Today, on April 24 we remember the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, who remained faithful to God even unto death. We remember lives uprooted, homes emptied, churches silenced, and countless faithful souls who carried the name of Christ on their lips to the very end. And on this day, the words of our Lord come to us with special depth: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24). A

There is a small drawing that has traveled farther than most masterpieces. It hangs in homes, in hospitals, in churches. The “Praying Hands” by Albrecht Dürer. Two simple hands, folded in prayer. No grand landscape in the background. Just hands lifted to God. At first glance, it seems almost too simple. But the longer you look, the more you see. The veins are visible. The fingers are slightly worn. They are hands that have worked, carried weight, hands that know effort and fa

There are moments in life when God leads us in a direction we would not have chosen for ourselves. A door opens, and instead of feeling immediate excitement, we feel hesitation. We look at what we may have to leave behind. We think about what feels familiar, comfortable, and dear to us. We wonder whether this new path can truly be the right one. In the fall of 2019, while I was serving at St. Vartan Cathedral, I received a call from His Holiness asking me to return to Armenia