The blessing of grapes takes place immediately after the Divine Liturgy. The ceremony is rich in symbolism and emphasises the important role the Virgin Mary assumed in the revelation of God. In the Northern Hemisphere, the blessing takes place on the day of the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. However, in... Read More »

  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,... Read More »

  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... Read More »

  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... Read More »

  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... Read More »

  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... Read More »

  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... Read More »

    Trndez & Diarnt'arach (or Tiarn'ndaraj) On February 14, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Lord’s Presentation to the Temple. Diarnt'arach, or Candlemas as it is known in the West, symbolises the presentation of the 40 day old Christ Child to the Temple in Jerusalem. In accordance with the Law of Moses,... Read More »

  St Theodoros (Theodore), the Captain, is a Saint recognised by all traditional churches of Christendom.  The Armenian Church commemorates this Saint on the first Saturday during the period of Great Lent. According to hagiographers, St. Theodoros was born to God fearing and pious parents in the village of Saroo, near the town of Amasia. ... Read More »

  The second Sunday of the period of Great Lent is called the Sunday of Expulsion. The basis of the mystery and the name can be found in the Holy Bible, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God's commands at ate from the Tree of Life and thus were "expelled" from the garden of Eden. "The... Read More »

  The Armenian Church commemorates the memory of the Patriarch, St Cyril of Jerusalem (315-386) twice during the year. He was a doctor of the church and had a pleasant and conciliatory disposition. However, he lived at a time when bishops were embroiled in bitter controversies and were quick to condemn any attempts at compromise,... Read More »

  The third Sunday of the period of Great Lent is called the Sunday of the Lost Son, according to the Parable of the Lost Son told in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 15:15-32). Like Adam and Eve, whom we recalled on the Sunday of Expulsion, the prodigal son decided to cut himself off from... Read More »

  St. John (Hovhannes) of Odzun, who has also been recognised as “the Philosopher”, is one of the greatest fathers of the Armenian Church.  According to hagiographers, he possessed both spiritual and mental brilliance.  During the 11 years of his reign (717-728), Catholicos Hovhannes managed to withstand Byzantine and Arab pressures and incursions, while struggling... Read More »