PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710
E-mail: chrisz@armeniandiocese.org
Website: www.armenianchurch.us
April 2, 2026
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ATTENTION EDITOR: Scroll down for the
Armenian text of Bishop Mesrop’s Easter Message.
Photo attached, with captions below.
HEADLINE:
The Easter MESSAGE of Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate of the
Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
Opposite the
Tomb
Years ago, while I
was serving as a parish pastor, one of my parishioners lost her husband. After
the funeral she would faithfully visit her beloved husband’s grave at the
cemetery. She would bring a small chair
with her, and sit by
the headstone for hours. It was my
privilege to accompany her on occasion, whenever she asked me to offer formal
blessings at his burial site. But in my
youth, I struggled to understand why she would remain there, just sitting, for
so long afterwards.
Over time,
however, I came to realize what kept her there. Not habit nor loneliness, but
Love. Love that refused to walk
away. Love that chose to stay present,
close at hand—even when the only response to that presence was silence.
That same love
appears in the Gospel, when we are shown Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of
Jesus sitting opposite the tomb of our Lord.
In front of them
was a massive stone, a dark silence, a place that appeared to hold only
loss. Everything they loved seemed
closed off behind that stone. They could
have turned away and departed, like everyone else. But they chose to stay, facing the sealed
grave—out of Love.
Earlier this year,
on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, I too sat where they sat, opposite the Holy
Sepulcher: the Tomb of Christ. I will
never forget the stillness of that place.
The quiet. The weight of
history. And I thought about those
women: the ones in the Gospel, and the one in my early ministry.
Many of us have
been to this place symbolically in our own lives. We believe; we pray; we trust in God. Yet we feel we are staring at something
closed. A relationship that seems
over. A prayer that seems
unanswered. A future that looks
blocked. We are doing all we know to
do—and still, the stone is there.
But like the women
at the tomb, we stay. Sometimes
that is exactly what faith asks of us: to stay in place. To stay near God, even when you don’t
understand. To stay in prayer, even when
you don’t yet see results. To stay
hopeful, even when everything in front of you says, “It’s over.”
The women
stayed—and because they stayed, they were among the first to witness God’s
victory: the fulfillment of Christ’s promise that “I am the Resurrection and
the Life.” They learned that waiting
with God is never wasted time. Love that
remains near God is always rewarded.
My friends, if you
are facing a stone in your life today, do not lose heart. Do not turn away—but stay. Stay in prayer. Stay in trust. Stay close to God, even when you cannot see
the outcome. Jesus showed us that
Resurrection follows faithful waiting.
Light follows the long night.
Life has the final word.
Jesus Christ is
truly risen. And because He lives, every
stone that stands before you is temporary.
But God’s promise is eternal.
May that promise
be alive in our hearts this Easter, as we proclaim:
Christ is raised
from the dead! Blessed is the
Resurrection of Christ!
Krisdos haryav ee merelotz! Orhnyal eh haroutiunun Krisdosi!
Prayerfully,
Bishop
Mesrop Parsamyan
Primate
Easter
2026
* * *
PHOTO CAPTION:
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America, sits before the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem during the Diocese’s Holy Land Pilgrimage last January, in the place
outside Christ’s tomb once occupied by Mary the Mother of Jesus and Mary
Magdalene.
* * *
Claim: Leader of the Eastern Diocese of the Church of America
T. MESROP BISHOP PARSAMEANIS:․ EasterTHE RESULT
Opposite side to the Grave
Years ago, when I
I used to serve as a smoking pastor, and one of my parishioners had the misfortune of losing
իր ամուսինը։ After his death, this widow faithfully visited her husband’s grave.
She would bring a small chair with her and sit with her head on her husband’s gravestone for hours.
Befriending him on various occasions and whenever he asked, I would recite a prayer at the grave
on But when I was young, I tried to understand why this widow for hours
he used to sit there alone.
After some time I realized
what was it that kept him near the tombstone for a long time? It wasn’t the habit and it wasn’t
not the separateness, but the love. That love that refused to leave him. A love that he wanted
to stay in the present, close to him, even when the only answer he would get was silence
was.
This is the same love
is revealed in the Gospel. The Holy Book tells us that after the burial of the Lord Jesus.
“Maryam Magtaghenatsi and the other Maryam were sitting there, on the opposite side of the grave.”
(Matt. 27:61)
A huge stone is in front of them
It was a dark silence, it seemed that there was only a place of loss. All that
that they loved, I think they were blocked behind that stone. They could leave, but
moved by their love, they chose to stay, watching
the sealed tomb.
A few months ago when
We went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, I also sat where they sat – opposite
side to the Tomb of Christ. I will never forget the motionless and quiet state of that place.
The weight of history was significant. And I thought about those women – the women of the Gospel
and that too of a widow who was in my family.
Many symbolically
We have been to this place in our personal life. We believe, we pray, we trust
of God But at the same time we think that our eyes are fixed on something closed
a Think of a relationship that has ended. Consider it an unanswered prayer
is the rest. A future that is blocked. We will do the best we can
agree – but still the stone is still there.
But women near the grave
like this, we stay and wait. Sometimes our faith requires us to live
and wait. Stand close to God, even when you don’t understand. Stay in prayer, even
when you would not see any results. Stay hopeful when everything around you tells you,
“everything is over.”
Women remained – and how many?
who waited, they were the first witnesses of God’s victory, of Christ’s promise
to the implementation that “I am the Resurrection and the life.” They understood that waiting with God
It is never a waste of time. The love that remains with God is always rewarded.
Beloved, if you today
you will find a “stone” against rebuke, do not despair. Don’t panic and get out of here.
but stand firm, praying and trusting. Stay with God, even when the result
you wouldn’t have seen it. Jesus showed us that the Resurrection faithfully follows the expectation.
Light follows the long night. It is life that will have its last word.
Jesus Christ indeed
got older. Because He will live, every stone that stands before you is temporary.
God’s promise is eternal.
Keep that promise alive
remain in our hearts this Easter when we proclaim that:
Christ rose from the dead.
Blessed is the Resurrection
of Christ.
With prayer and blessing:
Bishop Mesrop Parsamean
Leader
S:․Easter 2026
* * *
PHOTO CAPTION:
Mesrop Bishop Parsamean,Leader
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