On Sunday, August 14, 2022, St. John Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. The Festal Divine Liturgy was celebrated joyously by Parish Priest, Fr. Mesrop Ash, along with the Altar Servers and Choir members. During the Spiritual Message Fr. Mesrop talked about the priceless gifts that are given to us, the gift of body and blood of our Lord Jesus where we find salvation. He also explained the reason for the grape blessing tradition, which is also the first fruit of the season and represents all the harvest that comes to us, therefore, it is a precious commodity that requires a lot of cultivation and hard work. Fr. Ash stressed the priceless gift given to us every day, tomorrow, which gives us hope to appreciate and cherish.

Upon conclusion of the spiritual message, the faithful gathered at the church parking lot to participate in the blessing of the grapes followed by the Annual Picnic. Under the leadership of the Parish Council and many volunteers, the parish enjoyed the most successful Annual Picnic in recent memory, graced with uncommonly beautiful weather. The food was prepared by the Ladies Society, they made famous Lule kebob and pilaf, and salad. The meal was expertly cooked by a team of veteran grillers. One of the highlights of the picnic was the live music by Dn. Anthony Catchatoorian and George Pessaras.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who made this event possible. We also thank all the families and individuals for donating the grapes for the Grape Blessing ceremony.