On Sunday 19 December 2021, the Holy Resurrection Church observed the Commemoration of St James of Nisibis, one of the authoritative and beloved saints of the Armenian Church.
A procession of a beautiful artefact, found by renowned alpinist Tito de Luco, took place commemorating St James’ divine vision on Mt Ararat where he found the sacred relic of Noah’s Ark and brought it to the Armenian people.
During the homily, Srpazan Najarian described how St James was a nephew of St Gregory the Illuminator. James learnt from the hermit Maruge that many people, despite their conversion to the true faith, were skeptical and suspicious about the existence of Noah’s Ark. James decided to climb Mount Ararat in order to see the Ark and bring back a piece of it. He tried many times to climb Mount Ararat to find Noah’s Ark, which was buried under thick layers of ice, at Parrot Glacier, upon the top of the mountain. He would climb the mountain, fall asleep and wake up downhill from where he was. After repeated failed attempts, God appeared to him in a dream and said, “Do not try to find the Ark anymore. I will give you a piece of a wood of what the Ark was hewn”. When he woke up, to his amazement, he found the wood lying nearby. He decided to build a monastery at the location that he found the wood.
As per custom, Srpazan Najarian blessed all the Hagops, Jacks, James and Jacobs whose name day is also observed on this day
