St. James Armenian Church

Volleyball Tournament Fundraiser
2025-11-08 11:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St., Watertown, MA, 02472, United States
All are welcome! The St. James ACYOA Seniors are hosting a Volleyball Tournament Fundraiser on Saturday, November 8th at 11 am. Proceeds from the event will support the 2026 ACYOA Senior General Assembly and Sports Weekend, hosted next year by our chapter.
Register your team! Teams of 4 people are welcome, co-ed, ages 16 and up. Alumni are welcome to join! Individuals can also register and be placed on a team. $25 per person.
Register online here.
View flyer.

St. James Hye Cafe
2025-11-14 18:30 - 20:00
Save the date and join for Hye Cafe, featuring delicious Armenian food, fellowship, and live music!
Doors open at 6:15pm – Kitchen opens at 6:30pm.
Table reservations for parties of 6 or more may be made by calling the Church office at 617.923.8860 no later than 4pm on Thursday, November 13th.

POSTPONED - Town Hall Meeting
2025-11-16 13:30 - 14:30
***Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances, the Town Hall Meeting scheduled for tomorrow, November 16, has been postponed until Sunday, January 25, 2026. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this change and we appreciate your understanding. We look forward to gathering together in January - please save the date. ***
Parishioners are invited to an open Town Hall meeting on Sunday, November 16th at 1:30pm in the Charles Mosesian Cultural & Youth Center’s Keljik Hall. Join us to hear about recent updates, and share feedback as we vision and plan for the future of our parish together. Your insight and questions are essential as we look ahead to the 100th anniversary of our St. James parish, and beyond.

Women's Guild Dinner Meeting
2025-11-20 18:30 - 20:30
Thursday, November 20 - Women of all ages are welcome to join our November meeting, welcoming Sarah Stites, the AYO Program Director of the Fund for Armenian Relief. Sarah will give updates on new fundraising projects in Armenia. Potluck dinner; no charge. Please RSVP to Laura Bresnee and include the dish you plan to bring.

Family Day Thanksgiving Luncheon
2025-11-23 12:30 - 14:00
All are invited to join us for our annual Family Day Thanksgiving Luncheon, hosted by the ACYOA! Let's give thanks together as a Church family. View flyer. Advance paid reservation only. Reservations may be made online or in the church office by Wednesday, November 19.
Click here to purchase tickets.

Men's Club Monthly Dinner & Gathering
2025-12-01 19:00 - 20:30
MONDAY, DECEMBER 1
MEN'S CLUB MONTHLY DINNER & FELLOWSHIP
With Guest Speaker, Author Nancy Kricorian. Nancy Kricorian, born and raised in Watertown, is the author of four novels about post-genocide Armenian diaspora experience, including Zabelle, which was translated into seven languages, was adapted as a play, and has been continuously in print since 1998. Her latest novel The Burning Heart of the World is focused on Armenians of Beirut before, during, and after the Lebanese Civil War. View flyer.
Losh Kebab and Kheyma Dinner. $25 per person.
6:15 pm Mezze & Social Hour
7pm Dinner
7:30 pm Speaker
Open to the community, all are welcome!

Women's Guild Christmas Dinner & Outreach
2025-12-04 18:30 - 20:30
Women's Guild Christmas Dinner & Outreach. All women of St. James are welcome to attend! Join us for a night of Christmas celebration and outreach, as we fill stockings full of gifts to donate to the Watertown Food Pantry. View flyer for full details.
RSVP requested to Laura Bresnee (info listed on flyer.)

Children's Christmas Party
2025-12-05 17:30 - 19:30
Friday, December 5 - St. James Children's Christmas Party! Christmas activities, dinner, Christmas treats, and more! For children of all ages and parents - not a drop-off event. 5:30-7:30 pm. Click here to RSVP.

Hallmark Movie Night!
2025-12-06 19:30 - 21:30
Saturday, December 6 | Hallmark Movie Night! View flyer for full details.
Please RSVP to Yn. Natasha for planning purposes (contact info on flyer.)

Christmas Pageant
2025-12-07 12:30 - 13:30
Sunday School Christmas Pageant & Celebration. See the Nativity story come to life in a beautiful program presented by our Sunday School. Fellowship to follow. Immediately following Church services at approximately 12:45 pm.

94th Anniversary Name Day Celebration
2025-12-14 12:30 - 15:30
Sunday, December 14 - 94th Anniversary Name Day Celebration. Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate, presiding.
St. James Armenian Church cordially invites you and your family to our annual
NAME DAY BANQUET
celebrating the 94th Anniversary of our parish
His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate
Presiding
Recognizing Service Award Recipients
St. James Choir Members
and
Sunny Boghosian
Sunday, December 14, 2025
10 am Divine Liturgy
Name Day Banquet to follow. Keljik Hall.
St. James’ Charles Mosesian Cultural and Youth Center
Roasted Statler chicken dinner, with mezza, salad & dessert.
Veegan/Vegetarian meals available upon advance request.
$50 per person. $20 for children 12 and under.
CLICK HERE TO RESERVE TICKETS

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service
2025-12-24 18:30 - 20:30
Wednesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Join us for an evening of prayer, music, and the light of our Lord, including the celebration of the Feast of St. Stephen, the First Deacon and Martyr. Reception to follow. All are welcome. 6:30 pm Musical Prelude. Service (in English) at 7 pm.

Blessing of Pomegranates
2026-01-04 10:00 - 12:00
Sunday, January 4
Divine Liturgy | 10:00 am
Blessing of Pomegranates immediately following
Blessed pomegranates will be distributed to the faithful to take home.

In Armenian tradition, the pomegranate as a national symbol reflects the meaning of life, prosperity and abundance. The Pomegranate is considered by many faith traditions to be the fruit of the tree of knowledge and a symbol of abundance and life. A popular belief is that each one contains 365 seeds, corresponding to the number of days in a year, symbolizing new life in Christ and the New Year.
In Christianity, the pomegranate symbolizes the diversity of God’s grace, the Church. Just as the seeds of the pomegranate are separated by thin membranes yet held tightly together, in the same way the Christian Church holds all Christians around the world together in Christ’s love; though they are separate, they are not divided. Thus the pomegranate shows unity in diversity.

Jrakalooyts - Eve of the Feast of the Nativity
2026-01-05 17:30 - 20:30
MONDAY, JANUARY 5TH
EVE OF THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY
AND BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (Jrakalooyts)
Evening Service and Reading of Scriptures
(in Armenian) 5:30 PM
Readings by St. Sahag & St. Mesrob
Armenian School students & ACYOA members
Divine Liturgy 6:30 PM
Home Blessing and Reception to follow. All are welcome.

Feast of the Nativity and Baptism of Our Lord
2026-01-06 10:00 - 12:30
TUESDAY, JANUARY 6TH
FEAST OF THE NATIVITY AND BAPTISM
OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
Morning Service 8:00 AM
Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM
Blessing of Water in Remembrance
of Our Lord’s Baptism
Reception to follow.

St. James Hye Cafe
2026-01-09 18:30 - 20:30
Save the date and join for Hye Cafe, featuring delicious Armenian food, fellowship, and live Armenian music!
Doors open at 6:15pm – Kitchen opens at 6:30pm.
Table reservations for parties of 6 or more may be made by calling the Church office at 617.923.8860 no later than 4pm on Thursday, January 8th.

Men's Club Monthly Dinner & Fellowship
2026-01-12 18:30 - 20:30
All are welcome to a joint gathering of the St. James Men's Club and the Knights of Vartan. With guest speaker Raffi Barsamian. Having recently spent the past year living in Jerusalem, Raffi will share his reflections on life in the Armenian Quarter, the history of the Armenian presence in the city, and the current political climate.
6:45 pm Losh Kebab and Kheyma Dinner. Speaker to follow. $25 per person. All are welcome.

Women's Guild Dinner Meeting & Service Project
2026-01-15 18:30 - 20:30
Thursday, January 15 - Women of all ages are welcome! Join us for our January gathering, which will include dinner and a service project.
We will partner up with St. James Cares to prepare shelf-stable soup kits for donation to the Watertown Food Pantry.
$20 per person. Please RSVP to Laura Bresnee (information can be found in the flyer.)

Fitness Class Fundraiser
2026-01-21 19:00 - 20:00
All are welcome! The ACYOA Seniors are hosting a Group Fitness Class Fundraiser on Wed, January 21st to benefit the 2026 ACYOA Seniors Sports Weekend. The class will be led by Certified Personal Trainer Anastasia Bohajian. Join us for a beginner friendly workout open to all fitness levels!
This fundraiser will take place in the Charles Mosesian Cultural & Youth Center’s Keljik Hall. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Class begins at 7 pm. Open to all, ages 16+. A waiver must be signed in person prior to the class.
$25 per person. Please click here to RSVP. Contact Katrena Daldalian with any questions.

Town Hall Meeting
2026-01-25 13:00 - 14:00
Parishioners are invited to a Parish Town Hall meeting on Sunday, January 25th at 1:15 pm in the Charles Mosesian Cultural & Youth Center’s Keljik Hall.
Join us to hear about recent updates, and share feedback as we vision and plan for the future of our parish together. Your insight and questions are essential as we look ahead to the 100th anniversary of our St. James parish, and beyond.

St. James Winter Ball
2026-01-31 19:30 - 23:30
Saturday, January 31 - Join us for a St. James Winter Ball featuring live Armenian music by the Yerakouyn Band (Shant Massoyan, Raffi Massoyan, and Steve Vosbikian) and international music by DJ Rams!
Proceeds will benefit the 2026 ACYOA General Assembly & Sports Weekend hosted by the St. James ACYOA Seniors. Mezze included. Cash Bar. View flyer.
Open to the community - all are welcome!
Advance Purchase Only by January 25th.
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE.

Book Club Gathering
2026-02-04 19:00 - 20:30
**Rescheduled to Wednesday, February 4th due to snow.**
We are pleased to announce that our next St. James Book Club gathering will take place on Monday, January 26 at 7pm. We will discuss The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox. For planning purposes, please RSVP to Yn. Natasha by e-mail or text. All are welcome!

St. James Hye Cafe
2026-02-06 18:30 - 20:30
Save the date and join for Hye Cafe, featuring delicious Armenian food, fellowship, and live Armenian music!
Doors open at 6:15pm – Kitchen opens at 6:30pm.
Table reservations for parties of 6 or more may be made by calling the Church office at 617.923.8860 no later than 4pm on Thursday, February 5th.

Vartanantz Community Commemoration
2026-02-12 18:30 - 20:30
Thurs, February 12 - Community Commemoration of the Feast of Sts. Vartanantz. This year's gathering will be held at St. James, with the participation of the Boston Area Armenian Churches, and the Knights and Daughters of Vartan Ararat Lodge and Arpie Otyag.
6:30 pm Vespers Service, followed by a special musical program on the occasion of the 110th Anniversary of the Knights of Vartan. Dn. Asatur Baljyan, Choir Director. Traditional Harissa Dinner & Reception to follow.
View flyer here. Open to the public. All are welcome.

Soup Lunch Fundraiser
2026-02-15 12:30 - 13:00
Warm up on a winter day with Madzoon (yogurt) Kufta Soup, boreg, and a sweet treat for $10 per person.
Hosted by the St. James Craft Group - all proceeds will help offset expenses for their parish winter outreach effort.
Immediately following Church services, prior to the Town Hall Meeting. All are welcome.

Weekly Lenten Vigil Service & Lenten Dinners
2026-02-18 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-02-25 19:00 - 20:00
Wednesday evening vigil services will take place weekly during Lent at 7:00 pm. The first service will be held on Wednesday, February 18. Services will be conducted in Armenian and English. All are welcome.
Lenten Dinners will once again be held each Wednesday beginning at 6 pm, prior to the Lenten Service. A $10 donation is requested.

Women's Guild February Meeting
2026-02-19 18:30 - 20:30
Women of all ages are invited to become members of our St. James Women's Guild! Join us for our February gathering. Please RSVP to Laura Bresnee.

Khash Breakfast
2026-02-21 09:00 - 13:00
Join us for a traditional Armenian Khash breakfast! Khash is a hearty bone-broth style soup, served with crispy lavash, garlic, salt, and more. Due to the long process involved in its preparation, fellowship gatherings around the khash table are also part of the tradition. All are welcome. View flyer.
Advance reservations are required by February 14th. $75 per person, includes khash, continental breakfast, and dessert. Please RSVP online at this link or in the Church office.

Blessing of Children Service
2026-02-22 11:30 - 12:30
Each year, on the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple, it is a custom in the Armenian Church for parents to bring their newly-born babies to the Temple of the Lord to present the child to God.
In keeping with this tradition, we invite all parents wishing to receive a blessing for their child for a special blessing immediately following church services.
All are welcome to take part in this ancient and meaningful tradition. Please RSVP to Tina Panian.
