On Saturday, December 26, 2020, the feast of St. Stepanos the first Deacon and Protomartyr was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church in Glendale, presided over by H.G. Bishop Torkom Donoyan, Prelate, with the participation of the clergy, deacons and sub-deacons. The ceremony was streamed on Facebook, where the faithful had the opportunity to view the celebration in its entirety.
How wonderful was it to view both vartabed’s, 14 priests, 32 deacons and 18 sub-deacons, all stood in prayer together before the blessed tabernacle of God and renewed their covenant in the midst of the message spoken by the Prelate. The Prelate conveyed his reflection on Jesus and on service, emphasizing that the deacon is a servant. “Serving is a gift from God to man. Jesus himself said during his earthly life: “I have not come to receive service, but I have come to serve.” The prelate continued, “St. Stepanos was a servant of God, and in the example of the Protomartyr, you, as the St. Stepanos’ of today, are invited to permanently value yourselves through your actions and service.” Speaking of the love of Jesus, the Prelate concluded by stating, “St. Stepanos loved Jesus so much that he lived the words of Jesus throughout his life.”
Addressing those present as the continuation of St. Stepanos in the present times, the Prelate instructed everyone to love Jesus with unreserved love, and to bring his words, thoughts, admonitions, and exhortations to life, so that they may worship and love God and be blessed by his graces.
