ՀԱՅՑ. ԱՌԱՔԵԼԱԿԱՆ Ս. ԵՐՐՈՐԴՈՒԹԻՒՆ ԵԿԵՂԵՑԻ
ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF HOLY TRINITY

Diocese News

Diocese News

ANNOUNCEMENT | Sunday 2 January 2022 at 10:30am | DIVINE LITURGY Blessing of Pomegranates 

The first Divine Liturgy of 2022 will be celebrated on Sunday, 2 January 2021 at 10.30 am. At the end of Holy Mass a Prayer of Thanks Pomegranate-blessing service will be offered for the New Year. The service was established by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians in 2015. In Christian symbolism, the pomegranate represents the blood shed by Jesus Christ, also symbolising the Lord’s Glorious Resurrection and the diversity of God’s graces. In the Armenian Church, the pomegranate also depicts like its seeds, the numerous and various Church members, covered with a solid outer layer, being united into one Church. Parishioners are invited to donate pomegranates to the church on the same day before divine liturgy. The Celebrant & Homilist of the day will be Fr. Miuron Avedisian

Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary by Anna | Thursday 9 December 2021

This is one of the eight feast days devoted to the Holy Virgin in the Armenian Church’s liturgical calendar. This feast is always celebrated on December 9, and is part of the Church’s preparation for Christmas.  After many years of childlessness and fervent prayer, an angel of the Lord announced to Joachim and Anna that that they would be the parents of a daughter, the Virgin Mary, who would bring blessings to the whole human race.  The Conception took place at Jerusalem.  The faithful rejoice in the event that celebrates Mary’s conception in fulfillment of the prayers of her parents and who was nurtured to become the mother of the Messiah. Bible readings for this Feast are: Song of Songs 6:3-8; Malachi 3:1-2; Galatians 3:24-29; Luke 1:39-56. This feast is one of a cluster of holy days on which the Armenian Church expresses its tender devotion to the mother of Jesus Christ.  She began life as the child of Sts. Joachim and Anna, a devout couple whose earnest prayer was answered with the birth of a daughter.  Through her life of holiness and purity, and her graceful acceptance of the role to which God called her, Mary ranks among the pre-eminent exemplars of the Christian faith, whose birth and very conception are occasions for celebration.

Commemoration of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, the first preachers of Christianity in Armenia

On Saturday 4 December 2021, the Armenian Church celebrates the Commemoration of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew.Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew were two of the twelve Apostles of Christ, who came to Armenia and preached Christianity in Armenia deserving the title “the first illuminators”. Still at the dawn of Christianity they were martyred in Armenia. It was the result of their preaching and martyrdom that the Armenian people, being the first nation in the world, proclaimed Christianity as the state religion. Indeed, Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew played an important role in the history of 2000-year-old Christian Armenian nation which has unshaken faith and keen love towards its Mother Church. On November 28, 2014, according to the Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the feast of the founding apostles of the Armenian Church was proclaimed as the Day of Holy Lance (Սուրբ Գեղարդի ուխտի օր). Each year a Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the Cathedral of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in the memory of St. Apostles. On this occasion, the Holy Keghart is removed from the Mother Cathedral Museum for the worship and blessing of the people.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The arrival of Reverend Fr. Miuron Avedisian and his family to Sydney

Commemoration of Archangels Gabriel, Michael and the Entire Heavenly Class

We celebrate the Archangels Gabriel, Michael and the entire Heavenly Class on Saturday 6 November. According to the Angelology of the Armenian Church the angels are unfleshly, spiritual, independent, always moving, asexual, immortal creatures and God’s servants. According to the Church Fathers, the angels, as luminous creatures, have been created on the first day of Creation, together with the light. By God’s order they are servants, they have been created to serve humans. Therefore, they are servants, who despite being dyophysite, participate in the earthly life, act together with the human being living in time and space, they act for the human being. The angels are called the messengers and agents of God, who realise God’s will. According to Dionysius of Areopagus (Areopagite), there are nine orders of angels – Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Throne, Cherubim and Seraphim. Archangel Gabriel, whose name means “God’s man”, is God’s direct servant, who is granted the grace to evangelise the Lord’s mysteries. It was Archangel Gabriel, who was sent by the Lord to bring the good news to the Virgin about the birth of the Saviour, and to Zechariah – to bring the good news about the birth of John the Baptist. Archangel Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?”, is the advocate for the Heavenly King’s glory and His people’s protection, who is granted the virtue to govern and rule. The name of Archangel Michael is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures four times (The Book of Daniel,10:13, 12:1, The Letter from Jude 1:9, The Revelation to John 11:7).

“Vodnlava” Washing of the Feet

The Washing of the Feet (Vodnlava) service took place on Holy Thursday 1 April 2021. The evening service is in remembrance of the humble servant attitude Jesus demonstrated at the last supper and set as an example for us to follow in our Christian walk.Following His example, Archbishop Haigazoun Najarian and Der Avetis Hambardzumyan knelt down, in front of the Church altar, and washed the feet of the children of the church, anointing their feet with blessed oil.Archbishop Haigazoun then spoke to the children about the events of the Last Supper and of Christ displaying true humility when washing the feet of his disciples

10 Year Anniversary of Haigazoun Srpazan Commemoration as Bishop

On Sunday 7 November 2021, the Church of Holy Resurrection celebrated the 10 year Anniversary, of His Eminence Archbishop Haigazoun Najarian being consecrated as a Bishop, by His Holiness Karekin II in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.Archpriest Father Norayr Patanian spoke of Srpazan Hayr’s positive influence on the community since his arrival to Australia and, in particular, the building of the new Arachnortaran under his guidance.On this occasion, a blessing took place of the new vestments generously donated by Jack and Rita Nercessian. Srpazan Hayr thanked the benefactors for the generosity of their gift which served as an example of stewardship in caring for the needs of the church  “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24

Sounds of the Luys Quintet in Sydney

Next Thursday, the Luys Quintet will arrive in Sydney to grace our community with their beautiful voices that have been described as a “harmonious light symphomy”. Founded in 2003, the Quintet has performed concerts in Armenia, Canada and Europe and will introduce their beautiful rich tones for the first time in the southern hemisphere with community concerts organised in Sydney and Melbourne. The group’s debut performance will be at the Gala Black Tie event on Saturday 29 July to be held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Double Bay when they will entertain guests with a joyful folkloric program. Their renowned repertoire of sacred spritual songs and popular folk songs can be expected at the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Trinity on Saturday 5 August. The Quintet can be seen on the following days: Saturday 5 August @ 7pm – Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Trinity, Wentworthville Sunday 6 August @ 7pm – Our Lady of Dolours Church, Chatswood Divine Liturgy on 6 August The Quintet will also provide the choral accompaniment to the Divine Liturgy on the morning of 6 August at the Church of Holy Resurrection (Chatswood) when His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian will be the celebrant. Click play to hear the Quintet sing the sacred chant “Ur es mayr im” at the Geghard Monastery: See the flyer below for more details.

Offering Grapes for the Blessing Ceremony

Parishioners are invited to contribute grapes, a sacred practice carried out with faith and reverence. To do so for the blessing ceremony, please contact the church office on 8677-7032 to register the donation. To assist with the distribution, we kindly request grapes be packed and delivered in small individual bags. It is traditional to use seedless grapes to emphasise that this fruit came into being without seed just as Christ became man without any human agent.  

Blessing of the Grapes this Sunday

The Blessing of the Grapes (Khaghogh Orhnek) will take place on Sunday at the Church of Holy Trinity on the lawns following the Divine Liturgy. This celebration is traditionally held nearing the end of the summer and beginning of harvest. In the northern hemisphere it is held in August on the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. The Significance of this Tradition When dating back to the time of the Old Testament, grapes were historically significant as they were the first fruit of the harvest and hence offered to God for thanksgiving, acknowledging dependency on Him and His provision. With the birth of Christ, the first born of Virgin Mary, who was dedicated to God in the temple, this paralleled with the grapes, the first fruit of the harvest. Therefore, through the blessing of the grapes, the Armenian Church celebrates how it was through Mary and the Holy Spirit that God took on physical form.