LITTLE ARMENIA–Western Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian celebrated Divine Liturgy at Hollywood’s St. Garabed Church Sunday, marking also the Feast of St. John the Forerunner.
According to the Armenian Church calendar, The Feast of St. John the Forerunner falls on Thursday, January 15th. ssisting at the altar were Christian Education Co-Director Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian and parish pastor Archpriest Fr. Vicken Vassilian.
At the start of his sermon the Prelate thanked Almighty God for granting the celebration and beseeched the Lord to bless the memories of those who established the church and faithfully served towards the progress of the parish. The Prelate commended also the present servants of the church, the Pastor, Delegates, Board of Trustees, Ladies Auxiliary, Choir, sponsors, and parishioners who continue to labor for the advancement of the church.
In his sermon the Prelate reflected on the life of St. John the Forerunner and on the mission God sent him to fulfill. St. John, the Prelate said, received the Holy Spirit while still in the womb and the angel proclaimed to his father Zecharia of his mission to bring the people to God by calling on them to repent and cleanse their spirits. The Prleate emphasized that throughout his life St. John remained unfaltering in his faith and steadfast in his teachings and prepared disciples for the coming of Christ by inviting them to live virtuously so that they too would become children of God.
St. John became the ideal of how to live a righteous life through the way he lived his life, and instructed the people to live and serve in the same manner, and though he was arrested and tortured, he never ceased to speak the truth. He taught mankind how to live and work together justly and adhere to the Lord’s commandmen’s.
The Prelate concluded his sermon by calling on the faithful to asses their lives to ensure that they are applying the teachings of St. John to their everyday lives, to be resolute in their faith, live and act justly, love one another, and abide by the Lord’s commandmen’s.
At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy the Prelate blessed the madagh, which was then distributed to the faithful, after which the Prelate presided over the reception at “Karapetian” Hall.