tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-268149972012-01-26T21:56:27.942-05:00Musings from an Armenian Orthodox Revertvozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.comBlogger881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-38447256198059973382011-11-29T14:39:00.009-05:002011-11-29T16:43:04.389-05:00

The Hymn of the Night Hour, composed by St. Nerses Shnorhali, and sung/prayed during the Night Office of the Armenian Orthodox Church, includes both Յիշեսցուք ի գիշերի and Զարթիք (Heeshestsook ee keesheree and Zarteek), translated as "Let us recall in the night" and "Arise". Below is a link to listen to the hymn, as well as the English translation.Click here to listen to the Hymn of the Night

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-77078401816231767182011-10-12T19:32:00.008-04:002011-10-12T20:11:18.304-04:00

The Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, which has been available for veneration at various churches and monasteries, was at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary yesterday. The interesting thing about this particular icon is that it has been miraculously streaming myrrh since 2007.I, along with another seminarian, went to St. Vladimir's in order to venerate it, and although we only

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-24817663932521351932011-10-08T12:16:00.007-04:002011-10-08T12:53:04.536-04:00

In the text prior to this portion of Scripture, we see Jesus identifying select individuals for a specific purpose, i.e. His Disciples. In this passage (Matt. 4:23-25), we see that Christ’s message is not just for a select few, but that the gospel of the kingdom is universal; for all people, everywhere. We also see Jesus becoming, not only well known, but followed by many. But why are so many

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-86597815218403350082011-09-19T15:25:00.013-04:002011-09-20T00:01:36.580-04:00

Wearing my bloodOn my sleeveBut only enoughSlips beyond my wake     Again         AgainWhen I prayI can see my breathWhen I hopeThe sun eclipsedA blanket of shadeWhile my icy heart     sleeps

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-10966020070004751632011-09-11T16:22:00.008-04:002011-09-11T16:38:56.764-04:00

From the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, from the directive of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Special Prayer for the Solemn 10th Anniversary Observanceof the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks on AmericaSunday, September 11, 2011LORD JESUS CHRIST OUR GOD, ten years ago, in a dark hour for our beloved country of America, at a time of fear and turmoil, we

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-9862653714859064212011-08-28T17:14:00.005-04:002011-08-28T17:28:29.073-04:00

Diocese Summer Internship - 7/25/11 – 8/28/11 This past Friday marked the last official day of my Diocesan Pre-Seminary Program: DPSP. (I just made that up). It was the first of its kind, and in my opinion, it was extremely beneficial and productive. My expectations were more than exceeded, as I not only learned what I was assigned, but I also built relationships that will last beyond this

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-49792045329971056502011-08-07T22:31:00.019-04:002011-08-20T00:06:55.804-04:00

Diocese Summer Internship - 7/18/11 - 7/24/11 I’m thankful that I have people encouraging me, and praying for me…notably my Spiritual Director, Rev. Todd Zielinski, my Uncle/Godfather, Chris Garabedian, and my wonderful parents. One of my biggest challenges so far is singing/chanting the liturgical prayers and litanies... I never had a good singing voice, and up until now, anytime I did "sing

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-16317805218469301852011-08-04T15:15:00.011-04:002011-08-04T15:33:17.848-04:00

"And when he had said this, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." – Acts 1:9-

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-82214059654773180862011-07-23T14:12:00.008-04:002011-07-23T15:17:26.232-04:00

This monument of St. Gregory the Illuminator, blessed and inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 2005, is located at St. Peter's Basilica, in Vatican City, Rome.The inscription at the bottom reads, "S. Gregorius Armeniae Illuminator CCCI"CCCI is the Roman numeral for 301, the year Armenia, as a nation, was converted to Christianity via the efforts and influence of St. Gregory the Illuminator, thus

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-45579467999436939772011-07-17T22:49:00.017-04:002011-07-17T23:18:58.738-04:00

Diocese Summer Internship - 7/5/11 - 7/17/11After spending the 4th of July weekend with my family, including a 90th birthday party for my grandfather, Sarkis Garabedian....July 5th – I arrived in NYC at the Eastern Diocese. My first task was to park Fr. Daniel’s car in a parking garage. This meant I had to drive around the block…in Manhattan…for the first time in my life. I’ll admit, I was really

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-12090346192465535992011-07-14T17:02:00.004-04:002011-07-14T17:08:20.312-04:00

“…from its very earliest days Christianity never simply asked, “Do you believe?” for it knew that even Christ’s betrayers and crucifiers also had believed in something, in some way. No, Christianity’s question was this: How do you believe? And in what?”- Fr. Alexander Schmemann

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-5764334778602892412011-07-11T19:36:00.007-04:002011-07-11T19:56:38.280-04:00

The following is what I submitted as partial fulfillment for the St. Nersess Armenian Seminary application.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++St. Nersess Seminary ApplicationFall Semester – 2011Eric J. VozzyGive a brief autobiographical sketch and describe your own sense of calling to serve the Church, your understanding of the mission of the Armenian Church, and how you envision your calling being

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-1900604627727447532011-07-04T20:10:00.009-04:002011-07-04T22:30:51.143-04:00

Deacon's Training Program - 6/23/11 - 7/2/11Thursday...after moving my stuff into the attic of the seminary, I got into my car and proceeded to my very first destination as a resident of New Rochelle, NY......Dunkin Donuts.Back at the seminary we prepared for the upcoming Deacon's Training Program which is held every year for anyone looking for specialized training as a Deacon or altar server.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-49525837039007164762011-06-22T21:31:00.012-04:002011-06-23T11:29:16.188-04:00

Day 1 - I arrived at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary today.Brief background: In 2004 I relocated from Troy, NY to Charlotte, NC in order to attend Southern Evangelical Seminary where in 2009 I earned an M.A. in Philosophy. My faith journey has since led me to the Armenian Orthodox Church where I am currently pursuing the priesthood. Yesterday, I left Charlotte and today I arrived in New Rochelle,

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-83991674147191597902011-06-03T12:55:00.006-04:002011-06-03T13:01:04.066-04:00

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-13811756288930805252011-05-29T12:57:00.013-04:002011-06-01T10:28:21.674-04:00

Like every Mystery of the Church, Baptism is a response to what Christ has already done, and is presently doing. It’s our choice to receive (or continue to receive) the gift(s) which He has already given, and is presently giving. Although Baptism took place when we were “unaware”, our parents/guardians and Godfather believed for us, and promised to raise us in the Christian faith. When realize

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-26865613268514999622011-04-22T13:40:00.025-04:002011-04-23T14:27:50.716-04:00

This year, for the very first time, Easter and Armenian Martyrs Day fall on the same date - April 24th. Which are we to recognize? Surely, Easter takes precedence, but can we somehow observe both?At Easter, we celebrate life, specifically the resurrected life of Christ. On the opposite side of the spectrum, on Armenian Martyrs Day, we commemorate the death of 1.5 million Armenians during the

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-4099308791839781382011-04-02T12:45:00.005-04:002011-04-03T17:34:22.002-04:00

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” - Matthew 6:21During Badarak*, the priest, on behalf of the people, brings the Gifts of bread and wine to the altar. In return, God takes the Gifts, sanctifies them, and gives them back to us as His Body and Blood. As the culmination of the Divine Liturgy, this transaction is an act of worship to God. In the Gifts of bread and wine,

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-77202276660046598302011-03-29T19:05:00.006-04:002011-03-30T16:38:27.724-04:00

“Ultimately, the change came for us when we stopped trying to judge and reevaluate Church history, and for once invited Church history to judge and evaluate us….Instead of asking if Christian forbears like Anselm, Augustine, Athanasius, and Chrysostom were in our Church, we began to ask if we were in theirs!”1- Fr. Peter Gillquist on his journey from Evangelicalism to the Orthodox Church1Sealed!

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-43181315779727677612011-03-23T10:48:00.031-04:002011-03-25T07:49:00.463-04:00

Why talk about Baptism? For all of us who were baptized, it happened in the past, and many of us, if we were baptized as infants, can’t even recall the event. Isn’t it enough to know that getting baptized was important to do, and move on to more relevant things? If this is our attitude toward Baptism, then we risk taking Baptism, and all that it means, for granted. Here are some questions to help

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-53620165874713280682011-02-08T19:52:00.013-05:002011-02-08T21:08:55.504-05:00

Click here to read the results of the 2010 US Orthodox Christian Census conducted by Alexei Krindatch of SCOOBA (Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America).The census covers all of the Orthodox Churches in America, including both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, and according to the census, Orthodoxy in America is growing. Statistically, there was a 16% increase in the number of

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-65658875255271145692011-02-03T11:49:00.020-05:002011-02-03T17:41:41.959-05:00

Click here to read an article posted at voanews.com entitled, 'Armenian Awakening: Revivial of a Church'.Here is an excerpt from the article:“Our church is getting younger and younger,” jokingly says Father Shmavon Ghevondyan of St. Hovhannes Armenian Apostolic Church in Yerevan. “We are seeing a new trend of Armenian youth attending service.”In the 20th century, Armenia witnessed a series of

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-17483412803772688872011-01-24T20:28:00.009-05:002011-02-02T20:45:29.213-05:00

Beginning Wednesday, January 26th, St. Nersess Seminary is embarking on their third series of internet live streaming lectures with a course entitled, Armenian Hymnography: History, Theology and Function. The lectures will be led by V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Dean and Professor of Liturgical Studies at St. Nersess Seminary.These lectures are part of an ongoing Global Classroom, which intends

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-80291630880350809092011-01-19T16:16:00.011-05:002011-01-24T20:19:14.256-05:00

Tracing its heritage back to the descendants of Noah, it makes sense that Armenia would produce ancient history and discoveries. The following are just a few examples:Tracing the origin of their Christian community to the missionary efforts of the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus, Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, thus making the Armenian

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-75089700846332163682011-01-10T13:32:00.004-05:002011-01-10T13:41:34.600-05:00

A common issue within the Armenian Orthodox Church is that we feel unworthy to even approach the Cup of the Eucharist, thus abstaining from partaking of Christ’s Body and Blood. This could be the result of false or authentic humility, or even hopelessness. There is a sense in which we are unworthy to attain union with God, and to receive Him into our body and soul, but our unworthiness should not

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-23101099167990751452011-01-06T13:34:00.002-05:002011-01-06T13:39:18.694-05:00

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.' And lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-38244711601111745332010-12-31T12:19:00.017-05:002011-10-15T10:46:33.707-04:00

On Thursday, January 6, 2011, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The feast is referred to as Theophany because at Christ's baptism there was a divine manifestation of who Christ was -- the Son of God. ('Theophany' means 'divine manifestation'). This was revealed as the Holy Trinity appeared clearly to humankind. The

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-47724296661756184572010-12-17T13:45:00.011-05:002010-12-30T12:08:10.792-05:00

To Serve Him Without Fear (Christmas: January 6, 2011)Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! For he has visited his people, and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ... to enable us to serve him without fear... (Luke 1:68-74) Try to envision the scene in the hill country around Bethlehem, on the night when Christ was born. In a few words, Luke's

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-11571728925803618132010-12-07T21:12:00.023-05:002010-12-08T10:24:32.183-05:00

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” - Galatians 3:27“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:4“We believe…in one baptism with repentance for the remission and forgiveness of sins” - The Nicene Creed“Thou who hast called this

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-91945795574877861832010-11-17T11:45:00.007-05:002010-11-17T16:29:27.986-05:00

A friend of mine, and fellow Armenian Orthodox Christian, has a started a new blog. It is called banakan and can be found here. If you would like to know what 'banakan' means (in Armenian), it is explained on his site here.The subtitle of the blog is "a voice of reason in/from/for the Armenian Church". This alone makes me look forward to the present and future conent of his postings. Here is an

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-74573980310846415452010-11-12T17:29:00.006-05:002010-11-12T17:43:39.703-05:00

St. Gayane Armenian Orthodox Church in Etchmiadzin, Armenia was built in the 7th century by Catholicos Ezra. This photo was taken by photographer Hrair Hawk Khatcherian. Click photo for larger view.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-78041006459374962472010-10-25T20:16:00.014-04:002010-10-25T21:59:43.755-04:00

The following (in italics) is an excerpt from an article on Fr Gregory Jensen's blog entitled 'Martyred Priest Daniel Sysoev & American Orthodox Missionary Work'.At a missions and evangelism conference in 2009, the primate of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah said that “becoming Orthodox is not something that you can do just after 6 months of catechesis and a

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-73655045416517825842010-10-17T16:43:00.022-04:002011-06-09T15:59:33.934-04:00

The following video contains renditions of various Armenian Orthodox hymns.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-65301653947627170872010-10-16T15:44:00.009-04:002010-12-31T11:32:57.592-05:00

ObjectionsThe following are various objections to the sacrament of Penance as it is practiced in the Armenian Orthodox Church:Objection 1) Why do you confess to a priest when according to I Timothy 2:5, Christ is the one mediator between God and men?Reply:Like every other sacrament, and like Christianity in general, Penance is not an isolated event, but rather a communal event. Sin affects our

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-68274472369312752252010-10-13T17:43:00.016-04:002010-10-16T16:22:36.286-04:00

ObjectionsThe following are various objections to the sacrament of Penance as it is practiced in the Armenian Orthodox Church:Objection 1) Private confession to a priest is not biblical, and was not historically practiced in the early Church.Reply:It should be noted that the Armenian Orthodox Church practices both public and private forms of confession to a priest.It is true that confession in

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-28031678125400472782010-09-02T20:26:00.009-04:002010-10-16T16:12:22.970-04:00

Forms of ConfessionAfter we have prepared ourselves for the sacrament of Penance, we are ready to participate in the means of penance, which is confession. Confession is executed in one of two possible forms; private or public. Private confession includes the penitent and a priest, where the penitent openly discusses his or her sins with the priest. Public confession includes numerous penitents

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-44057137754552128702010-08-25T20:25:00.023-04:002010-10-16T16:12:05.557-04:00

Preparation for PenanceThere is a certain approach one should have toward the reality of sin, and it can be examined through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector found in Luke 18:9-14. As they both approached their sinfulness before God, the Pharisee judged himself in terms of others, while the tax collector, with humility, judged himself in terms of God’s law. Between the two

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-2578376500385202872010-08-21T14:43:00.015-04:002010-10-16T16:11:53.645-04:00

Church and PriesthoodAn important aspect of the sacrament of Penance is that it is performed within the context of the Church. This is in contrast to the idea that confession is an isolated event, but this also does not mean that it is a corporate event within the context of an invisible Church. The justification for the position of the Armenian Church is that Jesus established His Church, His

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-26512385072557002192010-08-13T12:52:00.024-04:002010-10-16T16:39:36.235-04:00

IntroductionOne of the core values of Armenian Orthodox spirituality is penance. As Armenian Orthodox Christians, to live a penitential life is the way in which we live a consecrated life to God. This penitential approach to spirituality is based on a stark contrast between the righteousness of God, and the sinfulness of humanity. It is this contrast that drives us to utterly depend on God for

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-81346807147083303512010-06-29T11:53:00.007-04:002010-06-29T16:45:00.340-04:00

Hurt was originally written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and released on the 1994 album The Downward Spiral. In 2002, on his album American IV, Johnny Cash covered Reznor's song as one of his final hit releases before his death. The video for Hurt was directed by Mark Romanek, and features images from Cash's life. It was named the best video of the year by the Grammy Awards and Country

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-34124717858321000702010-06-25T20:47:00.031-04:002010-07-06T22:17:38.679-04:00

St. Nersess Seminary has established an initiative called ’1 in 10’, which calls for every parish over the next 10 year period to send one seminarian to St. Nersess.If this is achieved, then eventually St. Nersess will have 4 new students enrolled each year, 4 graduating each year, and 4 being ordained each year, which will ultimately help meet the need for more clergy.Please help this initiative

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-77146438524044061182010-06-17T11:43:00.007-04:002011-03-29T19:11:11.198-04:00

"The Protestant Reformation began when a Catholic monk rediscovered a Catholic doctrine in a Catholic book."-Peter Kreeft

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-78233681892444726272010-06-15T22:11:00.007-04:002010-09-18T12:31:43.610-04:00

In the introduction to Hymns on Paradise, by St. Ephrem the Syrian, Sebastian Brock explains that typical to almost all early Christian writers, including St. Ephrem, Melito of Sardis, and Jacob of Serugh, is the employment of clothing imagery. Ideas such as God ‘putting on’ names in the Scriptures, Christ ‘putting on’ the body at the Incarnation, and Christ ‘putting on’ our weakness fall within

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-69031707990297008272010-06-07T15:37:00.004-04:002010-06-08T08:28:12.769-04:00

The following are excerpts from On Spiritual Knowledge and Discrimination: One Hundred Texts by St. Diadochos of Photiki. St. Diadochos was born ca. 400 and died before 486. He was the bishop of Photiki in Epirus (North Greece). This work is important for understanding Orthodox mystical theology, where he emphasizes the fundamental unity of man’s body and soul, the salvific waters of baptism, our

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-37389339232979586942010-06-02T22:18:00.010-04:002010-06-08T08:33:52.563-04:00

A battle ensuesHostility intrudesAn anemic heart; a weary mindTo love or not to loveConfess how to find the worthInescapable and inevitable telosWhy spill a soul toEmbrace another?Why impart blood toAssume more?Is there no happiness without pain?Can love not be sweet if death waits?

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-45901617421506546382010-05-30T13:15:00.017-04:002010-07-06T22:17:55.132-04:00

Since this is the year of “Vocations”, I would like to draw attention to St. Nersess Seminary, and call all faithful Armenians to support this wonderful treasure of the Armenian Church.St. Nersess, which falls under all three Dioceses in North America (Eastern, Western & Canadian), was established in 1961 through the vision of Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan. It is the only Armenian seminary in the

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-54565555668875606032010-04-27T09:35:00.008-04:002010-04-28T16:41:46.556-04:00

On the weekend of April 16-18, St. Nersess Seminary sponsored a ‘Parish Mission Trip’ to St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet, NY. I was invited to participate in the trip by Der Stepanos Doudoukjian, who is the Director of Youth and Vocations for St. Nersess Seminary. Those who participated in the trip besides Der Stepanos as the lead, were myself (St. Sarkis – Charlotte, NC), Matthew

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-17868288688977788092010-04-24T23:21:00.007-04:002010-04-26T17:16:29.155-04:00

Faith can be a very illusive concept due to its seeming intangibility. It can be very difficult to define, even when Scripture references it numerous times. Faith can even be doubted, taken for granted, and trivialized, even though it is the theme throughout Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. None of this means we should avoid the topic, so what follows is a reflection on faith and its

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-65890067133567468032010-04-03T09:33:00.004-04:002010-04-03T09:46:19.027-04:00

Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnyal eh harootiunun Krisdosee!Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the resurrection of Christ!Click here to read an Easter message from Archbishop Khajag Barsamian

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-32676622138801304682010-04-02T09:15:00.002-04:002010-04-02T09:21:43.142-04:00

“It is owing to wonder that men both now begin and at the first began to philosophize.”– AristotleWhat is Philosophy? Philosophers actually debate on how to define philosophy, and how it should be practiced, but on the most literal level, the word philosophy means ‘love of wisdom’ (Philo= love, Sophia = wisdom). So, philosophy can be thought of as the quest for truth, knowledge, and wisdom. J.P.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-25706033767833082672010-04-01T12:42:00.008-04:002010-04-02T09:21:55.291-04:00

from the website of the Mother SeeWe are the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian ChurchWe are the living body of Christ, the Christian Church of the Armenian people, the entire world-wide community of the Armenian nation.Founded in the first century by two of the Apostles of Jesus Christ, Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew, we are one of the five ancient Eastern Oriental Orthodox churches

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-1838964756568375362010-03-26T10:24:00.003-04:002010-03-26T10:36:35.939-04:00

by Hratch Tchilingirian, Copyright 1996. The Faith of the Armenian Church is transmitted through the church’s Holy Tradition, i.e., the ongoing life of the church from the time of Christ to our times. The Bible, liturgy and worship, writings of the church fathers, church councils, saints, canons, religious art and rituals–organically linked together–formulate the Holy Tradition of the Church.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-36506805888971901142010-03-21T18:34:00.003-04:002010-03-21T18:38:20.771-04:00

Do you trust God? Don’t just answer with what you know the right answer to be - stop and think about it. Do you trust Him in every area of your life? Do you ever find yourself trying to control areas of your life without surrendering them to God? Areas that you stubbornly hold onto and resist letting go of, afraid that God will either change your plans or take too long to accomplish them? Do you

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-75042993276083454012010-03-12T09:10:00.018-05:002011-01-18T16:00:53.872-05:00

The Holy Bible - The Book of PsalmsSt. Athanasius – On the IncarnationSt. Athanasius - The Life of St. AntonySt. Cyril of Alexandria – On the Unity of ChristThe Nicene CreedRobert Thomson, ed. – The Teaching of St. GregorySt. Ephrem the Syrian – HymnsDivine Liturgy of the Armenian ChurchTiran Nersoyan – The Divine LiturgyXosrov Anjewac’i – Commentary on the Divine LiturgyNersess Lambronatsi -

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-13000651083580275602010-03-02T10:17:00.009-05:002010-10-16T15:31:47.334-04:00

If you walk into any given Armenian Orthodox Church, you may notice something over the altar, or at least most of them. You may either see the single letter 'Eh' (Է) directly at the top, such as the picture to the left demonstrates, or you may see the words 'Asdvadz Ser Eh' (in Armenian letters) with the English translation 'God Is Love' following it. In the case of the latter, the letter 'Eh' (Է

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-47487659537840376602010-02-16T21:14:00.003-05:002010-02-16T21:31:29.626-05:00

The following are excerpts from On Those who Think that They are Made Righteous by Works: Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Texts by St. Mark the Ascetic. One thing we do know about St. Mark is that he was living in the desert at one stage in his life, thus he is also known as Mark the Hermit. This work is one of the texts contained in the first volume of The Philokalia.2. Wishing to show that to

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-38799926812756962292010-02-14T21:13:00.009-05:002010-02-14T21:30:50.809-05:00

Fall      The sense of:            Dying                  FallingWinter      The reality of:            Death                  SilenceSpring      The birth of:            Resurrection                  New lifeSummer      The fulfillment of:            Bliss eternal                  Joy unspeakable

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-14842866669780081762010-02-10T12:58:00.008-05:002010-02-10T13:24:21.234-05:00

Directed by Philip Gröning, Into Great Silence is a documentary which was released in the UK in 2005. It documents the monastic lives of the Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, whose monastery is located in the French Alps. The Grande Chartreuse Monastery was founded over 900 years ago, and according to the film, this particular monastic order is considered to be one of the most ascetic

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-40487247388612136822010-02-09T22:55:00.005-05:002010-02-09T23:20:21.967-05:00

The following are excerpts from On Prayer: One Hundred and Fifty-Three Texts by Evagrios. Evagrios Pontikos, or Evagrios the Solitary, born in 345 or 346, wrote On Prayer while living the monastic life. He died in 399 while residing in the remote desert of Kellia. This work is one of the texts contained in the first volume of The Philokalia, which serves as a guide to the way of prayer and inner

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-78263233881458992952010-02-02T14:53:00.013-05:002010-06-29T12:04:29.926-04:00

Written by Dmitry Sobolev and directed by Pavel Lungin, Ostrov was released in 2006 as the closing film for the 2006 Venice Film Festival. It won both the Nika Award and the Golden Eagle Award as the Best Russian film of 2006. (Note: It is in Russian with English subtitles.)Ostrov is set in a small Russian Orthodox monastery somewhere in northern Russia. It takes place in 1976, which would be the

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-39497479188244059162010-01-15T12:13:00.006-05:002010-03-10T13:03:07.964-05:00

Timothy Ware – The Orthodox ChurchA.M. Coniaris – Introducing the Orthodox ChurchSergius Bulgakov – The Orthodox ChurchJ. M. Hussey, Andrew Louth - The Orthodox Church in the Byzantine EmpireFr. John Anthony McGuckin – The Orthodox ChurchGeorges Florovsky – Bible, Church, TraditionVladimir Lossky – Orthodox TheologyVladimir Lossky – The Mystical Theology of the Eastern ChurchJohn Meyendorff –

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-44979704853642235872010-01-08T14:51:00.005-05:002010-03-10T12:58:44.141-05:00

Eusebius, Andrew Louth – The History of the ChurchHenry Chadwick – The Early ChurchPhilip Schaff – History of the Christian Church: Vol. 1-8Jaroslav Pelikan – The Christian Tradition: Vol. 1-5St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press – The Church in History: Vol. 1-4J.N.D. Kelly – Early Christian DoctrinesAlister McGrath – Historical TheologyHoward Cunliffe-Jones – A History of Christian DoctrineAziz Atiya –

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-62191050530098829472010-01-04T10:24:00.008-05:002010-06-29T12:04:04.652-04:00

I'm more of a favorite 'band' person rather than a favorite 'album' person, so these lists usually reflect which of my favorite bands released a new album in a given year. But...I did have more than 10 to pick from (barely), so this is still valid.10. Trans Siberian Orchestra – Night Castle9. Pendulum – Live at the Brixton Academy8. Believer – Gabriel7. Stryper – Murder by Pride6. Dream Theater –

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-20859870945700575782009-12-24T18:02:00.003-05:002009-12-24T18:16:59.616-05:00

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetzav! Orhnyal eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee!Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ!Click here to read a Christmas message from Archbishop Khajag BarsamianClick here to view a video about Christmas in the Armenian Church

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-28470847110717000152009-12-13T14:10:00.006-05:002009-12-14T12:06:00.713-05:00

His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is the Archbishop of Constantinople, and Ecumenical Patriarch, and thus "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox Church, since November 2, 1991. His most recent book, Encountering the Mystery: Understanding Orthodox Christianity Today, was published in 2008 by Doubleday. The way of fasting is one of the many subjects he covers in this book,

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-85204116990829052492009-11-14T15:58:00.003-05:002010-03-10T13:05:31.284-05:00

Jaroslav Pelikan – CredoPhillip Schaff – The Creeds of ChristendomJ.N.D. Kelly – Early Christian CreedsNorman Tanner – The Councils of the ChurchNorman Tanner – Decrees of the Ecumenical Councils: Vol. 1-2Peter L'Huillier – The Church of the Ancient CouncilsLeo Davis – The First Seven Ecumenical Councils

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-8041793500647587802009-11-10T20:17:00.008-05:002010-07-06T23:40:04.729-04:00

Benedicta Ward – The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian MonksPhilip Schaff – Ante-Nicene Fathers: Vol. 1-10Philip Schaff – Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: 1st Series: Vol. 1-14, 2nd Series: Vol. 1-14Jack Sparks – The Apostolic FathersWilliam Jurgens – Faith of the Early Fathers: Vol. 1-3Andrew Louth – Early Christian Writings: The Apostolic FathersCyril Richardson – Early Christian

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-40125278432653851032009-11-09T19:42:00.004-05:002009-11-09T19:46:14.628-05:00

If you are looking for a relaxing environment to get away from your busy schedule, then look no further than Urbana.Urbana, as a teabar, offers an excellent variety of quality loose-leaf teas from around the world (100+). They also offer wine, several delicious appetizers, and many quality tea-related products for home-brewing.As a lounge, the environment is very conducive to relaxation. The

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-2359461287122203622009-10-30T21:01:00.008-04:002010-03-10T12:56:29.119-05:00

Timothy Lull – Martin Luther’s Basic Theological WritingsMartin Luther – The Bondage of the WillMartin Luther – Three TreatisesMartin Luther – The Large CatechismPaul McCain – Concordia: The Lutheran ConfessionsJohn Calvin – Institutes of the Christian ReligionPhilip Hughes – Theology of the English ReformersW.H. Griffith Thomas – The Principles of Theology: An Introduction to the Thirty-Nine

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-69826960964803599352009-10-28T11:06:00.007-04:002010-12-20T18:04:24.164-05:00

St. Thomas Aquinas – Summa TheologicaPaul J. Glenn – Tour of the SummaSt. Thomas Aquinas – Summa Contra GentilesEtienne Gilson – The Christian Philosophy of St. Thomas AquinasPeter J. Kreeft - Catholic ChristianityCatechism of the Catholic Church: 2nd Ed.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-84063420931425610502009-10-27T17:03:00.007-04:002010-03-10T12:48:06.123-05:00

AsdvadzashunchOSB – The Orthodox Study BibleEOB – The Eastern/Greek Orthodox BibleRSV – Revised Standard Version (Armenian Church Edition)NRSV – New Revised Standard Version (Armenian Church Edition)NAB – New American BibleNASB – New American Standard BibleESV – English Standard Version

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-85964232471449765992009-10-23T11:08:00.008-04:002009-10-27T17:32:19.806-04:00

Peter Kreeft – Socratic LogicMortimer Adler – How to Read a BookMortimer Adler – How to Speak, How to ListenWilliam Strunk, E.B. White – The Elements of Style

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-5938401221964162032009-10-22T07:56:00.009-04:002009-10-22T08:22:08.487-04:00

"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." - Revelation 3:16 (NASB)Common Perspective:This Scripture is commonly understood to be about a person's spiritual temperature. The modern application of the metaphor seems to imply that our heart is either hot, which means to be zealous and passionate for God, or cold which means to be bitter, hostile, or

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-22898162245103936422009-10-19T22:23:00.019-04:002009-10-20T17:36:41.481-04:00

Der Voghormya Video 1Der Voghormya Video 2

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-12239090313956808442009-10-19T17:02:00.003-04:002010-03-10T13:11:24.295-05:00

St. Ephrem the Syrian – HymnsSt. Augustine - ConfessionsSt. Thomas Aquinas – The Aquinas Prayer BookThomas a Kempis – The Imitation of ChristThe Philokalia: Vol. 1-5St. Grigor Narekatsi – Speaking with God from the Depths of the HeartSt. Nerses Shnorhali – Jesus, SonDivine Liturgy of the Armenian Church

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-37784826180526075562009-10-19T13:46:00.012-04:002010-03-10T12:52:30.133-05:00

Ed Miller, Jon Jensen – Questions that Matter (3rd shorter edition)Frederick Copleston – History of Philosophy: Vol. 1-9Louis Pojman – Classics of Philosophy

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-82365384440389830752009-10-14T15:55:00.004-04:002009-10-14T16:22:32.322-04:00

Are Christians are intolerant? Are they narrow-minded. Do they have any good reason to claim that someone else holds to erroneous beliefs? Should Christians be "tolerant" of other people’s views?“Tolerance”, part of the political correctness campaign, has become a buzzword in American society and to be honest, I’m bored with it. The concept is applied to everyday conversation, politics, and

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-81521281989915419272009-10-11T19:58:00.010-04:002010-06-29T12:05:01.527-04:00

Since Battlefield Earth was released in 2000, I realize that I'm 9 years late on naming it "a new standard", but I have no other choice since I finally watched it in October of 2009.Here are at least 7 reasons why I loved Battlefield Earth:1) I watched big name actors humiliate themselves with terrible scripting and terrible acting.2) The 'made-for-tv-movie' special effects.3) I watched as

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-399672979239453252009-10-11T14:55:00.003-04:002009-10-11T15:12:01.076-04:00

Aquinas demonstrates the existence of God using what is referred to as The Five Ways. Each way builds off of the other starting with the argument from motion and ending with the argument from purpose or design. Of the four kinds of causes (material, formal, efficient, final) the fifth way is an argument from final causality, which is last in the order of causality.This argument is teleological in

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-62115355783863428892009-10-08T17:13:00.002-04:002009-10-08T17:24:42.623-04:00

Mark’s gospel account stresses actions and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Appealing to the aggressive and practical Roman mind, Mark portrays Jesus as a mighty servant of the Lord meeting every man’s needs while proclaiming the truth of God by emphasizing His miracles and works.What hopefully follows from the teachings and actions of Jesus are disciples that understand His

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-12000393711077286892009-10-07T19:07:00.004-04:002009-10-07T19:24:52.166-04:00

The kingdom of heaven was the foundation of Christ’s gospel message. The gospel is even referred to as the gospel of the kingdom four times in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 4:23, 9:35, 13:19, and 24:14 talks about preaching and hearing the gospel, or the message of the kingdom.The kingdom of heaven is apparently an important theme that Matthew is drawing attention to. John the Baptist is the

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-42108142228555525612009-10-05T00:04:00.005-04:002010-06-29T12:05:33.053-04:00

You may know the author from his novel No Country for Old Men, which went on to become an Oscar-winning movie in 2007. The Road is his latest work, which has also been made into a movie to be released in November of 2009.The Road is a story about a father and his son traveling across a post-apocalyptic landscape; a world that has been burned and brutally ravaged. McCarthy does not hold back with

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-563638998993311132009-10-04T23:59:00.004-04:002010-06-29T12:05:43.563-04:00

The highly anticipated Terminator Salvation, directed by McG (Charlie’s Angels, We Are Marshall), is a continuation story from the previous Terminator movies with all new actors. It takes place in 2018, after Skynet has brought worldwide destruction in a nuclear holocaust. John Connor is back as the leader of the human resistance against Skynet and its army of Terminators.Unfortunately, as cool

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-90496773603287285752009-10-04T08:46:00.005-04:002010-06-29T12:05:53.176-04:00

The Message behind the Movie: How to Engage with a Film without Disengaging your Faith. Douglas M. Beaumont. Moody Publishers. 2009. 176 pp. $10.19 (Amazon). ISBN 978-0802432018.Should Christians avoid all movies, dismissing them as bad, evil, or garbage? Should they watch any movie without any regard for content, dismissing the idea that they can be violated by anything on a screen? Or is there

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-59302600336892444332009-10-03T18:03:00.005-04:002009-10-04T08:59:42.069-04:00

We have a book club at The Well of Hope Lutheran Church, and this summer we read the book Decision Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen and J. Robin Maxson. One of the various topics the authors cover is that of open and closed doors of opportunity and their relation to decision making and God's will. This seemed like an interesting and relevant topic, so I would like to summarize and

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-35171617969330433992009-10-03T13:59:00.005-04:002010-06-29T12:05:23.831-04:00

On May 12, 2009 The Crystal Method released Divided By Night, their 4th studio album.Divided By Night (DBN) is not what The Crystal Method (TCM) fans are used to, but different does not mean bad. As relevant as Vegas still is in 2009, it's still over 10 years old and no one should want nor expect TCM to duplicate that sound or that album. That would be non-progressive and boring to say the least.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-67476290220533643712009-10-02T14:57:00.005-04:002009-10-04T08:55:59.527-04:00

One of the distinctive elements of orthodox Christianity is the affirmation that Jesus Christ is God, the second Person of the triune Godhead. There are various ways to support the claim that Jesus is God incarnate, such as historical tradition, theology, and philosophy. Then there are the biblical claims of Christ’s deity, which are grounded in the authority and reliability of the New Testament.

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26814997.post-4764546222512053012009-09-28T18:41:00.005-04:002009-10-03T13:32:12.647-04:00

An exposition of Ephesians 1:3-14.PART I - Some general facts about Ephesians 1:3-14:1) This section is a typical Jewish berakah, which is a prayer of blessing God for His mighty acts in creation and redemption.2) In this specific berakah, Paul is praising the Father for what He has done through the Son and the Spirit; for the spiritual blessings the Father has given us through the Son and

vozzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10117309530166929265noreply@blogger.com1