In keeping with the Armenian Church Christmas tradition of Home Blessings, we invite all parishioners to join us on Sunday, January 30th from your homes for a parish-wide virtual home blessing via Zoom.

We will be preparing Home Blessing Kits for parishioners to pick-up on Thursday, January 27 or Friday, January 28 in the main office from 10 am - 4 pm., or on Sunday, January 30 in the Church sanctuary. Kits will be first-come, first-serve, and in limited quantity, but are not required in order to participate. Participants of the service are asked to prepare bread, water, and salt on a small dish or tray.

To register for the Home Blessing and receive the Zoom link, please visit www.tiny.cc/stjames2022.

Throughout history, Armenian Christians have considered the home to be a sacred place: the tranquil sanctuary of the family, where habits of virtue, pious traditions, and life-affirming customs are passed from one generation to another. Under one roof, members of a household achieve a unity of spirit and assume responsibility for the larger life of the community. They break bread and share life’s joys and sorrows.

During a Home Blessing, the priest blesses bread, water, and salt: three fundamental elements essential for human life and symbols of God’s infinite goodness and care. The priest asks God not to lessen these three gifts. Then he blesses the home and all its inhabitants, asks God to keep them away from visible and invisible enemies, and prays that God will protect them and grant them health of soul and body.

SCHEDULE A HOME BLESSING - Fr. Arakel is also available for home blessings in parishioners' homes after the current surge of Covid-19 subsides. To request a home blessing for your home, please contact Fr. Arakel or Tina Panian in our church office.