4TH SUNDAY AFTER NATIVITY
SYNAXIS READINGS
ISAIAH 63.18-64.12
TITUS 1.1-11
JOHN 7.37-52
MORNING SERVICE at 9:30 am
DIVINE LITURGY at 10:30 am
Celebrated by:
REV. FR. HAYARI TANASHIAN
Pastor’s Assistant
Choirmaster: Dn. Shahe Altounian
Organist: Mrs. Sona Artinian
TITUS 1.1-11
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach and that for the sake of dishonest gain.
JOHN 7.37-52
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’sdescendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Finally, the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?”
“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied.
“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law there is a curse on them.”
Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own numbers, asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”
They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”
OF THE
FEAST OF ST. GHEVOND THE PRIEST AND HIS COMPANIONS
Every year on the Tuesday preceding the Paregentan (this year on February 10) the Armenian church commemorates St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions. This Feast is dedicated to the
blessed memory of the Armenian priests who in the year 451 A.D. fought in the battle of Avarayr, alongside St. Vartan and the entire Armenian Nation for preservation of their Christian faith and national identity.
The eldest amongst them was St. Ghevond, and on this day the church also commemorates his companions: Catholics Hovsep, Bishop Sahak of Syunik, Bishop Tatik of Basen, Priest Mushe, Priest Arshen, Priest Samuel, Deacons Abraham and Kajajen. Following the Battle of Avarayr, by the orders of Persian King Hazgerd the courageous priests were martyred.
DID YOU KNOW?...
According to the tradition the day of the Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions is the day of the clergy.
FEAST OF ST. VARTAN THE CAPTAIN AND COMPANIONS
On February 12 the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of St. Vartan the Captain and his Companions. In 451, they fought and had fallen in the battle of Avarayr, to preserve their Christian faith and national identity. The Feast of Vartanantz usually falls on Thursday preceding the Great Lent.
In 449AC, the edict of Persian King Hazgerd declared, that all the subjects in the kingdom must accept Zoroastrianism as their religion. Please note, that at this time in history Armenia was under the Persian rule. In response, Armenian bishops and nobles called a council at Ardashad and unanimously agreed to defend their faith at all costs. King Hazgerd was angered by their response and in the spring of 451 the Persian army entered Armenia and set its camp on the banks of river Tghmout (Vasbouragan), in the ground of Avarayr. The Persian army 3 times larger than the Armenian army. The famous battle of Avarayr took place on May 26, 451 on the plains of Avarayr in the Province of Artaz. Before the battle the
Armenian religious leader and clergy baptised everyone in the army who was not baptized yet. On the fateful day, they prayed and took communion together as they waited to face the Persians. According to historian Yeghishe, the battle was bloody and horrendous.
Although St. Vartan and his companions were killed in battle, their fight to defend their faith was not in vain, as they achieved a moral victory. Eventually, Persians stopped their efforts to convert Armenia to Zoroastrianism and in 484 AD Armenia and Persia signed the Treaty of Nvarsag, which affirmed Armenia's right to practice Christianity.
He lost his mother at an early age and was raised under the care of his maternal relatives of Mamigonian family in the province of Daron. St. Sahag was educated in schools in Caesarea, Alexandria, and Constantinople. He knew Greek, Syriac, and Persian. He was the Catholicos of all Armenians from 387-439, and, together with King Vramshabouh, played a fundamental role, in supporting the work of St. Mesrob Mashdots, as well as to the creation of the Golden Age of Armenian literature in the 5th century. He was talented in music and educated in the rhetorical arts, philosophy, linguistics, and greatly contributed to the development of Armenian national culture.
St. Sahag worked to arrange and organize the Armenian calendar of religious festivities, composed various liturgical hymns and prayers, and played a significant role in the translation of the Bible, which was completed in 435. St. Sahag Bartev passed away in 439, in the village of Pelrots, in the province of Pagrevant, and was buried in the village of Ashtishat, in the region of Daron.
Requested by
Violette Khachatourian
Aren Mirzaian
Celine and Shant Minas
and children, Gayane and Garni
Zovik, Rosie, Anik, Robert, Arpineh
Khachatourian and Families
Hanriet and Vartan Vartanian and Family
Vigen Mirzaian
Hayushik Mirzaian and Vahram, Erik, Marianna Mirzaian
In Memory of Their Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Uncle, and Brother-in-law
THE LATE VAHIK MIRZAIAN
On the 40th day of his passing
As well as
THE LATE SEROJ KHACHATOURIAN
THE LATE MEGERDICH MIRZAIAN
THE LATE MARIAM AVEDIAN
THE LATE EDWARD MIRZAIAN
Requested by
Mr. Ara Avanesian and Dr. Anet Biuss and sons, Areen and Emeen Avanesians
Mr. Armen Biouss and family
Mr. Oshin Avanesian and family
Mrs. Ani Ghazarian and family
In Memory of Their Beloved Daughter, Sister and Niece
THE
LATE
ELEEN HASMIK AVANESIAN
On the 2nd anniversary of her passing
Requested by
Mrs. Nadia Garabedianand Daughters, Houys and Karoun
Mr. Kevork Garabedian
Mr. Garo Garabedian
In Memory of Their beloved Husband, Father and Brother
THE LATE ROUPEN GARABEDIAN
On the 3rd Anniversary of his passing
As well as
THE LATE SHOUSHAN ARUSIAG GARABEDIAN
THE LATE ZAVEN GARABEDIAN
Requested by Ms Elina Markaryan
In Memory of
THE LATE SERGEY MELKUMYANTS
On the 7th anniversary of his passing
Requested by Mrs. Dikranouhi Demircioglu
Mr. & Mrs. Ohannes & Ani Demircioglu and son
Robin Demircioglu
Mr. & Mrs. Murat & Pirlanti Keleshoglu and children
Arcan & Arsen Keleshoglu
In Memory of
THE LATE AGOP DEMIRCIOGLU
On the 29th anniversary of his passing
List of Donations January 31-February 06, 2026
GENERAL
Mr. & Mrs. Zohrab & Suzi Tutunjian $100
Mr. & Mrs. Movses & Talin Mermer $500
Mr. Levon Arakelian $100
Mrs. Manooshag Kayayan $100
Mrs. Gayane Mkrtchyan $100
Ms Arine Kemkemian $50
LOUMA
Mr. Kirkor Ozsogomonyan $150
Mr. Pedros Chinchinian $100
MEMBERSHIP
Mrs. Ella Sarkissian $100
Mr. Robert Sarkissian $100
ALTAR FLOWERS
Mrs. Hermine Madjarian $100 - February1
Demircioglu & Keleshoglu Families $100 - February8
IN MEMORY OF THE LATE SERGEY MELKUMYANTS
Ms Elina Markaryan $100
THE LATE VAHIK MIRZAIAN
Mrs. Violette Khachatourian $100
THE LATE JOHN BOYADJIAN
Mr. John Yeghouchian $500
Mr. Haig Yeghouchian $500
THE LATE BERJOUHIE IMASDOUNIAN-NALBANDIAN
Mr. & Mrs. Apic & VartouhiImasdounian $100
THE LATE GEORGE & MARY TAHHAN
Mr. & Mrs. Zohrab & Talar Tahhan $100 Susani Family$50
Mr. Jan Abadjian $20
THE LATE NAZAR MADJARIAN
Mrs. HermineMadjarian $100
Mr. & Mrs. Krikor & Lisa Artinian $50
BELOVED DEPARTED SOULS
Mrs. Manooshag Kayayan $100
THE LATE MATTI WAZAN
Mrs. Alizabeth Hayk Booghos $100
THE LATE BERC KIRMIZIYAN
Mrs. Zvart Kirmiziyan $200
MEMORIAL RECEPTION (ToWomen’sGuild)
Mrs.Violette Khachatourian $300
Tel:
HOLY TRINITY
ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH
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