March 22, 2026
Unknown preacher
On the last Sunday of Great Lent before Palm Sunday (Գալստյան կիրակի / Sunday of the Advent), the preacher reflects on the Second Coming of Christ as the central teaching that should order the Church's liturgical and spiritual life. In the Armenian homily, he recounts how even devoted parishioners were surprised to learn that the funeral rite is ultimately a preparation for Christ's return, and emphasizes that Christians are called to live in hope, not fear, as they await that day. In the English homily, he uses the analogy of a draining iPad battery to explain anxiety—the awareness that time is running out—and presents the Holy Gospel as the source that recharges, stabilizes, and resolves our future. He connects this to the approaching Holy Week, urging the faithful to enter it with the mindset that the liturgical celebrations are not merely remembrances of the past but promises of what Christ will fulfill at his return.
Matthew 21:9 (implied — Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord)
October 26, 2025
Unidentified priest (likely parish pastor)
The preacher delivers a bilingual homily. In Armenian, he reflects on St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, noting that the world's wisdom cannot comprehend the preaching of the crucified Christ, and that believers may feel 'foolish' in the eyes of the world—a reality that has persisted for two thousand years. In English, he expounds on Christ's eschatological teaching in Matthew's Gospel about the second coming, emphasizing the Armenian Church's profession of awaiting Christ's return from cradle to grave (including burial practices that reject cremation). Using the parable of the fig tree, he encourages the faithful to live fully in the present season of spiritual preparation—through sacraments, scripture, relationships, and repentance—trusting that God will bring fruitfulness in His time.
1 Corinthians 1; Matthew 24
May 25, 2025
Unidentified parish priest of St. John Armenian Church
The preacher reflects on the Gospel of John's account of the man born blind, focusing on Christ's statement that He came so the blind may see and those who see may become blind. He explores the accountability that comes with spiritual sight, connecting it to the concept of mysterion (sacrament) in the early church and the evangelical mission of St. Mesrop Mashtots. The sermon transitions into a catechetical teaching on the Sanctus hymn (Soorp Soorp), explaining its biblical origins in Isaiah and Revelation, its universal liturgical character, and its uniquely Armenian features, including direct address to Christ and emphasis on His second coming.
John 9 (healing of the man born blind); John 9:39 ("For judgment I have come into the world..."); Isaiah 6 (Sanctus, angels worshiping); Revelation (angels gathered around the Lord); Palm Sunday passages ("Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"); John 10 (sheep recognizing the shepherd's voice)