Prayer: The Soil of New Life

Excerpts from Archbishop Hovnan Derderian’s, October 1, 2023 message:

 “The pain and suffering that our nation and each of us have felt over the last several days is indescribable. A large portion of our Armenian homeland, into which the spirit of our centuries-old history has been squeezed, was lost to the enemy and tens and tens of thousands of Armenians from Artsakh are once again on the path of displacement.
 
Without losing a moment, however, we must stand up, remain in prayer, turning that prayer into the soil for new life. From that prayer, will come the inner power arising from faith, to manifest good works.
 
This Sunday, October 1st, at the national invitation to prayer, let us all kneel and vow that with our hands we will bring bright pages in the life and history of our nation and homeland. Let us be careful to never allow the words of prayer to stop on our lips, so that not even one word causes offense to another person. Because when our souls are not at peace and there is no prayer in our being, we are then powerless to create new life.
 
The past hundred years, not counting the past centuries, have been for us times of constant trials and losses. There is no other option for us except for prayer, to strengthen in prayer, and to create with prayer. At this moment, as always, we must stay strong in prayer, to continue our life with faith, armed with courage, Christian hope and love. 
 
Let us remember the enlightening words of Bishop Grigoris Palakyan, pronounced only a few years after the Massacres, "Yes… all the nations of the world thought you as dead, they spoke your eulogy at your grave, and thought they buried you forever. But… you have come today as proof to the people that you are not dead, that you will live and you do live. You have received a miraculously resurrection."
 
We will ask God that the souls of our martyrs may soar always over us all, so that our Christian faith and prayer life become the engines of our spiritual and national life.
 
We appeal to the faithful of our diocese, to note the spiritual policy of the Armenian Church will be mainly a policy of service, the mission of prayer, and for our new generations to be inspired and live by the love of God.”
 
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate
September 25, 2023