ABOUT US
Saint Kevork Church Today
Our Church is the Oregon and Southwest Washington Parish of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America. Our local Armenian-American community is made up of over 250 families. Many of our members are second, third and fourth generation Armenian Americans, whereas many others come from Armenia and the various other countries of the Armenian Diaspora.
Our church is also served by our Deacons, Varoujan Gazarian and Kevork Parseghian. The Church is led by a seven member Parish Council who run the church according to the guidlines of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church.
We are a thriving community of both young and old, and St.Kevork church is an important component for the spiritual and cultural health of this community.
Saint Kevork (George 303AD),
patron Saint of our Church
Saint Kevork, also known as Saint George or San Jorge is widely revered not only in the Armenian Church but also the other churches of Europe. He is also the patron saint of England. Here are some histories of Saint Kevork along with artistic depictions of him throughout the ages:
From Armenianchurch.com
"Kevork or George was a soldier in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and one of the Emperors favourite soldiers. Diocletian was a pagan and a bitter enemy of the Christians. He put to death every Christian he could find. Kevork was a brave Christian, a real soldier of Christ. Without fear he went to the Emperor and sternly scolded him for being so cruel. Then he gave up his position in the Roman army. For this he was tortured in many terrible ways and finally beheaded.
Pictures of St. Kevork usually show him killing a dragon to rescue a lady. The dragon stands for the devil and the lady stands for God's holy truth. St. Kevork represents the martyr who defeats the devil. This year we will celebrate the feast of St. Kevork on September 27th."
From costabravaguide
"Strange that a third century Armenian saint would have such popular appeal in western Europe. Saint George (Sant Jordi in Catalan, San Jorge in Spanish) is revered as the patron saint of Catalonia and Aragon, as well as England, Greece, Portugal and Russia. While little is known of the life of the martyr saint, he has come to represent the triumph of good over evil. It is believed that Saint George was a Roman soldier who converted to Christianity, and gave away his possessions to the poor to become a preacher. As a member of an illegal sect, George was taken by he Roman authorities to Lod, a town in modern Israel, where he was tortured and later put to death. Within a hundred years a cult dedicated to Saint George existed. The characteristics shown by the saint, conviction, faith and an evangelising message gave him popular appeal, around which grew legends like the slaying of the dragon."
From Wikipedia
"Saint George (ca. 275/281 – 23 April 303) was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier and priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Church, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. He is immortalized in the tale of Saint George and the Dragon and is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. His memorial is celebrated on 23 April, and he is regarded as one of the most prominent military saints.
Many Patronages of Saint George exist around the world, including: Aragon, Catalonia, England, Ethiopia, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Palestine, Portugal, and Russia, as well as the cities of Amersfoort, Beirut, Fakiha, Bteghrine, Cáceres (Spain), Ferrara, Freiburg, Ljubljana, Pomorie, Preston, Qormi, Rio de Janeiro, Lod, Barcelona, Moscow, Tamworth and the Maltese island of Gozo, as well as a wide range of professions, organizations, and disease sufferers."