Parish pastors from across the Eastern Diocese converged on New York’s St. Vartan Cathedral on Friday evening, October 4, to receive the new Holy Muron: the oil sanctified in splendid ceremonies at Holy Etchmiadzin on September 28, to be used in the sacramental anointing services of the Armenian Church.
It was a meaningful occasion for the clergy, to receive the Holy Muron from Diocesan Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, and convey it back to their respective parishes, in the final leg of the Muron’s journey from the Mother See of the Armenian Church to the faithful parishioners back home.
Following a service in the cathedral sanctuary, the clergy gathered in warm-hearted fellowship for dinner at the Diocesan Center. Afterwards, Bishop Mesrop expressed his thoughts about the occasion—and about the greater significance of the Holy Muron—in a message to the public.
Read Bishop Mesrop’s message below.
Click here to view photos of the October 4 gathering.
And click here for a photo gallery of ceremonies in Diocesan parishes on Sunday, October 6, to welcome and receive the new Holy Muron.
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The Sign of Our Unity in Christ
Bishop Mesrop’s Reflections on the Holy Muron
Last Friday, I had the great honor of bringing the newly blessed Holy Muron from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to our beloved Eastern Diocese,” Bishop Mesrop wrote. “In a special service at St. Vartan Cathedral, I gathered with our clergy to distribute this sacred anointing oil, which will be shared with parishes across the diocese. It was a powerful reminder to me of the unity of our worldwide Armenian Church.
Think about this: all the different kinds of perfumes, incenses, and flowers gathered from near and far, brought to Holy Etchmiadzin, blessed by our Catholicos, and then distributed to every corner of the globe. Armenian bishops from different countries received the Holy Muron—and now we, as clergy of the Eastern Diocese, get to distribute it to our parishes and people.
It’s a living symbol of how we are all connected.
Friends, we are part of something much greater than ourselves. Our faith doesn’t exist in isolation. Wherever you are, this Holy Muron connects us as one body, one worldwide Armenian Church. Every drop of this oil carries with it the fragrance of our unity in Christ. It’s a beautiful image of how God’s blessing flows outward to infuse the entire world.
Isn’t that what Lord Jesus prayed for?
He prayed that we would all be one—just as He and the Father are one (John 17:21). And when we share in this sacred oil, we’re reminded that we belong to the same family: the family of God. We may come from different places, speak different languages, or have different experiences; but we are united in Christ. We are not alone in our faith. We stand alongside our brothers and sisters across the globe, in the same divine calling.
So, let’s hold onto that sense of connection and unity. Let this Holy Muron be a constant reminder that no matter how far apart we may be geographically, we are bound together in the Holy Spirit. Let it inspire us to pray for one another, to support one another, and to love one another as Christ has loved us.
When we see the challenges in our communities, when we feel isolated or overwhelmed, remember this sacred oil and the message it carries: We are not alone.
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate