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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221202
DTSTAMP:20260514T043606
CREATED:20211101T043942Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211101T044309Z
UID:21223-1669852800-1669939199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Pontiff St Clement and Bishop St Bagrat of Taormina
DESCRIPTION:  \nPope Clement I (called Clemens Romanus to distinguish him from the Alexandrian)\, is the first of the successors of St Peter of whom anything definite is known\, and he is the first of the “Apostolic Fathers”. The Apostolic Fathers were a group of early Christian leaders who were believed to know the Apostles personally. St Clement was said to have succeeded St Peter as the Pope of the Church at Rome. \nHe was a disciple of St Peter and it is thought that the Clement whom St Paul praises as a faithful fellow worker\, whose name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3)\, was St Clement. \nClement I has one genuine writing\, a letter to the Church of Corinth. However\, many others have been attributed to him. The letter to Corinth is particularly significant in Catholic theology in that it demonstrates the Roman church’s early role in guiding the conduct of other churches. The letter was widely read in the early Christian churches and is included in some early manuscripts as scripture\, along with the letters of Paul. \nLittle is known of Clement’s ministry other than the writings attributed to him. Early sources indicate that he died a natural death\, but later tradition holds that he was martyred. \nAccording to apocryphal Acts of the Martyrs\, dating to the 4th century at earliest\, Clement was banished from Rome to the Chersonesus during the reign of the Emperor Trajan and was set to work in a stone quarry. Finding on his arrival that the prisoners were suffering from lack of water\, he knelt down in prayer. Looking up\, he saw a lamb on a hill\, went to where the lamb had stood and struck the ground with his pickaxe\, releasing a gushing stream of clear water. This miracle resulted in the conversion of large numbers of the local pagans and his fellow prisoners to Christianity. As punishment\, Clement was martyred by being tied to an anchor and thrown from a boat into the Black Sea. \nThe Inkerman Cave Monastery marks the supposed place of Clement’s burial in the Crimea. A year or two before his own death in 869\, Saint Cyril (born Constantine\, 826–869) brought to Rome what he believed to be the relics of Saint Clement\, bones he found in the Crimea buried with an anchor on dry land. They are now enshrined in the Basilica di San Clemente. Other relics of Saint Clement\, including his head\, are claimed by the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves in Ukraine. \nSt Bagrat was born in Antioch in Cilicia\, during the time when the Lord Jesus Christ walked as a man among men on earth. After the Ascension of Christ\, St Bagrat (Pankratios/Pancratius/Pancras) at the age of three\, went with his parents to Jerusalem. They converted to Christianity after hearing Christ Himself preach and seeing His miracles. After his parents died\, St Bagrat took up a solitary life in the province of Pontos\, where the Apostle Peter found him\, and in agreement with the Apostle Paul he was appointed as the Bishop of Taormina in Sicily. In Taormina\, St Pancratius worked many miracles\, destroyed idols\, baptised those who converted and strengthened those that were already baptised. He was a devout and loved leader of the Church. \nA heathen commander by the name of Aquilinus heard that the entire city of Taormina had converted to Christianity. He set out with an entire army in order to destroy the city of Taormina. St Pancratius encouraged the faithful not to be afraid. His clergy joined him as he went outside the city carrying in his hands the invincible weapon of the cross. When the army approached the city\, darkness befell them and the soldiers were overcome with great fear. In their confusion\, the attackers turned against one another and pierced and slaughtered each other with their swords. Thus Bagrat\, the chosen one of God\, saved the city and his flock by the power of his prayer before the Lord. In the end\, Bagrat was stoned to death by the heathens and found rest in the Lord. A portion of his relics are kept on Mount Athos. \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-pontiff-st-clement-and-bishop-st-bagrat-of-taormina-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221203
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221204
DTSTAMP:20260514T043606
CREATED:20211011T222953Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211025T052737Z
UID:19482-1670025600-1670111999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe first preachers of Christianity in Armenia\nSaints 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. \nBecause 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. \nSt 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. \nIn 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). \nKing Abgar’s letter received its response after the Resurrection and Pentecost\, with the mission of Thaddeus to go to Armenia. \n\nAccording 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. \n\nThaddeus 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. \nSt. 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). \nBartholomew 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. \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-apostles-st-thaddeus-and-st-bartholomew-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Thaddeus-e1634714178748.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221206
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221207
DTSTAMP:20260514T043606
CREATED:20211011T225248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T031803Z
UID:19490-1670284800-1670371199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Abgar (Apkar)
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nCommemoration of St Abgar\, First Martyr of the Church and our first King believing in Christ\n\nAccording 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. \nIt 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. \nAfter 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. \nIt is believed that King Agbar died in the first half of the first century.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-abgar-apkar-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221207
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221208
DTSTAMP:20260514T043606
CREATED:20211207T054632Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211207T055515Z
UID:21477-1670371200-1670457599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Anniversary of the Armenian Earthquake
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe 1988 Armenian earthquake\, also known as the Spitak earthquake\, occurred on December 7 at 11:41 local time with a surface wave magnitude of 6.8 and a maximum MSK intensity of X (Devastating). \nBetween 25\,000 and 50\,000 people were killed and up to 130\,000 were injured\, with thousands more left homeless. The earthquake devastated Spitak\, Gyumri\, Vanadzor\, Stepanavan and surrounding villages. \nMany buildings did not hold up to the shaking of the earthquake and those that did collapse often lacked any survival space\, but lack of effective medical care and poor planning also contributed to the substantial scope of the disaster. Buildings that didn’t collapse featured well maintained masonry and skeletal components that were joined together adequately in a way that allowed for the building to resist seismic waves. Most bridges and tunnels and other public infrastructure withstood the earthquake but hospitals did not fare well. Most collapsed\, killing two thirds of their doctors\, destroying equipment and medicine\, and reducing the capacity to handle the critical medical needs in the region. \nThe world responded rapidly to the disaster in Leninakan (Gyumri) and Spitak\, with much of Europe sending cargo aircraft loaded with medical supplies\, rescue equipment\, and trained personnel to assist in the recovery\, and even more reinforcement coming in from Latin America and the Far East. Mikhail Gorbachev was in New York on his first day of visits with Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush at the time of the earthquake\, and once the scale of the disaster was realised\, a quick departure was made back to Armenia\, with the Kremlin formally asking for American help. Washington immediately responded with offers of doctors\, medical equipment\, and rescue teams\, and by the first weekend the first US plane arrived in Yerevan with search and rescue teams and detection dogs. \nThe French arrived in Armenia in the late evening on Friday\, December 9\, and relieved the exhausted Armenian workers who then returned to Yerevan. Japan sent a monetary gift of $9 million while Italy had plans to build a prefabricated village for the victims\, and West Germany offered to send more than a dozen heavy cranes. The Americans donated generously as well\, with Washington dispatching eight official planeloads of official relief aid plus a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter from Italy. \nAs of July 1989\, about $500 million in donations had been delivered to the Armenians from 113 countries (including Australia). Most of those funds went into the initial relief work and medical care plus the beginning portion of the rebuilding phase. Yuri S. Mkhitarian\, an Armenian State Building Committee official\, gave an updated damage report that included some of the outlying communities away from the population centers stating that 342 villages were damaged and another 58 were destroyed. The negative effect the earthquake had on the economy of Armenia was apparent. Mkhitarian said that 130 factories were destroyed and 170\,000 people were out of work. \nAs winter closed in\, some 150\,000 survivors were left homeless in the mountainous north of Armenia. Soon afterward\, as the Soviet Union collapsed\, aid and rebuilding efforts stalled. \nVery soon\, within a month after the quake\, Domiks\, or metal containers\, were shipped from all over the world to provide temporary relief for people who had lost their homes at the earthquake. The harsh reality is that after more than 30 years\, some impoverished families are still living in those rusted tin shacks with no insulation and with limited amenities. \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/anniversary-of-the-armenian-earthquake-2/
CATEGORIES:Church Event
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221208
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221209
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211101T050913Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211101T050951Z
UID:21237-1670457600-1670543999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:The Commemoration of the Desert Fathers (Egyptian Hermits)
DESCRIPTION: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. \nAnthony 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. \nOver 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”. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nThere 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. 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/the-commemoration-of-the-desert-fathers-egyptian-hermits-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221209
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221210
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T230220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211011T230329Z
UID:19497-1670544000-1670630399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Conception of Saint Mary by Anna
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\nSt. 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. \nHer 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. \nOnly 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. \nIn 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. \nAlthough 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. \nThe 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. \nHowever\, 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. \nAccording 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/conception-of-saint-mary-by-anna-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221210
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221211
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211029T030420Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T030445Z
UID:21092-1670630400-1670716799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of Pontiff St Nicholas
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt 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. \nUnder 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. \nSt Nicholas was a secret and generous giver of gifts and some believe him to be the model for Santa Claus. \nOne 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. \nAnother 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. \nSeveral 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. \nOther 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. \nThrough 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. \nHe was a defender of orthodoxy and because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession\, he is called “the Wonderworker.”
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-pontiff-st-nicholas-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221211
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221212
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T000413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T030814Z
UID:19441-1670716800-1670803199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Fast of St James
DESCRIPTION:  \nToday commemorates the eve (paregentan) of the Fast of St. James (Hagop) of Nisibus. \nThe 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).
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-fast-of-st-james-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221217
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221218
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T231015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T031046Z
UID:19505-1671235200-1671321599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Pontiff St James of Nisibis\, Hermit St Maruge and Bishop St. Melitus
DESCRIPTION:  \nPontiff 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. 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. \nHe 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. \nJames 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. \nJames 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. \nSaint 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. \nBishop 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-pontiff-st-james-of-nisibis-hermit-st-maruge-and-bishop-st-melitus-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221224
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221225
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T232153Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T032051Z
UID:19515-1671840000-1671926399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Prophet St David and Apostle St James
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\nCommemoration of the Prophet St David and Apostle St James\, brother of Jesus\n\nThe 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 \nGod 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 \nSt 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”. \nAccording 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. \nThe 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-prophet-st-david-and-apostle-st-james-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221226
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221227
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T233406Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211011T233439Z
UID:19522-1672012800-1672099199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St. Stephen the Protomartyr and the First Martyr
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\nCommemoration of St. Stephen the Protomartyr and the first martyr\n\nSt. Stephen is one of the most beloved saints of the Universal Church\, the first person martyred for the sake of Christ’s doctrine of love. \nAccording 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. \nSome 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. \nAccording 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-stephen-the-protomartyr-and-the-first-martyr-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221227
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221228
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T233914Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211011T234034Z
UID:19530-1672099200-1672185599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Apostles St Peter and St Paul
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt. 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). \nDuring 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. \nAccording to tradition Peter was martyred in Rome and was crucified head-down. Two letters from Peter have been preserved. \nSt. 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. \nAccording to the tradition Paul was beheaded in 67 AD in Rome.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-apostles-st-peter-and-st-paul-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221229
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221230
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T234532Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211029T032637Z
UID:19537-1672272000-1672358399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Apostle St James and Evangelist St John
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt 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. \nWhen 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. \nThe 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. \nEvangelist 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-apostle-st-james-and-evangelist-st-john-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221229
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221230
DTSTAMP:20260514T043607
CREATED:20211011T234959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211228T023040Z
UID:19544-1672272000-1672358399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Fast of the Nativity and Theophany
DESCRIPTION:  \nEve of the Fast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Fast of Christmas)\n\nThe 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-fast-of-christmas-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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