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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260207
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260208
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
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UID:29129-1770422400-1770508799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Pontiff St Sahak Partev (Bartev)
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt. 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. \nYet 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. \nSuch 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. \nCreating 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.” \nMuch 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. \nWe 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. \nThe 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. \nRef: vemkar.us
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-pontiff-st-sahak-partev-bartev-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260210
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260211
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211015T072257Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T124033Z
UID:29142-1770681600-1770767999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nAfter the Battle of Avarayr\, the Persian King Hazkert took revenge on the Armenians and ordered all the brave priests to be killed. \nAccording to the tradition\, the Feast of St. Ghevond the Priest and His Companions is deemed the day of the clergy.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-st-ghevond-the-priest-and-his-companions-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260212
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260213
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211015T072920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T124821Z
UID:29157-1770854400-1770940799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Vartanants: Feast of St Vartan the Captain and his 1036 Companions
DESCRIPTION:  \n\nEvery 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. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nBefore 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: \n“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.” \nThe 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. \nOn 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. \nVartan 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. \nThe 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. \nTowards 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. \nVartan 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. \nToday\, 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.” \nOn 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. \n\nIn 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. \n\nRef: vemkar.us\, armenianprelacy.org \n\n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/vartanants-feast-of-st-vartan-the-captain-and-companions-3-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260214
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260215
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211015T071619Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T121456Z
UID:29106-1771027200-1771113599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:The Lord's Presentation to the Temple: Trndez & Diarnt'arach
DESCRIPTION:  \n  \nTrndez & Diarnt’arach (or Tiarn’ndaraj)\nOn 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. \nIn accordance with the Law of Moses\, the infant Christ was brought to the Temple by Mary and Joseph and presented to God. A man named Simeon was there\, to whom it had been revealed that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord.  Simeon held the infant in his arms\, blessed God\, and said\, “Lord\, let your servant now depart in peace\, for my eyes have seen your Salvation\, which you have prepared before the face of all people.  A Light to lighten the Gentiles\, and the Glory of Your people\, Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32) \nThe celebration is rooted in Armenian pagan tradition. Originally called Trndez\, which meant “a bundle of hay in front of your house\,” it was intended as a wish of prosperity to the home and fertility to the land. In ancient Armenia\, the holiday was associated with the worship of Vahagn—the god fire\, the sun\, and of war and courage\, and the Armenian counterpart of the Zoroastrian god of victory Verethragna. \nThe purifying qualities of fire were at the center of pre-Christian Armenian tradition. According to several sources\, people believed that the strength of the fire would eradicate the winter’s cold and allow for fertile land and a prosperous harvest. Couples\, especially newlyweds\, would jump over the Trndez flames for luck\, prosperity\, and fertility. Even the fire’s ashes were believed to have healing properties as people would use it as an ointment for pain and rub it into their eyelids to improve their eyesight! \nFollowing the Christianisation of Armenia\, the Armenian Church decided to adapt the festival rather than to suppress and do away with it completely. In the tradition of the Church\, the celebration is officially named “Diarnt’arach” (“coming to meet the Lord”). \nIn the tradition of the Church\, Evening Services (Nakhatonak) are conducted on the night preceding the Feast Day (13th February).  At the conclusion of the service\, the priest lights a candle from the Holy Altar\, and distributes the flame to all present. With great care\, the faithful take the lit candles home to their families. The tradition of making a bonfire resembles the Lord’s light and warmth\, and it must not be confused with pagan rituals\, when fire was idolised and worshipped. According to Grigor Tatevatsi’s interpretation\, by jumping over the fire\, we show it to be ignoble and low\, says priest Ter Adam Makaryan. \nThe morning of the Feast Day\, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The hymn offered during the Liturgy commemorating Diarnt’arach glorifies Simeon’s articulation of “a Light to lighten the Gentiles”. The hymn praising Simeon also lauds the Mystery of the Incarnation. \nMany additional customs have been inherited from the past\, including the blessing of the four corners of the world in the Andastan Service\, the blessing of newlywed couples\, as well as offering prayers for the crops and fertility of the fields
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/the-lords-presentation-to-the-temple-trndez-diarntarach-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260215
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260216
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211015T090513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T125909Z
UID:29183-1771113600-1771199999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of Great Lent or Poon Paregentan
DESCRIPTION:  \nEve of Great Lent or Poon Paregentan (Barekendan) – The Feast of Kindness\n\nThe 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. \nOn 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. \nThe 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. \nThe 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. \nIn 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. \nDuring 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-great-lent-or-poon-paregentan-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260216
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260217
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211015T103158Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T130346Z
UID:29196-1771200000-1771286399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Great Lent
DESCRIPTION:  \nIn 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. \nFor 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. \nClick here to read more about Abstinence and Fasting \nThe 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. \nLent 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. \nFasting 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. \nThe 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. \nDuring 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. \nThe 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. \nThese 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. \nThe 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? \nThe 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. \nAccording 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.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/great-lent-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260222
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260223
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211016T005541Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T130950Z
UID:29209-1771718400-1771804799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Sunday of Expulsion
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe 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. \n“The Lord God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden\, to till the ground from which he had been taken. 24 He expelled the man\, stationing the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword east of the garden of Eden\, to guard the way to the tree of life” (Genesis 3:23-24) \nExpulsion Sunday places us at the very beginning. The created order\, including Adam and Eve\, was spoken into existence by the very Word of God\, but our harmony with the world and the communion we enjoyed with our Creator was ruptured because of sin. As a result\, Adam and Eve\, who are a type of all of us\, were expelled from paradise and access to the Tree of Life was blocked. However\, through Jesus Christ\, the new Adam (see I Corinthians 15:45)\, there is forgiveness of sin. By way of baptism\, we are placed on the journey back to the Garden to commune with our Creator\, and are once again given access to the Tree of Life. \nThe Church Fathers have given the Sundays of the Period of Great Lent such names and mysteries which symbolise mankind’s way of life: birth\, sinning\, regret and repentance.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/sunday-of-expulsion-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260228
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260301
DTSTAMP:20260418T202423
CREATED:20211023T064232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250519T131454Z
UID:29222-1772236800-1772323199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Cyril the Patriarch of Jerusalem\, St Cyril the Bishop of Jerusalem and his mother Anna
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\n\n\nThe 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\, even calling such attempts as treason. Sixteen of his thirty five years as a bishop were spent in exile. When a famine hit Jerusalem\, he sold some of the possessions of the church to raise money for the poor starving people. He was condemned for selling church property and banished. \nSt Cyril participated in the Second Ecumenical Council of Constantinople. Many sermons and speeches of the Patriarch Cyril\, about Christian doctrine\, have been translated into Armenian. His letter addressed to the King Costandios on the occasion of the apparition of the Holy Cross in the sky of Jerusalem is read in the Armenian churches. According to tradition\, the basin in which Patriarch Cyril was baptised is inside the Chapel of St Stephen of the Church of St Hagop (St. James)\, of Jerusalem. \nHis best known work that has survived\, “The Catechetical Lectures\,” is believed to be one of the earliest systematic accounts of Christian theology. The lectures consist of an introductory lecture\, followed by eighteen lectures on the Christian faith given during Lent to those preparing to be baptised on Easter\, as well as five lectures on the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist delivered after Easter. The lectures have been translated into many languages\, including English and Armenian\, and are noted for their presentation of the Christian faith in a positive light whilst maintaining a balance between correct belief and holy action. \n\n\nThousands of pilgrims annually come to Jerusalem for Holy Week. St Cyril instituted the liturgical forms for that week as they were observed in Jerusalem. A detailed account of Holy Week observances in Jerusalem in the fourth century is now available thanks to a woman named Egeria (Etheria)\, believed to be a Spanish nun\, who made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and kept a journal describing the liturgical practices at the various holy sites. \nSt. Cyril the Bishop is the contemporary of St. Cyril the Patriarch. His secular name is Huda. According to hagiographical sources\, Bishop Cyril helped the queen Heghine (Helen) to find the Holy Cross of Christ. Witnessing the wonder working power of the Holy Cross\, Bishop Cyril was baptised\, together with his mother\, Anna\, and after the baptism was renamed “Cyril”. Later he was ordained as a bishop and during the period of exile of the Patriarch Cyril\, he took his place for a period of time. Being subjected to various tortures\, Bishop Cyril and his mother were killed during the persecutions of the King Julianos\, the Betrayer.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-cyril-the-patriarch-of-jerusalem-st-cyril-the-bishop-of-jerusalem-and-his-mother-anna-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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