Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection

Commemoration of Archangels Gabriel and Michael and the Entire Heavenly Class
2026-11-07
According to the Angelology of the Armenian Church the angels are unfleshly, spiritual, independent, always moving, asexual, immortal creatures and God’s servants. According to the Church Fathers, the angels, as luminous creatures, have been created on the first day of Creation, together with the light. By God’s order they are servants, they have been created to serve humans. Therefore, they are servants, who despite being dyophysite, participate in the earthly life, act together with the human being living in time and space, they act for the human being. The angels are called the messengers and agents of God, who realise God’s will. According to Dionysius of Areopagus (Areopagite), there are nine orders of angels – Angels, Archangels, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominations, Throne, Cherubim and Seraphim.
Archangel Gabriel, whose name means “God’s man”, is God’s direct servant, who is granted the grace to evangelise the Lord’s mysteries. It was Archangel Gabriel, who was sent by the Lord to bring the good news to the Virgin about the birth of the Saviour, and to Zechariah – to bring the good news about the birth of John the Baptist.
Archangel Michael, whose name means “Who is like God?”, is the advocate for the Heavenly King’s glory and His people’s protection, who is granted the virtue to govern and rule. The name of Archangel Michael is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures four times (The Book of Daniel,10:13, 12:1, The Letter from Jude 1:9, The Revelation to John 11:7).

Commemoration of the Apostles Andrew and Philip
2026-11-14
Before becoming Christ’s disciple, Apostle Andrew had been the disciple of St. John the Baptist. He was the brother of the Apostle Peter and was a fisherman. After the Ascension of the Lord and the Descent of the Holy Spirit, Apostle Andrew preached in Northern Greece and in Scythe.
The Gospel of John recounts Philip’s calling as a disciple of Jesus. Apostle Philip is described as a disciple from the city of Bethsaida, and John the Evangelist connects him with Andrew and Peter, who were from the same town. He also was among those surrounding John the Baptist when the latter first pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God. It was Philip who first introduced Nathanael (sometimes identified with Bartholomew) to Jesus. According to Butler, Philip was among those attending the wedding at Cana.
Apostle Philip preached in Asia Minor and he was martyred and crucified in the town of Heliople.

Eve of the Fast of Advent (Hisnag)
2026-11-15
The Eve of the Fast of Advent marks the day before the start of the period of “Fifty Days” (Hisnag or Yisnak) that concludes with the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Armenian Church, the season is introduced by a week of fasting, called “the Fast of the Beginning of Hisnag”.
During Advent (meaning the coming of Christ) we rededicate ourselves to Christ through our actions, thoughts and prayers.

Presentation of Three Year Old St. Mary to the Church
2026-11-21
One of the feasts dedicated to the Holy Virgin is the presentation of three year old Mary (Holy Mother of God) to the temple. All Christian Churches celebrate this feast on November 21.
According to the Holy Tradition of the Church, when Mary turns three the parents of the Holy Virgin, Joachim and Anna, fulfilling their promise, bring Mary to the Temple and present her to God. Mary remains in the Church till her engagement.
The establishment of the feast is related to the Cathedral, which was built by the King Justinianos in honour of St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God, in the place of the old Jewish temple, on the hill of Moria. The cathedral was consecrated on November 21, 543 AD.
After 638 AD, when the Cathedral, built by the King Justinianos, was converted into a Moslem temple, the celebration of the feast spread throughout the entire Christian world. The Feast of the Presentation of St. Mary to the Church was included in the Armenian Apostolic Church Calendar in the nineteenth century.

Commemoration of the Apostles St Thaddeus and St Bartholomew
2026-11-28
The first preachers of Christianity in Armenia
Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew were two of the original disciples of Jesus Christ. When they came to the land of our ancestors to spread the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection, they were not just offering an abstract philosophy. They told about their own first hand experience of the life and mystery of Jesus, stories they knew from having lived side by side with him.
Because of Thaddeus and Bartholomew, Armenians are part of an unbroken tradition stretching all the way back to the original apostles, and through them, to the historic figure of Jesus Christ himself. And to this day, our church renews and refreshes that personal union between Christ and each of us.
St Thaddeus, inspired by the Holy Spirit soon after Jesus’ death, spread the good news of Jesus Christ’s teaching and resurrection in Syria, Iraq and Armenia.
In Armenia, Thaddeus met with the Armenian King Abgar, who reigned in the city of Edessa from 1 B.C. to A.D. 37. King Abgar had contracted a grave illness during his travels to the East. Hearing of the miracles of healing by Jesus of Nazareth, he wrote a letter to Jerusalem inviting Christ to Edessa. A delegation headed by the king’s emissary Anan delivered the letter to Jerusalem, where it was received by the Apostle Thomas. The delegation may have been among the pagans the Apostle John wrote about in his account of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem “and there were certain pagans who had come to Jerusalem to worship him” (John 12:20).
King Abgar’s letter received its response after the Resurrection and Pentecost, with the mission of Thaddeus to go to Armenia.

According to tradition, St. Thaddeus brought to Armenia the spear (geghard) with which the centurion Lucian pierced Christ’s side on the cross. It was kept at Ayrivank (Cave Monastery), now known as Geghard Monastery in Armenia. This sacred relic is used once every seven years in the consecration of Holy Chrism (Muron), which is used for baptismal, ordination and other rites by Armenian churches around the world.

Thaddeus was a bold missionary, bringing the word into the royal palace of Armenia’s King Sanatruk, baptising the king’s daughter, Sandoukht. The established government and religious leaders bitterly opposed the threatening new sect called Christianity, going so far as to imprison the king’s daughter. In prison, Sandoukht refused to renounce Christianity, instead converting the other prisoners. Sandoukht became the first Armenian martyr. When her father forced her to choose between the church and the crown, Sandoukht chose the church, knowing it would mean her death.
St. Bartholomew, also named Nathaniel, was a disciple whom Jesus especially liked from the first time they met. Although at first doubting whether Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, Bartholomew responded to Jesus’ invitation to “come and see,” showing his openness to discover the truth without being naive. Seeing this, Jesus turned to the other followers and proclaimed, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile (John 1:47).
Bartholomew followed Thaddeus’ mission to Armenia around the time of Santoukht’s imprisonment and martyrdom. He converted King Sanatruk’s sister Volouhi. The king in anger ordered the execution of both his sister and Bartholomew.

The Commemoration of the Desert Fathers (Egyptian Hermits)
2026-12-03
The Desert Fathers were early Christian hermits, ascetics and monks who lived mainly in the Scetes desert of Egypt beginning around the third century AD. The most well known was Anthony the Great, who moved to the desert in AD 270–271 and became known as both the father and founder of desert monasticism. Sometime around AD 270, Anthony heard a Sunday sermon stating that perfection could be achieved by selling all of one’s possessions, giving the proceeds to the poor and following Jesus. He followed the advice and made the further step of moving deep into the desert to seek complete solitude. By the time Anthony died in AD 356, thousands of monks and nuns had been drawn to living in the desert following Anthony’s example.
Anthony lived in a time of transition for Christianity, the Diocletianic Persecution in AD 303 was the last great formal persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. Only ten years later, Christianity was made legal in Egypt by Diocletian’s successor Constantine I. Those who left for the desert formed an alternate Christian society, at a time when it was no longer a risk to be a Christian. The solitude, austerity, and sacrifice of the desert was seen by Anthony as an alternative to martyrdom, which was formerly seen by many Christians as the highest form of sacrifice. Anthony quickly gained followers eager to live their lives in accordance with this solidarity and separation from material goods. From these prohibitions, it is recorded by Athanasius that Anthony received special privileges from God, such as the ability to heal the sick, inspire others to have faith in healing through God, and even converse with God on occasion. Around this time, desert monasticism appeared nearly simultaneously in several areas, including Egypt and Syria.
Over time, the model of Anthony and other hermits attracted many followers, who lived alone in the desert or in small groups. They chose a life of extreme asceticism, renouncing all the pleasures of the senses, rich food, baths, rest and anything that made them comfortable. They instead focused their energies on praying, singing psalms, fasting, giving alms to the needy, and preserving love and harmony with one another while keeping their thoughts and desires for God alone. Thousands joined them in the desert, mostly men but also a handful of women. Religious seekers also began going to the desert seeking advice and counsel from the early Desert Fathers. By the time of Anthony’s death, there were so many men and women living in the desert that it was described as “a city”.
The monastic communities were essentially an alternate Christian society. The hermits doubted that religion and politics could ever produce a truly Christian society. For them, the only Christian society was spiritual and not mundane.
The Desert Fathers gave a great deal of emphasis to living and practicing the teachings of Jesus, much more than theoretical knowledge. Their efforts to live the commandments were not seen as being easy, many of the stories from that time recount the struggle to overcome negative emotions such as anger and judgment of others. Helping a brother monk who was ill or struggling was seen as taking priority over any other consideration. Hermits were frequently seen to break a long fast when hosting visitors, as hospitality and kindness were more important than keeping the ascetic practices that were so dominant in the Desert Fathers’ lives.
There are many different collections of sayings of the Desert Fathers. The collection now known as the Systematic Collection began to emerge at approximately AD 500, and features sayings from various earlier collections combined and systematically ordered under twenty one chapters.

Commemoration of Pontiff St Nicholas
2026-12-05
St Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra, Lycia while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children and his concern for sailors and ships.
Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith and was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests and deacons that there was no room for the real criminals i.e murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. He died 6 December 343 AD in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church (Church of the tomb of St Nicholas). A unique relic, called manna was known to have formed in his grave. This liquid substance was said to have healing powers which resulted in many pilgrimages, over the centuries, to the church.
St Nicholas was a secret and generous giver of gifts and some believe him to be the model for Santa Claus.
One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman’s father had to offer prospective husbands something of value, a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man’s daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home, providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. Thus St. Nicholas was known as a gift giver.
Another story tells of three theological students, traveling on their way to study in Athens. A wicked innkeeper robbed and murdered them, hiding their remains in a large pickling tub. It so happened that Bishop Nicholas, traveling along the same route, stopped at this very inn. In the night he dreamed of the crime, got up, and summoned the innkeeper. As Nicholas prayed earnestly to God the three boys were restored to life and wholeness. In France the story is told of three small children, wandering in their play until lost, lured and captured by an evil butcher. St Nicholas appears and appeals to God to return them to life and to their families. Thus St Nicholas is the patron and protector of children.
Several stories tell of Nicholas and the sea. When he was young, Nicholas made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. There as he walked where Jesus walked as he sought to more deeply experience Jesus’ life, passion and resurrection. Returning by sea, a mighty storm threatened to wreck the ship. Nicholas calmly prayed. The terrified sailors were amazed when the wind and waves suddenly calmed, sparing them all. As a result, St Nicholas is the patron of sailors and voyagers.
Other stories tell of Nicholas saving his people from famine, sparing the lives of those innocently accused and much more. He did many kind and generous deeds in secret, expecting nothing in return. Within a century of his death he was celebrated as a saint.
Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St Nicholas’ life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as a protector and helper of those in need.
He was a defender of orthodoxy and because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is called “the Wonderworker.”

Commemoration of St Gregory the Thaumaturgus, Nicholas the Bishop and St Myron the Wonderworker
2026-12-05
Gregory Thaumaturgus (Miracle Worker) or Gregory of Neocaesarea was a Christian bishop of the 3rd century.
Gregory was born around AD 213 to a wealthy pagan family in Neocaesarea. Originally he was known as Theodore (“gift of God”). He was introduced to the Christian religion at the age of fourteen, after the death of his father. He had a brother Athenodorus, and on the advice of one of their tutors, the young men were eager to study at the Berytus in Beirut, then one of the four or five famous schools in the Hellenic world. At this time, their brother-in-law was appointed assessor (legal counsel) to the Roman Governor of Palestine; the youths were able to act as an escort to their sister as far as Caesarea in Palestine. On arrival in that town they learned that the celebrated scholar Origen, head of the Catechetical School of Alexandria, resided there. Curiosity led them to hear and converse with the master. Soon both youths forgot all about Beirut and Roman law, and gave themselves up to the great Christian teacher, who gradually won them over to Christianity.
When Gregory returned home, he found a Christian community of 17 people waiting for him. Soon afterward, Gregory was elected bishop. Although his training was in speculative theology, Gregory’s pastoral work was concerned with practical applications of the faith. His skills were such that some of his flock soon attributed miracles to him, hence his nickname “The Wonder Worker.”
“Gregory was a great and conspicuous lamp, illuminating the church of God,” wrote Basil. “He possessed, from the co-operation of the Spirit, a formidable power against the demons, that he turned the course of rivers by giving them orders in the name of Christ; and that his predictions of the future made him the equal of other prophets.”
Gregory’s leadership was renowned during his ministry, as most of the city of Pontus converted to Christianity.
St Nicholas was born during the third century in the village of Patara in Asia Minor. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra, Lycia while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children and his concern for sailors and ships.
Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith and was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests and deacons that there was no room for the real criminals i.e murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. He died 6 December 343 AD in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church (Church of the tomb of St Nicholas). A unique relic, called manna was known to have formed in his grave. This liquid substance was said to have healing powers which resulted in many pilgrimages, over the centuries, to the church.
St Nicholas was a secret and generous giver of gifts and some believe him to be the model for Santa Claus.
Myron, Bishop of Knossos, the wonder worker was born (approximated 250 AD) while Roman Emperor Dekius was in rule, in the village of Rafkos or Rafkia, southwest of Knossos, Crete. Saint Myron came from a noble family and had God fearing parents who cultivated humility and love for his fellow man. He was a farmer by profession and offered much of his crop to the poor.
He was known for his goodness and he assisted everyone who turned to him for help. Once, thieves burst in upon his threshing floor, and Saint Myron himself helped them lift a sack of grain upon their shoulders. By his generosity, the saint so shamed the thieves, that they began to lead honourable lives. He literally took Christ’s words, “If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also” (Matthew 5:40).
After the premature death of his wife and after years of service to his community, Myron was urged to join the priesthood by his fellow Cretans. He eventually rose to the position of Bishop of all Crete. The village of his birth is today called Agiou Myronos in his honour. His career was marked by many miracles, earning him the title “Wonderworker.” One such miracle was when the River Triton had flooded and Myron caused it to become solid in order to walk across it and see his parishioners. He then sent a man back to the river to touch it with his staff so it would flow again.
In spite of his high position, Saint Myron remained a humble philanthropist and passed away when he was close to 100 years old.

Eve of the Fast of St James
2026-12-06
Today commemorates the eve (paregentan) of the Fast of St. James (Hagop) of Nisibis.
The five day fast, Monday to Friday, leads us to the Feast of St. James, which is next Saturday. Traditionally the entire fifty day period of Advent was a period of fasting, similar to Great Lent. In modern times, three week long (Monday to Friday) fasts are observed during Advent: Fast of Advent (Hisnagats Bahk), Fast of St James (Sourp Hagopee Bahk), and the Fast of the Nativity (Dznuntyan Bahk).

Conception of Saint Mary by Anna
2026-12-09
St. Mary is known in the Armenian Church as Asdvadzamayr-Asdvadzadzin, the “Mother of God” and the “Bearer of God” a position doctrinally established at the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in the 5th century.
Her life of holiness and purity, and her graceful acceptance of the role to which God called her, as the mother of Jesus Christ, all make Mary one of the pre-eminent exemplars of the Christian faith, whose birth and very conception are occasions for celebration in the church.
Only those aspects of St. Mary’s life, which are directly related to Christ are recorded in the Gospel. The remainder of her biography is attributed to tradition, which is found in ancient ecclesiastical literature.
In all likelihood, Mary was born in Bethlehem or Nazareth, some 20 years before Christ’s nativity. Her parents, Joachim and Anna, were a devout couple whose earnest prayers for a child were answered with the birth of a daughter.
Although Mary was born naturally, she is considered morally pure and immaculate. It is for this reason that the church celebrates not only her birth, but also her conception, which the Armenian and the Greek Orthodox churches observe on December 9, and the Roman Catholic Church celebrates on December 8.
The concept of Mary’s moral purity later developed into the question of her Immaculate Conception (from Anna), a doctrine adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in 1854. The Armenian Church, however, does not accept this, as only Christ was immaculately conceived.
However, Mary’s purity is unquestioned. According to the teachings of the Armenian Church, at the time of the Annunciation, when the Holy Spirit entered Mary, she was cleansed of all original sin, as she was to be the vessel in which God manifest was to be incarnated.
According to tradition, following the Ascension of Christ, Mary lived out the rest of her days in Jerusalem, cared for by St. John the Evangelist. She died in Jerusalem some 15 years after Christ’s Ascension and was buried in her family tomb in Gethsemane.

Commemoration of the Pontiff St James of Nisibis, Hermit St Maruge and Bishop St. Melitus
2026-12-12
Pontiff St. James (Soorp Hagop) of Nisibis is one of the authoritative and beloved saints of the Universal Church. He has deserved the epithet “Thaumaturge” (Wonderworker) for the numerous miracles relating to his name.
St. James (known as Hagop in Armenian), was a signatory at the Council of Nicaea in 325, which devised the Nicene Creed (the Havadamk).
According to hagiographical sources St. James was from a Parthian dynasty and the nephew of St. Gregory the Illuminator. When the family members of Anak the Parthian were killed, nurses secretly fled to Caesaria taking with them baby Suren and James where they were educated in the Christian spirit. Soon baby James and his sister Sakden were taken to Persia and for a while lived in the royal palace. However, James withdrew from a safe and well todo life and became a hermit.
He left for Nisibis where he met hermit St. Maruge, who was famous for leading a life befitting saints. After the death of the Bishop of Nisibis, God appeared to Maruge and told him that St. James was the deserving candidate for the Bishop of Nisibis.
James learnt from the hermit Maruge that many people, despite their conversion to 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 the monastery at the location that he found the wood. St James passed away in 350AD after leading his flock for many years.
Saint Hagop monastery was founded in 341 A.D. It was built upon the northeastern slope of Mount Ararat (Masis) in the Masyatsotn canton of a larger province of Ararat in the Armenian kingdom. Some sources say that St. Hagop was the name of the monastery while there was a chapel of St. James nearby, while other sources refer to the two as the same site. The monastery is said to have contained relics of wood from the Biblical Ark of Noah. A strong earthquake occurred at Mount Ararat on July 2, 1840 causing an avalanche that destroyed the monastery of St. Hagop, Arakelots Vank in the neighboring village of Akori as well as the village itself. The piece of the Ark is currently kept in the museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Bishop St. Melitus was born in Melitene, Armenia Minor. In 358 he was the Bishop of Sebastia. In 360 he ascended the throne of Antioch. He struggled against the Arians. In 381 he presided the Second Ecumenical Council convened in Constantinople but unfortunately passed away before the end of the Council.
At the Church of Holy Resurrection, on the occasion of St James Day, blessings take place of all parishioners who bear the names of Hagop, Jacob, Jacques and James. The namesakes then take part in a procession that includes a beautiful artefact, found by renowned alpinist Tito de Luco, commemorating St James’ divine vision on Mt Ararat.

Commemoration of St Abgar (Apkar)
2026-12-19
Commemoration of St Abgar, First Martyr of the Church and our first King believing in Christ

According to Armenian tradition, St Abgar was the first Christian king of the 1st century, the son of the Parthian king Arshakunie Arsham. He was also called “senior man” as he was the wisest of all and a genius. Historian Moses of Khoronk, Assyrian historian Labubnia of Yedessia, Greek historians Procopis and Yeusebius have all written of King Abgar. He built the city of Yedessia on the site where the Armenian army protected the river crossing of the Euphrates from the Roman captain Casius. Later the king moved the royal palace and all idols from Nisibis to that city.
It is during the period of the reign of King Abgar that Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, was born. King Abgar, who was incurable, became aware of the wonders worked by Christ, believed in Christ and by means of his delegates sent a letter of petition to Jerusalem, to the Saviour, asking Him to come and heal him. In response, the letter stated that Christ still had important things to do in Jerusalem, but He would send one of His disciples to the king to heal him. After the Ascension of the Saviour, Apostle St Thaddeus came to Yedessia, healed King Abgar, preached the Gospel and appointed Adde, the silk-weaver, to be his successor. Jesus had sent his portrait to Abgar and it was kept for a long time in Yedessia and later in the churches of various cities and towns.
After that, King Apgar sent letters to King Tiberius and King Nerseh of Assyria exhorting them to admit Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Saviour.
It is believed that King Agbar died in the first half of the first century.

Commemoration of the Prophet St David and Apostle St James
2026-12-24
Commemoration of the Prophet St David and Apostle St James, brother of Jesus

The Prophet St David was the great grandson of Boaz and Ruth. The Holy Bible depicts him as a psalmist, gifted, wise, handsome man and orator. He was a shepherd. During the battle against Philistines he killed the giant Goliath. After the death of Saul he became the king of Israel and founded the city Jerusalem. He is the author of the book of Psalms and one of the greatest and influential figures of the Old Testament
God chose him as king of Israel, despite his being the youngest of the sons of Jesse: God does not look at the appearance but at the heart of man. A warrior and poet, David was also a great sinner, but recognised his faults and asked forgiveness. Our Lord Jesus Christ is born of David’s line
St James, brother of Jesus, is the combining link between the Evangelical saints and the saints mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. He is one of the important figures of the Initial Church and the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Jewish historian Hovsepius characterises him as “righteous”.
According to hagiographical sources some people forced him to get on the tower and slander against Jesus. However, getting on the tower, he started to speak about Jesus the Messiah, who sat on the right side of God and would come to judge the world fairly. Many people were converted, but others threw the saint down from the tower. According to the tradition St James is buried in the Cathedral of St James of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. One letter from James has been preserved.
The Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the memory of the Prophet St David and Apostle St James, brother of Jesus, during the main feasts preceding the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Commemoration of St Stephen the Protomartyr
2026-12-26
Commemoration of St Stephen the Protomartyr
St Stephen, is known as the “Protomartyr,” the first Christian to die for their belief in Jesus Christ. St Stephen was the first Deacon who was ordained to serve at the Eucharistic meal. Full of grace and the power of God, St Stephen performed wonders and miracles that were seen by the Jews as a blasphemous act. He was tried before the Council of Elders and condemned to death by stoning.
According to the hagiographical sources he was from the royal dynasty of Judas and was the son of law abiding parents. Whilst still a young man, he was the servant of the chief priest Kayipaya. According to the same sources, when the Lord was taken to his home, Stephen took off the cloth from his head and spread it under the Lord’s feet thus expressing his true and sincere love. This naturally annoyed the chief priest and he turned Stephen out. Stephen witnessed the death and burial of our Lord but rejoiced with the apostles for the Glorious Resurrection of Christ. According to St Gregory of Tatev, he went to the apostles Peter and John and was baptised. At the moment of baptism a crown appeared on the water. After that miraculous event he was called “Stephen” meaning (crowned). From the Acts of the Apostles it is known that after the Pentecost, apostles served food and gave subsidies to the poor. From day to day the number of those who believed in Christ increased. As the apostles were unable to meet the needs of everybody, they asked their disciples to choose seven persons of good reputation to serve the food. According to St Luke the Evangelist, one of them was St Stephen, “… a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). By the power received from Christ, the apostles ordained him a deacon. Stephen worked wonders thanks to his God granted virtues and power. Many people tried to argue with him, but no one was as wise as Stephen.
Some people were persuaded to say that Stephen scolded God and the Prophet Moses, thus inciting the people. As a result, the priests and the lawyers took Stephen to court. In his speech, in his defense, Stephen proved that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and reproached the Jews for their cruelty. He was stoned out of the city and his cloths were put before a man whose name was Saul and who later became the Apostle Peter. In the beginning he persecuted Christians but later he knew the true God – Jesus Christ, and became the most zealous preacher of the Gospel. St Stephen was the first person martyred for the sake of Christ and that’s why he is called Protomartyr.
According to the tradition Gamaliel, the teacher of the Apostle Peter and Nicodemus, his brother, who were secret disciples of Jesus, buried St Stephen’s body on their farm. Soon a priest named Lukianus discovered the relics. And Pontiff Hovhan of Jerusalem put them in St Sion. In the fifth century, Princess Juliane found the saint’s tabernacle in Jerusalem and took it to Constantinople, and later, to Venice and buried it in the Church of St George (St. Gevorg) island.
In commemoration of St Stephen, the Divine Liturgy is followed by a service dedicated to the blessing of deacons in which the deacons and priests participate, adorned with ceremonial headdress (saghavard).
In the eucharistic celebration on this feast day, it is traditional for all deacons serving at the altar to wear a liturgical crown, which is one of the vestments worn only by priests on all other days of the year. The crown being, in this instance, not only a reflection of the derivative of the name “Stephen”, but also a symbol of martyrdom.

Commemoration of the Apostles St Peter and St Paul
2026-12-28
St. Peter was one of the 12 apostles of Christ. He was the brother of Andrew. He was one of the beloved apostles of Jesus and the witness of Our Lord’s Transfiguration and the other important events related to Jesus. Peter was a fisherman. His name given during the circumcision was Shmavon, or Simon (in Greek). We hear of Simon for the first time as written in the Gospel according to John, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter) (Jn 1:42). Peter was born in the village Bethsaida and later was moved to the town of Capernaum where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law. Peter is more famous from the part of the Gospel when he said that Christ was the Son of the living God. And Jesus stated that being the Saviour of the world and the Son of God, He would build His Church (See Mt 16:15-19).
During the night when Jesus was arrested Peter denied Jesus thrice and later deeply regretted this deed. After the Pentecost it was Peter that explained to the people assembled what had happened and spoke about the Incarnated Jesus. One of the important deeds of Peter was bringing the heathens to the church. Peter was arrested by King Herod but escaped the prison by a miracle.
According to tradition Peter was martyred in Rome and was crucified head-down. Two letters from Peter have been preserved.
St. Paul is the thirteenth Apostle of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He was born in the town Tarsus of Cilicia in the beginning of the first century. His parents were citizens of Rome who according to Heronimus had came from Galilee. First he studied in his native town and then he continued his education in Jerusalem, where his teacher was Gamaliel. Paul was a tent maker by trade and this circumstance often helped him during the trips, when he earned his living by means of making tents. According to his own words, Paul had been a Pharisee, had strictly obeyed the law and persecuted the Christians. However, on his way to Damascus, Jesus appeared to Paul, after which Apostle Paul (whose name was initially Saul) became one of the greatest preachers of Christ’s commandments. He was baptised by the apostle Ananias. He made several trips and preached the word of God. Fourteen letters from Paul have been preserved.
According to the tradition Paul was beheaded in 67 AD in Rome.

Commemoration of the Apostle St James and Evangelist St John
2026-12-29
St James was the son of the fisherman Zebedee, the senior brother of the Evangelist St John. He was one of the closest and most reliable disciples of Jesus and the witness of the important events related to Jesus.
When Samaritans refused to receive Christ, James and his brother asked Jesus to send fire down on the people, as prophet Elijah did. Jesus reproached them for their groundless behavior. Because of such events Jesus called them “Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder” (See Mk 3:17). James is the only apostle about whose death is told in the “Acts of the Apostles”. Herod arrested James and stabbed him.
The name of this apostle is closely related to the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. According to Armenian tradition, the head of St James was brought to James, brother of Jesus, who buried it in the garden of his house. Later the Cathedral of St James was built in that same place. On the northern wall of the chapel, the tomb of the apostle’s head is shown.
Evangelist St John is the author of the fourth Gospel, three letters and the Revelation. He deserved the title of the “beloved disciple” of Christ. Jesus loved and trusted him so much that at the moment of crucifixion asked him to take care of the Holy Mother of God. He passed away in 100 AD, in Ephesus, at the age of 95.

Eve of the Fast of the Nativity and Theophany
2026-12-29
Eve of the Fast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Fast of Christmas)

The Eve of the Fast of Christmas is always celebrated on December 29, that is seven (7) days before the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas). The Fast of Christmas ends on 5 January, on the eve of the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

New Years Day
2027-01-01
The New Year (Gaghant, Amanor or Navasart) has generally been a feast of joy and happiness for the Armenian people. It is customary to exchange gifts with family members and close friends and to bring delight to children with gifts. It is also customary to set the family table to the extent of their means with fruits and good things to eat, thereby making the abundance and joy spread throughout the year.
Presently all Christian churches celebrate the New Year on January 1. The word “January” or “Hunvar” means “birth”. Being born in January, Christ saved mankind from eternal death and led to the Kingdom of Heaven. That’s why January became the year’s beginning. January 1 is the first day of the first month of the year of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. On January 1 a Divine Liturgy is celebrated as well as the Thanksgiving Prayer to welcome in the New Year with the Blessing of Pomegranates. At the end of the service, each family takes home a blessed pomegranate.
In Christianity the pomegranate symbolises the diversity of God’s grace, the Church. Just as the seeds of the pomegranate are separated by thin membranes yet held tightly together, in the same way the Christian Church holds all Christians around the world together in Christ’s love; though they are separate, they are not divided. Thus the pomegranate shows unity in diversity.
The pomegranate’s crown represents Jesus’ crown and His sovereignty over the entire world. The red colour symbolises His salvific Blood that was shed for all. The popular belief is that each one contains 365 seeds corresponding to the number of days in a year, symbolising new life in Christ and the New Year.

Jrakalouyts (Jrakalooyts): Christmas Eve Candlemas
2027-01-05
Eve of Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Candlelight (Lucernarium) Divine Liturgy
According to the Armenian Church, the day changes at 5:00 pm and thus the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ starts on the eve, on the evening of January 5 and continues after midnight on January 6.
On the eve of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the special Jrakalouyts service takes place.
During the solemn Vesper Vigil, the young choristers or deacons begin to read or chant the Old Testament readings from Genesis, Exodus and the Prophets prior to the proclamation of the Lord’s birth and manifestation during the Divine Liturgy.
The final solemn reading is the prophecy of Daniel. By candlelight, one person reads the narrative of the prophecy and three others chant the song of the three holy children— Shadrach (Setrak), Meshach (Misak) and Abednego (Apetnakov).
“Blessed are You, Lord, God of our fathers. Praised and glorified is Your name forever, For You are fair in everything that You have done to us, and all of Your deeds are true.”
In the Armenian Church we read this story on the eve of Christmas and Easter as an anticipation of Christ’s resurrection from the dead and the presence of the living Son of God in our midst assuring us of God’s healing and life restoring presence for all eternity. Just as the faithful boys are not burned by the heat of the furnace, those who know and trust Christ will be saved from the flames of hell.
After this, the altar curtain, which had been drawn in front of the altar, is opened and the Divine Liturgy begins.
The Divine Liturgy (the lighting of the lamps service) is celebrated in honour of the manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God (“manifestation of God” is the literal meaning of the word “theophany”).
It is custom for the faithful to hold lit candles or lanterns during this service. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the assembled faithful take the lit candles and lanterns home which symbolises the radiance of the spiritual light in our lives and hearts that the Saviour of the world and the Prince of Peace has given us through His humanity and His Divine direction.
All of our Christmas hymns exuberantly celebrate Jesus as the Light. He is the holy Light that God has shined on Earth. He is the radiant Saviour born to Mary the Mother of God. He is the heavenly lamp that illuminates the path of our lives, allowing us to recognise our blessed purpose in life; and giving us the privilege of seeing God and knowing God.
“I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Feast of the Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ
2027-01-13
Each year, on January 13, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As Evangelist St. Luke writes in his Gospel, according to the Jewish tradition “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.” (Lk 2:21). “Jesus” is a Hebrew word meaning “Saviour”. As written in the Gospel according to Luke, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary to give her the good tidings of the birth of the Son of the Most High, he said that Mary would name the baby “Jesus”. “You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.” (Lk 1:31).
Parallel to the name “Jesus” the name “Christ” is given to the Saviour, which is a Greek word meaning “Consecrated” and corresponding to the Hebrew word “Messiah”.
On the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Churches. On the eve of the feast, following the evening service a special service is conducted.

Feast of the Birth of St John the Forerunner (Baptist)
2027-01-14
The Armenian Apostolic Church, observes the Feast of the Birth of St John the Baptist, the Forerunner, in January. The birth of St John is described in detail in the Gospel according to St Luke (1:5-25). He is known as the ‘forerunner’ because it was he who would herald the news of the Saviour through the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
One day Zechariah, father of St John the Baptist, was doing his work as a priest in the Temple and was burning incense on the altar. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and said that God had heard his prayer and his wife would bear him a son. Zechariah had to name him John. Zechariah didn’t believe the angel as he was and old man, and his wife was old too. As he hadn’t believed the angel, he became unable to speak and remained silent until the birth of John.
St John the Baptist, who would baptise the Saviour, had been aware of and rejoiced at the knowledge of the birth of Jesus, even before his birth. According to the Evangelist, when St Mary, Holy Mother of God, visited Elizabeth, mother of St John the Baptist, the latter, being filled with the Holy Spirit cried out, “Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me? For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness” (Lk 1:43-44).
The continuation of the words of Elizabeth are the message of this feast addressed to all Christians throughout the world, “How happy you are to believe that the Lord’s message to you will come true!” (Lk 1:45).
On this occasion, those bearing Armenian names rooted in ‘St John the Baptist, the Forerunner’, Hovhannes (John), Meguerditch (Baptist) and Garabed (Forerunner) celebrate their name day.

Fast of the Catechumens or Arachavorats Bahk
2027-01-18
The Fast of Catechumens (or Arachavorats Bahk) is peculiar only to the Armenian Church. It begins three weeks before Great Lent. In ancient times people could eat only bread and salt during the Fast of Catechumens. On those days it was not allowed to celebrate the Divine Liturgy either.

The meaning of the Fast of Catechumens is the purification of the five human senses from pagan impurity. In the ancient Church there was a custom to fast during five days before baptism. St Gregory the Illuminator ordered King Tiridates and others to fast for five days before baptism in order to get freed of evil. This is the reason that the Fast of Catechumens is also called “Fast of Salvation” from evil.
According to tradition, the fasting of Catechumens was initiated by St. Gregory the illuminator in memory of the above mentioned practice.
There are two explanations regarding the name of this feast.
It is called the fast of Catechumens:
1. As the precursor of the Great Lent, and
2. As the first Armenian fast.
On the fifth day of the fasting of Catechumens, on Friday, the remembrance day of the Prophet Jonah is celebrated, but it is celebrated not as the feast of the Prophet Jonah, but as the memory of an example of great repentance and abstinence which Jonah urged. At times, wrongly, the fasting of Catechumens was called the fast of St. Sarkis, because the Armenian Church celebrates the feast of St. Sarkis on the Saturday following the fast. During the Middle Ages, the Byzantine and the Georgian Churches blamed the Armenian Church for the fasting of Catechumens, relating it to St. Sarkis, to whom they ascribed sorcery. According to the testimonies of Armenian medieval writers, Greek and Latin Churches also had the fasting of Catechumens in ancient times.

Of all the days in the Armenian liturgical year, only the days of the Arachavorats Bahk have no scripture readings appointed to be read during the daily services. The word “Arachavorats” comes from two root words: arach (before) and avoor (day). So the literal translation would be something like “preceding days.” In English it is best referred to as the “Preliminary Fast,” in other words, the fast that precedes the Great Fast, Great Lent.

Commemoration of the Prophet Jonah
2027-01-22
On the fifth day (Friday) of the Fasting of Catechumens, the Armenian Church commemorates the remembrance day of the Prophet Jonah. However it is celebrated not as the feast of the Prophet Jonah, but as the memory of an example of great repentance and abstinence, which Jonah urged.
The Fast of the Catechumens is a penitential period, focusing on spiritual purification, mirroring the catechumens’ preparation for baptism. Commemorations during this fast are intentionally somber, introspective, and penitential, not celebratory.
Jonah’s story is remembered not to glorify him as a prophet, but to emphasise the call to repentance—both Jonah’s own reluctance and the repentance of the Ninevites.
The prophet Jonah is one of the minor prophets of the Holy Bible. Jonah is the central figure of the Book of Jonah, which details his reluctance in delivering God’s judgement on the city of Nineveh, and then his subsequent, albeit begrudged, return to the divine mission after he is swallowed by a large sea creature. Jonah remained inside the fish for three days and three nights. It was only after Jonah’s prayer and redemption did the Lord allow the fish to free Jonah. This time he obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh. On the first day, Jonah started into the city. He proclaimed: “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned.” The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, even the king, put on sackcloth. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

Later Christ brings the example of the Prophet Jonah to the Pharisees asking for a divine sign:
Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.”
-Matthew 12:38-40

Feast of St. Sarkis the Captain, Patron of Love and Youth, his son Mardiros and his 14 Soldiers Companions
2027-01-23
ST SARKIS THE WARRIOR AND HIS SON ST MARDIROS (MARTYROS)
The feast day honoring St. Sarkis is movable. It occurs between January 11th and February 15th. Each year it follows the five day Fast of Catechumens.
Sarkis was a Greek from the area of Cappadocia on the Anatolian plain. He was a proud, brave Christian and served as a Roman army officer during the reign of Emperor Constantine (roughly 337 A.D.). Sarkis’ valour, strength and bravery earned him the rank of general.
Sarkis used his position of power for spiritual growth, going from town to town purging the land of pagan idols, teaching the Gospel, and building churches where pagan temples once stood. Sarkis had a good model in the piety of the Emperor Constantine.
When Constantine died, Christianity throughout the region came under attack from the new Roman leader, Julian the Apostate. Under his leadership, pagans set about destroying churches and persecuting Christians.
Seeing this, Sarkis prayed. Jesus appeared to him and said, “It is time for you to leave your country and your clan, as did Abraham the Patriarch, and go to a country which I will show you. There you will receive the crown of righteousness prepared for you.”
Sarkis left behind his noble title and power and headed with his son, Mardiros, to Armenia, where they were welcomed by King Diran, grandson of King Drtad (Tiridates).
While Sarkis and Mardiros were in Armenia, the Emperor Julian, attempting to take over the known world, continued to move eastward toward Antioch in Syria. Whenever the Roman army came upon Christians, they were instantly killed. Many people fled the invading armies. King Diran urged Sarkis to escape and seek refuge among the Persians.
When Sarkis and his son arrived in Persia, King Shapur, hearing of his bravery, appointed him a commander of the Persian military. As he continued to be victorious in battle, Sarkis also continued to give the credit to God.
When Julian’s troops started raiding lands near King Shapur’s kingdom, Sarkis was sent to defend the territory. Outnumbered by the Greek and Roman forces, Sarkis’ troops were frightened. He told them that if they believed in the Creator of heaven and earth, their hearts would never be shaken. Many of his soldiers were baptised by the priests travelling with the army, and they succeeded in fending off a Roman attack.
Some of Sarkis’ soldiers, who had not been baptised, went to King Shapur and told him that Sarkis was rebelling against the Persian ruler by preaching belief in Jesus. The king called Sarkis back to the palace, where he, his son, and the newly-baptised soldiers were expected to attend a feast honouring the pagan gods.
At the temple, the king asked Sarkis to offer a sacrifice to the pagan gods. Sarkis refused, saying he would only worship the one true God. The king began to criticise Sarkis and his faith. But Sarkis could not tolerate such talk, so he spat in the king’s face and knocked down the temple idols. The king and his followers were enraged by Sarkis’ actions, so they killed his son, Mardiros, before his eyes.
The king then ordered Sarkis imprisoned. In prison, Sarkis was strengthened by his relationship with the Lord. King Shapur heard of this and ordered Sarkis’ execution.
At his execution, Sarkis began to pray. An angel descended from heaven and told him, “Be strong. Do not fear the killers of your body; for the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven is open for you.” Upon seeing the angel and understanding the power of everlasting life, many of the pagans who had gathered for the execution became Christians.
Sarkis made one last passionate plea for people to accept Jesus Christ and then was killed.
His loyal Christian soldiers retrieved Sarkis’ body and wrapped it in clean linen with the intention of burying his body honorably. When King Shapur heard of this reverence, he ordered the soldiers killed as well. Eventually, Christians found Sarkis’ body and it was sent to Assyria, where it remained until the 5th Century when Mesrob Mashdots received his remains and moved them to Armenia.
Soorp Sarkis is also known as the Armenian Valentine’s Day.
In one battle Sarkis with his 40 soldiers had defeated an enemy of 10,000. St. Sarkis just like St. Valentine was a miracle worker.
According to the legend, after the great feast to celebrate their victory, all forty soldiers and St Sarkis himself were tricked and intoxicated by a “Persian ruler” who then asked forty damsels to thrust sharp daggers into the hearts of sleeping young men and kill them. One of the damsels, enchanted by the beauty of Sarkis, disobeys the order and instead of killing Sarkis, she kisses him. Sarkis awakens, and distraught by what he sees, he jumps on his white horse, not forgetting the damsel, and dashes away while a powerful storm rages outside.
Since then, a rider on a white horse has become the symbol of love in Armenian tradition.
Tradition in the Armenian culture follows that on the evening before the holiday, unmarried girls and boys pray to the saint, asking for his help in their love affairs. Before they go to bed they eat a special salty biscuit with no other food or drink, so that in their dreams they will see their destined lover or their future spouse giving them water.
Part reference: Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church

Commemoration of the Pontiff St Sahak Partev (Bartev)
2027-01-30
St. Sahak is one of the most well known figures in Armenian history. As Catholicos, he supported the work of Mesrob Mashdots in the creation of the Armenian alphabet and the translation of the Bible into Armenian. A scholar and theologian himself, he is counted among the Holy Translators. The trio of King Vramshapuh, Catholicos Sahak, and Mesrob Mashdots together oversaw the flurry of translation into Armenian and an emergent new Armenian-language literature following the invention of the alphabet in 405 A.D. Churches are often named “Sts. Sahak and Mesrob” in acknowledgment of the crucial work these two men did together. This coming Saturday, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates this beloved Armenian saint.
Yet St. Sahak also presided over a tumultuous period in Armenian history. The invention of the alphabet itself emerged from the need to hold the two halves of Armenia together. At the time of St. Sahak’s birth in 354 A.D., Armenia was already used to its status as the crossroads and borderland between the Persian and Roman empires. As George Bournoutian describes, in 64 A.D., “Rome accepted the compromise of co-suzerainty” (55), meaning that the Armenian dynasty known as the Arshakuni or Arsacid would come from the royal Parthian dynasty, “while their authority would be bestowed in Rome.” Through some troubled periods, this arrangement lasted for nearly two centuries, until 224 A.D. when the Persian Parthians were overthrown, and the new Sasanian Persian empire emerged. The new Sasanian Empire tried to impose a more direct rule over Armenia. It is in this context that the conversion of Armenia to Christianity occurred, as Armenians tried to balance between Rome and a newly aggressive Persian empire. However, after the adoption of Christianity, in 387 A.D., Emperor Theodosius and Shapur III partitioned Armenia between them.
Such was the situation when St. Sahak became the Catholicos. In addition to the political partition, Armenian Christianity had competing influences: on the one hand, Caesarea, where the Catholicoses of Armenia had traditionally gone to installed as chief bishop of the Armenian Church, was a stronghold of Greek Christianity, while a Syriac strain of Christianity coming from south and favored by the Persians was also influential for the Armenian Church. More pointedly, the theological controversies raging in the emerging Byzantine Empire created confusion. First there was the Arian debate, with prominent Arians remaining through Christendom despite the condemnation of Arius at the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Then, in the later years of Sahak’s tenure as Catholicos, the Nestorian controversy broke out. St. Sahak, then, inherited the throne of the Catholicos in a precarious and confusing time. As Bournoutian puts it, “Both Catholicos Sahak and [King] Vramshapuh realised that in order to retain any measure of ecclesiastical and political control over a partitioned nation, the unifying factor of the Armenian language would be crucial” (71). With this in mind, Sahak supported St. Mesrob’s work of inventing an alphabet, translating the Bible, and creating a truly Armenian literature.
Creating the Armenian alphabet and launching an Armenian literature and truly Armenian liturgical tradition helped to hold both the Armenian Church and the Armenian people together. St. Sahak oversaw and participated in this work. As a theologian in his own right, he is sometimes credited with introducing the Armenian Octoechos or tsyan system into Armenian music and there are sharagans attributed to him. Yet St. Sahak’s life and tenure as Catholicos were tumultuous. He was the last Catholicos directly descended from St. Gregory the Illuminator. This lineage and his generally pro-Roman/Byzantine orientation led him into trouble during this period when Persian influence was still strong, especially among some members of the nobility, known as the nakharar. In fact, he was deposed from his position as Catholicos in 428 A.D., with several Syrian and pro-Syrian Catholicoses serving before he was allowed to return from exile in 432, nonetheless having a much-reduced authority. Dr. Gabrielle Winkler, in a detailed study, charts these events, in what she calls, “An Obscure Chapter in Armenian Church History.”
Much of this “obscure chapter” is related to theological arguments taking place beyond the borders of Armenia. In addition to the political balancing act between Persia and Constantinople, the ecclesiastical and theological controversies raging throughout Christendom were part of what led to St. Sahak’s ouster. Early Armenian Christianity was heavily influenced by Syriac Christianity, with its great sees of Antioch and Edessa. However, these sees became embattled around this time, when Nestorius, who was educated in Antioch by the great exegete Theodore of Mopsuestia, became Patriarch of Constantinople in 428 A.D.—the same year St. Sahak was deposed as Catholicos! We have detailed the controversy surrounding Nestorius’ teachings before, discussing his theological rivalry with St. Cyril of Alexandria. Ultimately, Alexandrian orthodoxy won the day in Armenia. At the time of St. Sahak, however, this outcome was not a given. Winkler explains the “obscure chapter in Armenian history” by appealing to these debates, the teachings of Nestorius, and the status of Theodore of Mopsuestia. Though he was eventually condemned in the West because of his association with his student Nestorius, Theodore of Mopsuestia was renowned for his commentaries on the Bible and his method of interpretation. His writings were influential in Armenia, and Armenians sought regarding the controversy.
We know this because of one of the most important and remarkable sources of the Armenian Christian tradition: the Book of Letters. According to the Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity, the book is a collection of “letters between the leaders (primarily Catholici) of the Armenian Church and various ecclesiastical figures throughout the Caucasus and the Christian world.” Though a crucial source, the manuscript tradition of this book has not been fully studied, and it is clear that some of the letters cannot actually have been written by the people to which they are attributed. Nonetheless, many of these letters should be considered authentic. More importantly, they represent a distillation of Armenian theological thinking, especially with regards to “Christological questions,” as the letters “elucidate the Miaphysite position of the Armenian Church, as it is contrasted with Nestorian and Chalcedonian Christology.” Some of the letters deal precisely with the “obscure chapter” Winkler describes and indeed, the Book of Letters is one of her major sources for unraveling this period. Four letters, including the famous Tome of Proclus (also known in Western sources as the Tome to the Armenians), are either written to or by St. Sahak.
The letters to and from St. Sahak reveal an erudite theologian as well as a concerned shepherd. They also reveal, as Winkler shows, the emerging position of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Overall, the Book of Letters is a treasure-trove of a source for understanding the specifics of the Armenian theological position, especially regarding Christology. As the Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity states, “it is probably the most important source for the development of Armenian Christianity from its beginnings as a Christian within the Zoroastrian Persian Empire, through its survival in the upheavals of the 7thcentury and its break with Chalcedonian churches, up to the renewed attempts of Constantinople to achieve ecclesiastical union and the crusading-era contacts with Rome.” The published versions of the Book of Letters include correspondence ranging from the 5th to the 13th centuries, spanning a huge amount of time and covering the consolidation of the Armenian theological position. This is a crucial source for understanding Armenian Christianity—and some of the earliest letters found in the volume are attributed to St. Sahak Partev.
Ref: vemkar.us

Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions
2027-02-02
The Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions is dedicated to the blessed memory of the Armenian priests who fought alongside St. Vartan and the entire Armenian Nation for their Christian faith in 451 A.D. in the Battle of Avarayr.
The eldest among them was Priest St. Ghevond, and among his companions were Catholics Hovsep, Bishop Sahak of Syunik, Bishop Tatik of Basen, Priest Mushe or Mushegh, Priest Arshen, Priest Samuel, Deacons Abraham and Kajajn.
After the Battle of Avarayr, the Persian King Hazkert took revenge on the Armenians and ordered all the brave priests to be killed.
According to the tradition, the Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions is deemed the day of the clergy.

Vartanants: Feast of St Vartan the Captain and his 1036 Companions
2027-02-04
Every year, on the Thursday preceding the Great Lent, the Armenian Church celebrates the anniversary of one of the most important events in her history. The event is the great battle of Avarayr between the Armenian soldiers of Christ and the mighty Sassanid Zoroastrian army in the year 451 A. D.
The great Commander of Avarayr was prince Vartan Mamikonian. Vartan and many princes, soldiers, women of royal families, farmers and priests battled bravely and sacrificed their lives in defense of their faith. 1036 martyrs fell in one day on the field of Avarayr and became the Defenders of the Faith of Armenia.
The cause of the great battle was religious. Armenia, which had proclaimed Christianity as its state religion in 301 A. D., lived cultural and spiritual progress. Especially, after the invention of the Armenian Alphabet by St. Mesrob Mashtots in 404-406 A. D., Armenia developed its own language and culture during the first half of the fifth century, which became to be known as the Golden Century. During that period, the Bible (Asdvadzashounch) was translated into Armenian under the guidance of Catholicos St. Sahag Partev and Christianity flourished in the country.
Before St. Gregory the Illuminator, although Christianity had been preached in Armenia by the two Apostles of Christ, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, many were still worshippers of pagan idols. However, after the conversion of Armenia in 301 A. D., the invention of the Armenian Alphabet in 406 A. D. and the translation of the Armenian Bible by Saints Sahag and Mesrob and their students, Armenia became religiously and culturally independent. Politically, Armenia was divided into two states, between Persia and Byzantium in 387 A. D. In order to force the Armenians to revert back to the Persian-Zoroastrian religion, the king of Persia decreed that all Christians under his rule must abandon their new religion and accept Mazdeism. The Armenian leaders, clergy, and the ruling princes gave a bold answer to this royal decree, insisting that they had not the slightest intention of altering their Christian beliefs. They wrote a letter to the Persian king in which they said:
“Our religion is not like a garment that we might change according to the circumstances; it is part and parcel of our bones and blood and personality … We serve you loyally in your army and pay you taxes faithfully if you leave us alone in the matter of religion. If you try to force your will upon us, we are ready to suffer and to be tortured and even to die. However, you should know in advance that there is no power on earth, which can force us to change our religion because our covenant to be faithful is not with man but with the Almighty God.”
The Persian king became furious and countered this boldness with a heavy sword. He sent a mighty army of some 220.000 strong to crush the resistance and to convert Armenia to Paganism by force.
On May 26 of 451 A. D., on the field of Avarayr, near the river Tghmout, an army of 66.000 Armenian warriors, which included soldiers, farmers, priests, princes and even the wives and daughters of princes, under the leadership of Commander Vartan Mamikonian, armed with the “Helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17), waited for the invading Sassanid army.
Vartan Mamikonian was the descendant of a noble Armenian family and the head of the influential Mamikonian House. From his mother’s side, he was the grandson of St. Sahag Catholicos, who helped St. Mesrop translate the Bible. The Commander knew well that the Persians outnumbered his army and that they were well equipped with their hordes of elephants against Armenians. However, he put his trust in God and preferred honorable death to paganism and slavery.
The day before the battle, the Armenian soldiers spent the night in prayer and devotion. The entire army prayed and took Holy Communion. The head of the Church, Catholicos Hovsep, was there together with his clergy. Priest Ghevont (Leontius), the most zealous among the clergy, together with Commander Vartan Mamikonian, encouraged the soldiers with inspiring words.
Towards the morning the Persian army made its move. The Armenians inflicted great losses on the enemy. The battle lasted only one day, and 1036 Armenians fell. The Persians lost over 3000 men. The battle of Avarayr came to an end with the fall of the Commander Vartan. Armenians withdrew to their castles and inaccessible mountains to carry on their battle. In Avarayr, Vartan and his comrades suffered a military defeat. They lost the battle but kept their faith and became true witnesses of Christ. The Persians eventually withdrew from their plan of converting Armenia to their pagan religion, when they realized they could not force Armenians to forsake their God. The military defeat of Armenians became the victory of their salvation through their unshakable faith in Christ.
Vartan Mamikonian has become one of the most loved saints of the Armenian people. Strengthened by the spirit of the Martyrs of Avarayr, many Armenians followed the example of Saints Vartanants throughout the centuries and laid down their lives for Christ.
Today, after many centuries, when silence has reigned on the field of Avarayr, the spirit of St. Vartan continues to bring us the sacred legacy of the Defenders of Faith whispering into our ears and saying, “Stand steadfast in your faith, do not be deceived by earthly kingdoms, idols or treasures, keep your covenant strong with God and be true soldiers of Christ.”
On the feast of Vartanants, we congratulate the Name’s Day of all those who bear the name of Vartan Mamigonian and his generals Khoren, Ardag, Hmayak, Dajad, Vahan, Arsen and Karekin. In memory of the 1,036 martyr soldiers, today it is also the day of those who do not have a Name Day.

In the Armenian Church, the Feast day of St Vartan the Captain and Companions is also celebrated as the Naming Day of His Holiness Karekin II. To mark the occasion, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a Pontifical Prayer (Hayrabedagan Maghtank) is offered.

Ref: vemkar.us, armenianprelacy.org

Commemoration of 150 Pontiffs participating in the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople
2027-02-06
During different periods of history, the Ecumenical Church has faced various problems of doctrinal, administrative and organisational natures, solutions to which have been provided during the Ecumenical Councils. One of such councils was the Second Ecumenical Council, convened upon the order of the King Theodosios in Constantinople, in 381.
As the result of Arian disputes, a new heresy had appeared, the head and supporter of which was Bishop Makedon of Constantinople, who denied the deity of the Holy Spirit. The Ecumenical Council convened in Constantinople on that special occasion, re-endorsed the definition of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea and the concept of “One deity, three persons”.
Accepting the Ecumenical Council, the Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the memory of 150 Patriarchs participating in the Council.

Eve of Great Lent or Poon Paregentan
2027-02-07
Eve of Great Lent or Poon Paregentan (Barekendan) – The Feast of Kindness

The Armenian Church has defined the period of Great Lent as a time of abstinence and repentance for the faithful. Each Sunday during this period is named after an event in the Holy Bible that contains the message of the day. According to the calendar, the days prior to weekly fasts, as well as Great Lent, (with the exception of the fast preceding Holy Nativity) are called Paregentan (Barekendan). The word Paregentan means “good living” or “good life”, as we are called to live cheerfully, joyfully, and to be happy on these days preceding fasting periods.
On these days of Paregentan, the angel’s words addressed to the prophet Elijah are fulfilled: “Arise and eat, otherwise the journey will be too great for you” (1 Kings 19:7). The Armenian Church thus allows her faithful to organise games, festivals, carnivals and large, plentiful meals to observe the feast, as it is followed by a period of fasting and abstinence.
The Eve of Great Lent, as Great Paregentan is also called, commemorates the human bliss, which Adam and Eve enjoyed in the Garden of Eden. It also symbolises the heavenly right, according to which, mankind could eat all types of fruit, except the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Paregentan is the manifestation of the virtues of the soul, through which people can transform mourning to joy, and torment to peace. It is with this comprehension, with bowing of our souls, penitence, fasting and hope for mercy, that each Christian individual should take his first step on the long, 40 day journey of Great Lent, culminating with the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The period starting from the day following the Great Paregentan and lasting till the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, is called Great Lent. In the period of the Great Lent, people, refraining from bodily pleasures and sins, get prepared for the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ by means of abstinence and repentance. Both spiritual and moral and bodily abstinence are considered to be important.Our church fathers have called the period of the Great Lent as “Karasnordats”, as the period of fasting lasts 40 days. This period of the Great Lent is also called “Salt and bread”, as in the past during the period of the Great Lent, people only ate salt and bread.
In the New and old Testaments there are many testimonies concerning the period of Great Lent. Moses fasted for forty days and only then received the Lord’s rules and canons. However, this period is related to 40 day period of temptation of Christ in the desert, following which our Church fathers established this period of fasting.
During the period of the Great Lent curtains in the churches are closed in commemoration of the fact that after sinning, Adam was exiled from Eden and the doors were closed before him.

Great Lent
2027-02-08
In the entire Christian East, including Armenia, Great Lent begins on the 7th Monday before the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Easter). Lent begins on a Monday and lasts exactly 40 days.
For the Armenian Church, Great Lent ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. That is the 40th day. The next day is Lazarus Saturday (the 41st day). Lent does not include Holy Week, which begins on the Monday after Palm Sunday. A new period of fasting takes place during Holy Week.
Click here to read more about Abstinence and Fasting
The principles and practices of Lent in the Armenian Church are deeply rooted in the Bible, the ancient Christian traditions, the life example of Christ and His disciples, and the lives of the great church fathers, all of whom contributed to the establishment of the canons of Lent. The focus of Lent is on “Man the Sinner”: on his repentance, his spiritual cleansing, and his eventual salvation.
Lent is a very personal spiritual journey. It is a period of sincerity, self-recognition, and reflection. Abstinence, moderation and sacrifice free us for meditation and the realisation of the darkness of our world without God. As the prophet Joel advised us, you must “turn towards the Lord…with all your heart” with honesty and humility. In this way, we are able to create a bridge between God and us. Through prayer, we communicate with God, express our love, ask for forgiveness. Prayers of the sincere heart are acceptable to God.
Fasting during Lent needs to be done in the context of deep reflection on the truth about ourselves, in a spirit of unusual sincerity and honesty. Fasting is, in fact, a companion to prayer: one more way we speak to God from the heart.
The true understanding of Lent rests on a sturdy tripod of prayer, abstinence, and charity. Lent reminds us that man is always confronted with choices that lead us to two paths in life. The first path is one of darkness, evil and sin. The second is that of light, God, righteousness, and goodness. At the juncture of these two paths stands the fortress of prayer, abstinence and charity, which leads mankind forward to seek perfection. This is the purpose of Great Lent in the Armenian Church.
During this long interval of abstinence, especially during the first forty days, the Armenian Church has prescribed soul-fulfilling services of prayer for its faithful. These services, called “Arevagal” (Sunrise) and also “Khaghaghakan (Peace) and “Hangstyan” (Rest) are “Zhamergoutiun” (Liturgical Offices), and they are conducted usually on Wednesdays and Fridays, morning and evening, as dictated by local conditions and conveniences.
The sharagans (hymns) of the Sunrise service were composed by Catholicos St. Nerses Full of Grace. They embody profound meaning and are beautiful literary gems. They are directed mainly to spiritual light, truth, and beauteous glorification.
These services, which are conducted with the curtain drawn, thus concealing the altar during Medz Bahk, direct the worshippers’ attention to spiritual introspection and self-appraisal in place of the resplendence of the Divine Liturgy performed at other times by bishops in splendid vestments.
The period of Great Lent consists of seven remarkable Sundays: Eve of Great Lent, Sunday of Expulsion, Sunday of the Lost (Prodigal) Son, Sunday of the Steward, Sunday of the Judge, Sunday of Advent and Palm Sunday. Click here to read What do Lenten Sundays mean to us?
The 24th day or the fourth Wednesday of the period of Great Lent is called Michink (Mijink) symbolising that the first half of the period of Great Lent has already passed. On this day fasting is not stopped. According to folk tradition, the housewives bake unleavened cake and put a coin in it while baking. The current year will be successful for the member of the family who will have the coin in his or her portion.
According to ancient traditions marriage and offering sacrifice are forbidden during the period of Great Lent. However, by the pontifical encyclical of Vazken I Catholicos of all Armenians, it is permitted in case of extreme necessity to perform the sacrament of marriage during the period of Great Lent and on Sundays, except all days of the Holy Week.
