Armenian Lacrosse Coach Reads From Gospel of Mark at Mesrop Mashtots Statue

Armenian Lacrosse co-founder and coach Johnny Mouradian continued his 12-day Bible reading tour across Armenia on Wednesday, delivering the second reading of his journey from the Mesrop Mashtots statue outside the Matenadaran in Yerevan.

Mouradian read from the third chapter of the Gospel of Mark, recounting the moment Jesus healed a man’s hand on the Sabbath despite opposition from the Pharisees.

“Stretch forth your hand,” Mouradian read. “And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored fully, as whole as the other.”

The reading also describes Jesus challenging those who questioned whether it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.

“Is it lawful to do a good deed on the Sabbath days or an evil deed, to save life or to kill?” Mouradian read.

The Aug. 12 stop marked the second day of Mouradian’s biblical road trip, which began Tuesday at the History Museum of Armenia. He plans to record a short Bible reading at a different historic, religious or cultural site each day through Aug. 22.

The Mesrop Mashtots statue stands outside the Matenadaran, Armenia’s ancient manuscript repository. Mashtots, an Armenian theologian and linguist, created the Armenian alphabet in the early fifth century, helping Armenians translate the Bible into their own language and preserve their Christian and cultural identity.

Mouradian’s next scheduled stop is the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex in Yerevan on Aug. 13.

The tour will also take him to Gyumri, Khor Virap, Oshakan, Vayk, Geghard, Mount Hatis and Akhtala before concluding at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in Vagharshapat.

Mouradian is using the journey to encourage Armenians to return to church and bring a friend or family member with them each Sunday.

The videos are being shared through Armenian Lacrosse’s TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Telegram and Facebook accounts, as well as ArmeniaLacrosse.com.

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