross in San Francisco in front of a large crowd of onlookers.  Ninety years ago to the day, San Francisco officials and community members gathered at the top of Mt. Davidson Cross to witness Boy Scouts of America Troop 88 bury a sealed copper box at the foot of the Cross to commemorate the first Easter Sunrise Service held there on April 1st, 1923.

“Historic moments like these held at Mt. Davidson Cross illustrates how our Armenian-American communities can enrich and inspire society by bringing people together under the ancient canopy of our resilience and hope,” commented Fr. Mesrop Ash, Pastor of St. John’s Armenian Apostolic Church in San Francisco and Board Member of the Mt. Davidson Cross Armenian Council.

During the time capsule unearthing, representatives from the San Francisco Historical Society were present to delicately receive the items which will be prepared for archiving and placed on display for the public to view at their San Francisco museum in June.

Among the items found in the capsule– which were much more plentiful than the organizers were expecting– were a leather-bound Bible, a San Francisco telephone book, pamphlets, a Boy Scout pin, a municipal record of 1933 and several newspapers including the March 27, 1932, edition of the San Francisco Chronicle, featuring a full front-page photo collage of an Easter celebration, and several other newspapers from the time, many with headlines referencing a murder case.

Following the unearthing of the old time capsule, a new, larger copper time capsule was buried at the same spot. Memorable items were presented by various local clergy leaders including Archbishop Salvadore Cordieone, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco and Metropolitan Gerasimos, Metropolitan of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco.

In front of the crowd, Archbishop Cordieone read a poignant quote from Pope Francis in 2015 during his visit to Tsitsernakaberd, the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Armenia and placed a copy of that inside the new capsule.

On behalf of the Armenian American community, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, placed a New Testament Bible from Constantinople (Istanbul) from 1884 belonging to a Genocide survivor and an Armenian Cross Stone (Khachkar) made especially for this event into the new time capsule.

Aside from the clergy, it was an honor to have many state and city politicians in attendance for this historic event. CA Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, as well as San Francisco Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Ahsha Safai all provided brief remarks and ceremonially added their own small San Francisco-related momento into the new time capsule.

The historic event was organized by the the Council of Armenian-American Organizations of Northern California (CAAONC), a coalition of more than 30 Armenian-American organizations that purchased the Mt. Davidson Cross through a City of San Francisco public auction in 1997. The CAAONC has renovated the Cross and maintains it and the hilltop as an offer of thanks to San Francisco for becoming a safe haven for survivors of the Armenian Genocide.

“The San Francisco Armenian American community was gratified to save the Cross from demotion in 1997 and serve as its caretaker for the past 25 years in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide committed by the Turkish government, remarked Roxanne Makasdjian, Founding Board Member of CAAONC and event Mistress of Ceremonies.

“We do this as a way of thanking San Francisco for taking in the Armenian refugees a century ago, and as a way to honor our history, both as the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301 AD, and as descendants of Armenian Genocide survivors. For us, this Cross and this time capsule embody the importance and purpose of remembrance,” commented Makasdjian.

Watch the Video

Listen to The Next Step Podcast #390 by Fr Vazken Movsesian, produced on November 16, 2015, starting minute 33, when Fr Vazken recaps a Pilgrimage by a group of  St Peter Armenian Church members, Glendale, led by him. The Pilgrimage was to 7 Churches in 3 days, including a hike to Mt Davidson Cross.

Listen to the Podcast

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian’s Remarks at the Mount Davidson Cross

Watch the live stream here:

Marriage Conversation Starter

Marriage Prep: Dialogue Stimulation

Congratulations! You’re engaged to be married. This is a time for you to grow in love toward one another and to contemplate the seriousness of the vow you will take in front of the Holy Altar. The file below contains questions designed as a “conversation starter/dialogue stimulator.” I have put together these questions from my experience as a parish priest for the last 40 years. In talking and discussing these issues, I hope you will gain a better understanding of each other, and even more, an understanding of yourself as a wife or husband and the life you will share together.

Download, Open and Follow the directions

Pre-Marriage Dialogue Stimulation