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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260601
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260602
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T104339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T080044Z
UID:29609-1780272000-1780358399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Hripsime and her Companions
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt Hripsime\, along with her companions in martyrdom\, are venerated as the first martyrs in Armenian history. \nNoble Hripsime was one of the 37 Christian nuns who\, together with the Abyss Gayane\, lived during the period of the reign of the Roman King Diocletianus (284-305) in the Monastery of St Paul located in the mountains of Rome. The Holy sisters had dedicated their lives to Christ. \nHripsime’s beauty captivated the King who wished to get married to her. Disobeying the King\, the pious nuns\, led by their Abyss Gayane\, ran away. According to oral traditions\, a Holy Godmother appeared to them and told them to leave for the Araratian country; Armenia. So\, the nuns went to Vagharshapat. On their way\, they passed the Mountain of Varague (Varak). Here\, Hripsime buried in the earth a relic from the wooden Holy Cross\, which she always had on her neck. The relic was found by a miracle in the 7th century and since then\, the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varague (Varak) has been celebrated in the Calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church\, along with the other feasts dedicated to the Holy Cross. \nThe Pagan Armenian King Tiridates III (Drtad/ Trdat)\, becoming aware of the nun’s beauty\, also wished to get married to Hripsime. Accordingly\, Hripsime was brought to the palace\, with Gayane\, in order to convince Hripsime to obey the King. However\, Gayane told Hripsime to hold true to her faith and in his anger\, Tiridates ordered that all the nuns be killed. \nIn this storm of destruction\, King Tiridates became afflicted with strange maladies\, and no physician or pagan priest could heal him. It was only St. Gregory\, who the King had condemned to the pit in 287AD\, that was able to restore Tiridates\, through the power of prayer and faith. \nThe nuns’ martyrdom is a turning point in the history of the Armenian nation. After their martyrdom\, St Gregory was released from the pit and was able to spread the light of Christ in Armenia. \nUpon his delivery from the pit\, in the early 4th century\, St Gregory the Illuminator found the relics of the nuns and built chapels on those sites. Later\, during the time of St Sahak Partev (Bartev)\, these chapels were rebuilt and then again\, during the pontificate of Catholicos Gomidas (7th century)\, two beautiful cathedrals were erected. One of these\, the Cathedral of St Hripsime\, remains a monument of Armenian architecture. \nIn 1979 His Holiness Vasken I\, the Catholicos of All Armenians\, reported joyously to His Holiness Khoren I\, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia\, at Antelias\, that as a result of recent archaeological excavations firmly sealed graves were found and thought to be those of the witnesses\, Hripsime and her companions. \nHis Holiness Vasken I wrote: “It is with deep emotion that we wish to inform you that the ancient tomb\, discovered during the past year under the walls of the St. Hripsime monastery\, has disclosed graves of interred bodies without heads. It is highly probable that those remains are those of some of the maidens.” Because of the indication of how the bodies had been severed\, the direction in which they were buried\, and the absence of pagan like burial practices\, the archaeologists were able to confirm the authenticity of Hripsime and her followers’ relics at the site. \nIt is said that Hripsime was tortured and martyred at the location of Saint Hripsime Church\, while Gayane was tortured and martyred at the site of St Gayane church. The remaining group of unnamed nuns were martyred at the location of Shoghakat Church. \nIn the Armenian Apostolic Church\, on the days of the feasts dedicated to the memory of St Hripsime and her companions\, a Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Churches. On the eve of the feast\, ceremonies are held\, which start after the evening service and Church hymns and songs\, dedicated to the nuns\, are sung.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-hripsime-and-her-companions-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hripsime.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260602
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260603
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T111443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T080705Z
UID:29624-1780358400-1780444799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Gayane and her Companions
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Commemoration of St Gayane takes place on the day following the Commemoration of St Hripsime. \nSt Gayane\, the abbess and St Hripsime\, along with their companions\, remind us of the central role of strong\, determined\, faithful women at the root of Armenian Christianity. While the recounting of the conversion to Christianity usually centres on King Tiridates (Drtad) and St Gregory the Illuminator\, St Gayane and St Hripsime’s actions start the whole narrative of the conversion of Armenia. \nAfter Hripsime bests and embarrasses King Tiridates III\, the king tries to force Gayane to convince her protegee to give herself over to the king. Instead\, Gayane encourages Hripsime to keep her vows and reminds her of the eternal reward Christ promised to all those who believe in Him. When the king realises the conviction of both women\, he has them and all their companion nuns killed. \nSt Hripsime\, St Gayane and their companions become some of the earliest martyrs of the Armenian Church and some of the earliest saints. It is this violent action on the part of the king that leads to his illness and at his sister Khosrovitoukht’s urging\, the king finally appeals to St Gregory to heal him\, leading to the king’s conversion to Christianity and his declaration that Armenia will be a Christian kingdom. \nWithout the valiant martyrdom of St Gayane and St Hripsime\, or the faithful encouragement of Khosrovitoukht\, all women\, the conversion of Armenia would never have happened. \nIt is worth noting here that the very first “native” saint and martyr of the Armenian Church was also a woman\, St Santukht. \nPlaying such a crucial role in the conversion of Armenia\, standing right at the source of Christianity in Armenia\, St Gayane\, St Hripsime and their companions have inspired Armenians for centuries. They are an important source and inspiration for women involved in the Armenian Apostolic Church. As an abbess\, St Gayane is the precursor to all women monastics and ordained women in the Armenian Apostolic Church. In the twenty first century we often feel the scarcity of women engaged in active ministry in the Armenian Church. However\, there is a long tradition of Armenian nuns and female monastics. Likewise\, while there are only a few ordained women deacons\, deaconesses\, around the world today\, in certain times and places\, Istanbul\, Tiflis\, and Isfahan in particular\, Armenian women were ordained to the order of the diaconate. Most often\, this took place in the context of a monastery or a monastic order. Ultimately\, all Armenian deaconesses\, women monastics and women serving the Armenian Church have as a source of inspiration and a model St Gayane and St Hripsime. \nThese two women\, their companions and the story of their intense faith in Jesus Christ and the strength afforded them through the Holy Spirit\, have inspired both men and women to commemorate them. After their martyrdom there was an early tradition that placed their burial sites in the city of Vagharshapat\, most commonly known as Etchmiadzin\, after the mother Cathedral. These shrines were eventually built up and today the two churches of St Gayane and St Hripsime both stand in the city of Vagharshapat as some of the oldest standing Armenian churches in the world. Notably\, Catholicos Komitas I\, known both for his building projects and his hymns\, was behind the project to build the church dedicated to St Hripsime. Dedicated in 618\, Catholicos Komitas I also composed a celebrated hymn\, Andzink Nviryalk\, or “Devoted Persons\,” to commemorate the dedication of the church. The hymn is sung as the Orhnutyun Sharagan the morning of the commemoration of St. Hripsime. \nRef: vemkar.us
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-gayane-and-her-companions-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Gayane.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260604
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260605
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T112533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T081610Z
UID:29637-1780531200-1780617599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St John the Baptist (the Forerunner) and Bishop Atanagine
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Armenian Church commemorates the day when the relics of St John the Forerunner (the Baptist) and Bishop Atanagine were transferred to Armenia. \nMariam\, the wife of St Gregory the Illuminator\, had a brother named Atanagine. He was the Bishop of Pitacton and died while defending the faith. After his consecration in Caesarea\, St Gregory brought the relics of St John and Bishop Atanagine to Armenia and buried them in locations named Innaknya and Bagavan\, in the region of Ashtishat and built martyriums (shrines) at those sites. \nAfter baptising King Tiridates and the royal court in 301 AD\, St Gregory the Illuminator celebrated the Divine Liturgy and gave instructions that the memories of St John and Bishop Atanagine should be commemorated on that specific day\, every year\, instead of the feast of Vanatour\, which was the pagan god of the New Year.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-john-the-baptist-the-forerunner-and-bishop-atanagine-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/St-John-Atanagines.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260606
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260607
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T114254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T082213Z
UID:29650-1780704000-1780790399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of St Gregory the Illuminator’s deliverance from the pit
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\n\nThe Feast of St Gregory the Illuminator’s deliverance from the pit is also known as Khor Viraben Yelkuh. Gregory is revered as the patron saint of the Armenian Church. He is recognised and memorialided in both eastern and western hierarchical churches. The Armenian liturgical calendar reserves three feast days in his honour: Entrance into the pit; deliverance from the pit and the discovery of the relics. In addition to these three days\, there are several feast days to which he is closely connected\, namely the feast days for Saints Hripsime and Gayane\, Shoghakat\, Holy Etchmiadzin and King Tiridates (Trdat). The Roman Catholic Church\, Orthodox churches\, and Oriental Orthodox churches have special days in their calendars for the veneration of St Gregory\, who is considered to be one of the Fathers of the early Christian church. \nSt Gregory was condemned to the pit in 287 AD by King Tiridates III which preceded the persecution of Christians. After the martyrdom of a group of nuns who came to Armenia from Rome\, led by Hripsime and Gayane\, Tiridates was stricken with strange maladies. His sister\, Khosrovitoukht\, had a dream that St Gregory was the only person who could heal her brother. Miraculously\, Gregory was still alive after many years in the pit\, thanks to the daily visits of an angel. Gregory emerged from the pit and with the intercession of his prayers\, the king recovered and was thus baptised as Tiridates III declared Christianity to be the official religion of Armenia in 301AD. \nSt Gregory became the patron saint of the Armenian Church and Tiridates and his wife\, Queen Ashkhen\, became ardent supporters in Gregory’s efforts to preach Christianity throughout Armenia and baptise the Armenian nation. \nSt Gregory was not the first to preach Christianity in Armenia. That distinction belongs to the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew\, who came to Armenia in the first century\, and thus gave the Armenian Church its Apostolic designation. Nevertheless\, Gregory is revered and is considered by Armenians to be the father of their faith. Hundreds of churches have been built and named in his honour. \n“The ancient calendars of the still undivided Church celebrated him [Gregory] on the same day in both the East and the West as a tireless apostle of truth and holiness. The father in faith of the whole Armenian people\, St Gregory still intercedes from heaven today\, so that all the children of your great nation may at last gather round the one table prepared by Christ\, the divine Shepherd of one flock.” \nPope John Paul II in his “Apostolic Letter for the 1700th Anniversary of the Baptism of the Armenian People\,” issued February 2\, 2001.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-st-gregory-the-illuminators-deliverance-from-the-pit-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/St-Gregory-deliverance.jpeg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260607
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260608
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T115444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T082631Z
UID:29663-1780790400-1780876799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin
DESCRIPTION:  \nOne of the most celebrated feasts of the Armenian Church is the day when the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was established\, according to the inspired vision of St Gregory the Illuminator. \nAccording to hagiographic sources\, following the declaration of Christianity as the Official Religion of Armenia in 301 AD\, St Gregory had a famous vision\, wherein the Only Begotten Son of God\, Jesus Christ\, descended from Heaven\, his face lit aglow and with the strike of a golden hammer designated the site where the Mother Cathedral for the entire Armenian nation was to be founded. Hence\, the name of the spiritual centre for the Armenians\, “Etchmiadzin”\, means “the Descent of the Only Begotten” (Etch – descent\, mi – only\, dzin – begotten.) \nSt Gregory relayed the story about his vision to the Armenian King Tiridates III (Drtad)\, under whose royal auspices and support the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was built.  King Tiridates and Queen Ashkhen participated in the construction\, as did the entire capital city of Vagharshapat\, by bringing stones from the biblical mountain of Ararat to lay the foundations. In the site marked by Christ\, a Holy Altar of Descent was built. \nAccording to Patriarch Malachia Ormanian\, from the days of her establishment\, the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin has been the residence of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.  Thus\, it is the Mother See of the Armenian Church and\, as such\, her universal\, spiritual and administrative headquarters. \nAnother title bestowed upon the cathedral is “Catholic”\, not to be confused with the Roman Catholic faith.  Catholic is a Greek word meaning “Universal”. Theologically\, the cathedral has been called “catholic” as a description of the catholicity (universality) of the Church. \nThe feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is celebrated 64 days following Easter.  A Divine Liturgy is celebrated and during services\, a special hymn is sung\, written by the eighth century Catholicos Sahak of Dzorap\, telling of St Gregory’s vision and the Cathedral’s construction.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-the-cathedral-of-holy-etchmiadzin-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Etchmiadzin.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260608
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260609
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20250520T084109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T084143Z
UID:29676-1780876800-1780963199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Children of Bethlehem\, Acacius the Witness\, Movkima the Priest and Kotriatos the Soldier
DESCRIPTION:  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n  \n\n\n\nIn the Gospel according to St. Matthew\, we read about the slaying of the innocent children prior to the birth of Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:16-18). Men\, who had come from the East to Jerusalem\, spread the news of the birth of a “baby born to be the king of the Jews”. When this news reached Heron\, King of Judea\, he became very troubled. As a result of his jealousy and rage in not being able to locate the newborn baby\, the King orders the death of all male children in Bethlehem who are two years old and younger. The blood of the innocent children became the first blood shed for the sake of Christ. The Armenian Church has dedicated many church hymns and songs to the memory of the Children of Bethlehem\, and they are commemorated on the Monday following the Feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. \nThe same day the Armenian Church celebrates the memory of three saints\, martyred for the sake of Christianity – Acacius the Witness\, Movkima the Priest and Kotriatos the Soldier.According to “Haysmavourk”\, Acacius was martyred for the faith during the reign of the Emperor Likianos.  Being subjected to indescribable torments and managing to survive surrounded by wild beasts\, the saint was beheaded in 310 AD. \nMovkima the Priest\, Byzantine by birth\, was the son of a high-ranking Christian officer. Being a devout preacher of Christianity\, he was subjected to many torments by the governor of the city Ampipolis of Macedonia. Later\, he was sent to Byzantium\, where he was condemned to death by beheading. Emperor Constantine would later build a magnificent church over the tomb of the saint. \nKotriatos the Soldier was martyred as a result of persecutions by the pagan King Dekos. Considering himself to be a “servant of the Heavenly King”\, the brave saint endured many tortures through the strength of his Christian faith and became an example for others to remain steadfast in times of trouble. Kotriatos was also put to death by beheading. \n  \n\n\n\n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-children-of-bethlehem-acacius-the-witness-movkima-the-priest-and-kotriatos-the-soldier-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Children-of-Bethlehem.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260609
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260610
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T040254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T084829Z
UID:29689-1780963200-1781049599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Nune and St Mane
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt Nune and St Mane were two of the companions of St Hripsime\, who\, being persecuted by the King Dioklethianos\, left Rome with the Abbess Gayane and her order of nuns\, and reached Armenia where she was martyred. However\, Nune and Mane were not destined to die together with their companions. \nReaching Armenia together with Abbess Gayane and her companions\, St Mane left them and went to the area of Mount Sebouh\, where she remained isolated in a cave and lived an ascetic life. St Mane lived an “angel’s life”\, strengthened by means of prayers and divine consolation\, and later the cave was called by her name\, “Mane’s cave”. \nDuring that same period\, St Gregory the Illuminator\, in his old age\, also wished for solitude and wanted to live his last days in seclusion. He chose a cave on Mount Sebouh\, near Erzindjan.  Approaching the cave\, he heard the voice of the St Mane asking him to return to the cave three days later. Respecting the wishes of the nun\, St Gregory returned to the cave three days later and finding the nun dead\, buried her body in the cave. \nThe nun St Nune (or Nino)\, escaped the persecutions of the Armenian King Tiridates (Drtad) and left for Georgia’s capital city of Mtskheta. There she continued to live a prayerful life and preached the Gospel\, converting the entire nation to Christianity. She became famous for the miracles she worked and for her philanthropic activity. Hearing of her miracles\, Nune was taken to the royal palace\, where she healed the sick queen. Refusing all gifts\, Nune continued preaching the Gospel. The Georgian King Mihran\, feeling the presence of God\, converted to Christianity. The Gospel was preached throughout Georgia. Upon the advice of Nune\, a delegation was sent to the Armenian Pontiff St Gregory the Illuminator and the Armenian King Tiridates asking them to send clergy to perform baptisms and Holy Mass. Thus\, St. Nune became the apostle of Georgia.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-nune-and-st-mane-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Nune-mane.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260613
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260614
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T042212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T085608Z
UID:29702-1781308800-1781395199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St Nersess the Great and St Bishop Khad
DESCRIPTION:  \nSt Nersess was an Armenian Catholicos (Patriarch) who lived in the 4th century and was the great grandson of St Gregory the Illuminator. His father\, Athenogenes\, and his uncle\, Bab\, who were next in line for the succession to the Throne of St Gregory\, were laymen and had no desire to become priests. As professional soldiers\, they showed no inclination to spirituality and their worldly behaviour convinced the Armenian bishops that neither of them were suitable for the position of chief bishop. \nTherefore\, the church turned its attention to Nersess\, the son of Athenogenes\, to assume the position. St Nersess had spent his youth in Caesarea where he married Sanducht\, (presumably the daughter of King Diran) and they had a son\, who later became the renowned Catholicos\, St Sahag the Parthian\, grandfather of St Vartan Mamigonian. St Nersess was a courtier and served as chamberlain of King Arshag II. \nHowever\, despite his secular background\, St Nersess was a pious Christian. His connection with St Gregory the Illuminator impressed the royal magnates who held council with the king and they advised the king to persuade St Nersess to become the spiritual leader of Armenia. A humble man by nature\, St Nersess refused their proposal\, feeling unworthy of such an honour. The king dismissed his arguments and insisted that St Nersess immediately be ordained a deacon\, then priest\, and ultimately chief bishop or Catholicos. He was ordained by Archbishop Eusebius of Caesarea in 353 A.D. \nSt Nersess’ patriarchate marked a new era in Armenian history. Previously\, the Church had been identified\, primarily\, with royal family and noblemen; St Nersess now brought the Church into a closer relationship with its people. St Nersess immediately undertook his duties of the chief bishop\, renovating old churches\, founding new ones and tending to the spiritual needs of his flock. In the early days of Christianity in Armenia however\, many of the people were not strong in their Christian practices. To that end\, St Nersess held a council of bishops in Ashdishad and introduced a number of reforms regarding divine worship\, laws on marriage and fast days in order to make the beliefs of the church more uniform. \nSt Nerses also became known for his concern for moral purity and preserving the sanctity of marriage and family life. He built schools and hospitals\, orphanages\, shelters for the poor and the lepers\, and he urged his people to maintain these institutions. Thus\, St Nersess has been described by many as the founder of Christian charity in Armenia and recognised as the clergyman who established the Church’s role as the guardian of the Armenian people in its spiritual\, social and educational aspects. \nAs a leader\, St Nersess also participated in the political life of his country and was among King Arshag’s chief advisors during the period 353-359 AD. Upon Nersess’ initiative\, a National Ecclesiastical Council was convened in Ashtishat in 354 AD. \nHowever\, King Arshag’s adherence to the religious policy (Arianism) of his ally\, the Roman emperor\, a policy which conflicted with St Nersess’ Christian Orthodox beliefs\, eventually necessitated the removal of St Nersess. He was exiled for nine years. When he returned\, King Bab\, Arshag’s son\, reigned. Due to the conflict in their beliefs\, the friction between the King and St Nersess intensified during the next few years. \nThe religious differences\, as well as St Nersess’ condemnation of King Bab’s moral depravity\, are cited as reasons for St Nersess’ sudden\, untimely death. At the king’s order\, St Nersess was poisoned in 373 A.D. He was buried in Til\, near the tomb of his great uncle St Aristakes (Arisdages). A cathedral built over the original grave site was destroyed in the 7th century. While the exact site is unknown\, relics were discovered and distributed in the 13th century between the church in Erzindjan and the nearby village of Kee\, where the Monastery of Dirashen stood. Another monastery near Til\, Chukhdag Hayrabedats\, also claimed to have discovered relics of St Nersess in the second half of the 7th century. \nFor his devout activity\, Nersess the Great is also called the “Illuminator of Hearts”. \nS Nersess is always commemorated with his associate Bishop Khad (Khat). Like Nersess\, Khat\, a native of the village of Marak near Karin (modern Erzurum) was a married man and had two daughters. He had been St Nersess’ pupil and deacon. Ultimately he rose to the rank of bishop and was placed in charge of two districts\, Pakrevant and Arsharunik. Through the marriage of his daughters\, he was associated with the noble Abahuni clan. During St Nersess’ tenure of office\, he was designated as supervisor of the poor and the charitable institutions founded by his mentor. The latter\, in his absence\, entrusted him with the care of church affairs\, officially naming him his vicar. Khat faithfully carried out his ministry. \nLike Nereses\, Khat was also an adamant supporter of orthodoxy against the royal court\, which adhered to the heretical teachings of Arius. For this reason\, he was in conflict with the king\, who tried to bribe him\, to no avail\, since Khat distributed the gifts bestowed on him among the poor. King Arshag had him driven from the royal camp and ordered his men to stone the bishop. He was spared the ordeal of a painful death thanks to his Abahuni clansmen\, related to him through marriage. One of his sons in law\, Asurk\, succeeded to his episcopal rank and office\, presumably after his own wife’s demise. \nKhat is not a martyr\, but his sufferings at the hands of King Arshag make him a confessor. \nBy the Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Maksoudian\, adapted from his volume\, “The Holy Feasts of St. Gregory the Illuminator” (St. Vartan Press\, 2002).
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-st-nersess-the-great-and-st-bishop-khad-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Nersess-Great.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260614
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260615
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T033355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T090337Z
UID:29715-1781395200-1781481599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Fast of St Gregory the Illuminator
DESCRIPTION:  \nThis is the Sunday preceding the week prior to the feast of Discovery of St Gregory the Illuminator’s relics\, in the 5th century. The week long fast lasts from Monday to Friday.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-fast-of-st-gregory-the-illuminator-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260616
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260617
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T053026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T090925Z
UID:29728-1781568000-1781654399@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of Sts Constantine (Kostandianos) the Emperor and his mother Helen (Helena)
DESCRIPTION:  \nKing Kostandianos (Constantine) was born in the city of Nish\, in the former Yugoslavia. He is one of the most prominent figures of the Roman Empire. It was he who officially released the Church from persecutions lasting more than 250 years and in 313 A.D. By the Encyclical of Milan he proclaimed Christianity to be a permitted religion. It was during the period of his reign that the first Ecumenical Council of 325 A.D. was convened\, which condemned Arius (and Arianism) and adopted the word “Birth” to show that the Holy Son has the same nature as the Holy Father and is God. King Kostandianos supported the construction of magnificent Churches and Cathedrals in the Holy Sites of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. \nKing Kostandianos was also a renowned and successful captain in battle. According to tradition\, before the decisive battle against the imposter\, King Maxentios\, he had the vision of the Holy Cross. With the sign of the Holy Cross he faced the battle and won. King Kostandianos passed away in 337 A.D\, and at death’s door he was baptised according to the Christian rite. \nQueen Helena (Heghineh)\, mother of the King Kostandianos\, supported the king’s pious activity. The discovery of the wooden Holy Cross\, is ascribed to the Queen. In 327AD\, the Queen\, who was in her mid seventies\, set out on a long journey to Jerusalem with the primary intention of finding the actual Cross upon which Jesus Christ had been crucified. Following a series of inquiries\, with the help of a local Jew named Judas in Golgotha (where Christ was crucified)\, the Cross was discovered\, and the authenticity of the relic was tested by a miracle. \nWhen the Cross was unearthed\, two other crosses were found in the same place. Jesus was crucified with two thieves\, and when the three crosses were discovered side by side\, it raised questions about which was the True Cross. Just then\, a funeral procession was passing by. The procession was stopped\, and the corpse of the deceased was placed upon the first cross. Nothing happened. The corpse was then placed upon the second cross. Again\, nothing happened. Finally\, the corpse was placed upon the third cross which happened to be the True Cross. Immediately\, the deceased came back to life having touched the very wood upon which Jesus had been crucified. \nAfter that miracle\, Judas Cyriacus is converted to Christianity and later becomes a bishop of Jerusalem. After the discovery of the Holy Cross\, Heghineh renovated the Holy Places of Jerusalem and built the Church of Holy Resurrection of Golgotha\, where later the Lord’s cross was installed. \nQueen Heghineh (Helena) passed away in 330 A.D.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-sts-constantine-kostandianos-the-emperor-and-his-mother-helen-helena-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260621
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211023T222956Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T091536Z
UID:29741-1781913600-1781999999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration Day of the Discovery of the Relics of St Gregory the Illuminator
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe relics of St Gregory the Illuminator (Lousavorich) are one of our most revered within the Armenian Church\, as well as all Christian Churches. \nThe discovery of the relics of St Gregory the Illuminator is one of the three significant feast days dedicated to the memory of the Patron Saint of Armenia and the impact of the holy father on the foundation of that which has become our National Church. \nAs St Gregory grew old and became more involved in solitary life\, King Tiridates III (Drtad) asked him to ordain Gregory’s younger son Arisdagés\, a bishop\, and to take him on as his assistant. Gregory had already retired by 325AD\, when the Holy Council of Nicea took place\, and thus he sent his son Arisdagés in his place to participate in this first ecumenical gathering of bishops of the Christian Church. In his retired state\, however\, Gregory continued his pastoral work by preaching and writing homilies\, employing a simple language so that people could understand. \nAccording to Holy Tradition\, following Armenia’s conversion to Christianity\, in his final years\, St Gregory led an ascetic life in the cave of Mane. The “Caves of Mane” were located on a mountain named Sebouh\, near Erzindjan (now in Eastern Turkey)\, where he died.  This place had previously been the residence of the Virgin Mané\, one of St Hripsime’s companions. It is unclear how long St Gregory lived there and when exactly he died. Shepherds found his body and buried him beneath a pile of stones\, not recognising the Armenian Pontiff. The St Krikor the Illuminator or Medz Lousavorich Monastery was founded on this site in the fifth century. \nDuring the fifth century\, a hermit named Karnig of Basen was guided by a vision to the grave of the saint and discovered his relics. It was customary in those days to distribute relics of saints to various churches in different parts\, and most probably\, the same practice was implemented in St Gregory’s case. Karnig took the body of the saint to the village of Tortan\, in the province of Daranagh\, located to the east of Mount Sebouh\, and buried some of the relics there; the rest were taken elsewhere. At some point\, on or near St Gregory’s unmarked grave\, a church was built\, which is now known as The Holy Saviour Monastery of Tortan (Grave of the Nine Saints).  The exact site of St Gregory’s grave in Tortan was not known\, even to visitors in the tenth century; but nine other graves existed inside the church and were said to belong to King Tiridates\, his queen Askhen\, his sister Khosrovitoukht and other members of St Gregory’s family. The church has been abandoned since the events of 1915. \nHoly Relics \nThe remaining relics of St Gregory were later taken to the Monastery of St John the Baptist in Pakavan (Bagavan)\, where St Gregory had baptised King Tiridates and the Armenian people in the Aradzani River. The relics were kept in a box and taken out on important occasions. In 450 AD\, a rumour arose in Armenia that St Vartan and the Armenian wealthy and influentials had accepted the Persian religion during their visit to Persia’s royal court. On returning\, they were met by a gathering of priests\, noblemen and common people who held forth the box of St Gregory’s relics as a reminder of their Christian roots. Similar incidents occurred at times of turmoil and joy. \nThe relics of St Gregory were later taken and laid beneath the massive columns of the Holy Zvartnots Church\, whose ruins are still visible near the airport of Yerevan. The saint’s skull was kept separately in a box. At some point the skull was transferred to the West and is now kept in the church of St Gregory the Armenian in Naples\, Italy. Recently\, some other relics of St Gregory\, deposited in Naples\, were recently transferred to the Armenian Church by the Roman Catholic Church\, as a tribute to the 1700th anniversary of Armenia’s conversion to Christianity. \nToday\, relics of St Gregory may be found at Holy Etchmiadzin\, Holy Jerusalem and Antilias. The relic at Holy Etchmiadzin\, encased in an arm shaped reliquary\, is used to bless the Holy Chrism (Muron) once every seven years. It is on display in the treasury of the Holy See. \nIn the calendar of the Armenian Church\, the discovery of the relics of St Gregory is an important feast and is commemorated on the Saturday before the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost. \nRef: Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Maskoudian\, adapted from his book “The Holy Feasts of Saint Gregory the Illuminator: Celebrating the Life & Lineage of Armenia’s Patron Saint” (2003). \nClick here for further information on the Churches and Monasteries of Erzindjan.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-day-of-the-discovery-of-the-relics-of-st-gregory-the-illuminator-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260623
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T055141Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T092121Z
UID:29754-1782172800-1782259199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Prophet Daniel and his Companions Saints Setrak\, Misak and Apetnakov
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Prophet Daniel (meaning God is my Judge)\, is one of the four great prophets of the Old Testament. Nearly all that is known concerning the Prophet is derived from the book ascribed to him\, which dates back to the VII-VI centuries B.C. \nDaniel and his youthful companions Shadrach (Setrak)\, Meshach (Misak) and Abednego (Apetnakov) were captured during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah. They were taken to Babylon and found favour with the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. Soon after\, due to his intellect and talents\, he is given a high ranking position in the king’s chancellery. \nDaniel becomes famous when he rescues an innocent woman from the unfounded slander of two men. Having gained greater notoriety\, Daniel interprets a dream had by King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel’s successes create envy amongst the other servants in the royal court. They accuse him of worshipping false gods and demand that the King imprison the prophet. Daniel is thrown into a den of lions. The following day\, the king approaches the pit to mourn the death of his devoted and wise servant. He is surprised to hear the Prophet Daniel responding to his cries of sorrow. Daniel tells the king that God sealed the mouths of the lions to protect him from harm. Daniel continues\, saying that he is innocent\, and has not wronged the king by his worship of God. The king is overjoyed\, and orders that Daniel be released from the lions’ den. \nThree young men and companions of Daniel; Hananiah\, Mishael and Azariah\, were also taken to Babylon.  Upon their arrival they received new names\, Setrak\, Misak and Apetnakov. They were raised and educated in the royal court together with the prophet Daniel and were very protective of their faith. Once\, during a solemn festival\, as everyone worshipped King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden statue\, Setrak\, Misak and Apetnakov refused to bow down before it. The king ordered the three men to be thrown into a blazing furnace for their disobedience. Instead of burning\, however\, they continued to render glory to God and were protected by an angel of heaven. Witnessing the miracle\, the king released the three young men\, blessed them and worshipped God. \nRef: Book of Daniel\, chapters 1 to 3 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-prophet-daniel-and-his-companions-saints-setrak-misak-and-apetnakov-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260626
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T061721Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T092545Z
UID:29767-1782345600-1782431999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of the Holy Translators St Sahak (Sahag) and St Mesrop (Mesrob)
DESCRIPTION:  \nCatholicos St Sahak Bartev (Partev) and Archimandrite St Mesrop (Vardapet) Mashtots are the founders of Armenian literature and ecclesiastical bibliography. \nSt Sahak Partev was the elder son of Catholicos St Nersess the Great. He was the last Catholicos of the Armenian Church who descended from the lineage of St Gregory the Illuminator. He became Catholicos of All Armenians in 387 A.D\, and reigned for an astounding 52 years. Being a talented musician and educated in the rhetorical arts\, philosophy and linguistics\, St Sahak greatly contributed to the development of the Armenian national culture. He was the strongest advocate for the creation of an Armenian Alphabet and became its chief patron. \nSt Mesrop Mashtots was born in 360 A.D. and studied the Greek and Persian languages from childhood. He initially served as a scribe in the royal court. Leaving secular life behind\, he became a monk and lived an ascetic life. During his preaching of the Gospel\, St Mesrop felt the necessity to create a distinct Armenian Alphabet and to have the Holy Bible translated into Armenian. During those years\, the Bible was only available in Greek and Syriac. In Armenia\, they used to use ciphers\, or symbols\, which were used by the former pagan priests. Following the Great Conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity\, the symbols fell into disuse\, and the only remaining copy was in Mesopotamia with a bishop named Daniel the Syrian. Upon the order of King Vramshapouh\, the symbols were brought to Armenia. However\, as Mashtots taught his new students with these symbols\, he soon found them to be lacking\, as they were imperfect and defective. Together with his students\, he departed for Mesopotamia and visited the cities of Antioch\, Edessa and Samosata\, to conduct further research. \nIn 404-405 A.D\, St Mesrop created the Armenian Alphabet through Divine Grace. According to Koryun\, one day\, Mesrop received a vision from God\, who instructed and aided the saint in the modification of the ancient letters\, thus creating the 36 letters of the Armenian alphabet. For the first time in the history of the nation\, the Armenian people had a specific and distinctive alphabet. \nFollowing the creation of the Armenian Alphabet\, St Sahak and St Mesrop opened a school for translators in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin). There they began the translation of the Holy Bible into Armenian and did it so perfectly\, that centuries hence\, the Armenian Translation is called the “Queen Translation of the Breath of God”. \nThe first sentence translated from the Holy Bible is the opening verse of the Book of Proverbs: “To know wisdom and instruction\, to perceive the words of understanding”. \nSt Mesrop Mashtots passed away in Vagharshapat\, and was buried in his home village of Oshakan. According to tradition\, during the entire journey of transferring the remains of St Mesrop to Oshakan\, a canopy of light fell upon the pilgrims and accompanied them until they reached the tomb. The Church of St Mesrop Mashtots\, which exists to this day\, was built over his grave.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-the-holy-translators-st-sahak-sahag-and-st-mesrop-mesrop-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260627
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260628
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T063541Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T093250Z
UID:29780-1782518400-1782604799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of Saints King Tiridates\, Queen Ashkhen and Princess Khosrovitoukht
DESCRIPTION:  \nIn 287 A.D. Tiridates (Drtad)\, from the royal house of Arshakouni\, assumed the throne which once belonged to his father and he became Tiridates III\, King of Armenia. His name is inextricably linked with the Patron Saint of the Armenian Church\, St Gregory the Illuminator. In 301 A.D\, the king released the Christian Gregory from imprisonment in the pit and proclaimed Christianity to be the State Religion of Armenia. In doing so\, he became the greatest advocate of the spread of Christianity throughout the country. \nThe names of Queen Ashkhen and the King’s sister\, Khosrovitoukht are closely related to the Great Conversion of Armenia as well. Princess Khosrovitoukht’s vision of a cure for the King’s incurable illness resulted in the deliverance of  St Gregory the Illuminator from the pit. St Gregory was then free to begin the process of spreading the light of Christianity\, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. \nAccording to Greek historian Agathangelos\, St Gregory baptised the King\, the Queen and the Princess upon his return from Caesarea\, where he had travelled to receive episcopal ordination. St Gregory then baptised the the royal court and the nobles of Armenia. Through the baptism by St Gregory\, Tiridates became the first king in the world to rule over a Christian country. History also reveals that Tiridates\, Ashkhen and Khosrovitoukht personally participated in the construction of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. The stones they used to build the cathedral were brought to Vagharshapat from the slopes of Biblical Mount Ararat. \nAll three helped St Gregory spread Christianity throughout Armenia. In their later years the Queen and Princess lived in the fortress of Garni and the King retired to St Gregory’s retreat on Mount Sebouh.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-saints-king-tiridates-queen-ashkhen-and-princess-khosrovitoukht-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260628
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260629
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T121623Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T094748Z
UID:29793-1782604800-1782691199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of the Discovery of St Mary’s Box
DESCRIPTION:  \nAccording to tradition\, while on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem\, two Greek princes came across a chest that once belonged to St Mary. \nIn Galilee\, they saw a large crowd gathered in front of a Jewish woman’s house. On enquiring\, they found that the sick were being healed due to the inexplicable power of the chest. The princes took the box to Constantinople and presented it to the Patriarch\, who placed it in the Church of St Mary.  The Patriarch then established the Feast of the Discovery of St Mary’s Box. \nBecause there are no relics of the Holy Mother’s earthly body (she was assumed into Heaven)\, her personal belongings became the object of devotion and veneration. During the time of the early Church\, when Christians were persecuted\, her possessions were kept hidden and secret. \nThe Armenian Church celebrates this feast upon the order of the Catholicos Simeon from Yerevan\, who accepted this tradition from the Greek Orthodox Church in the late 18th century. \nThis feast day is celebrated on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-the-discovery-of-st-marys-box-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260630
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260701
DTSTAMP:20260418T203128
CREATED:20211024T204109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T095456Z
UID:29806-1782777600-1782863999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Prophet Zechariah
DESCRIPTION:  \nEvery year\, the Armenian Church reserves a day in its liturgical calendar to remember one of the more obscure figures of the Old Testament: the Prophet Zechariah. \nZechariah’s collection of prophecies and oracles stands among the last books of the canonical Old Testament. In its opening verse\, Zechariah situates himself in time during the reign of the Persian King Darius the Great— some 500 years before the birth of Christ. It was a time when the Hebrews had returned to their ancestral homeland after the long\, enforced absence of the Babylonian Captivity. \nZechariah\, who seems to have descended from a priestly clan\, was deeply concerned with the re establishment of a holy\, Godly way of life for his people\, as they reclaimed their patrimony in Jerusalem and its surrounding regions. His name means “God remembered”; but it was clearly Zechariah himself who remembered the God of his fathers in his writing\, and who was trying\, with a certain desperation\, to awaken that memory in his forgetful countrymen. \nAs prophetic books go\, Zechariah’s is notoriously difficult to understand. It seems to lurch back and forth unpredictably between Zechariah’s living memory\, his experiences and observations\, and his ecstatic visions of a future when the Messiah would arrive to right the world’s wrongs and establish his everlasting rule. \nTo arrive at that day\, however\, the world would have to undergo a painful tribulation. It was Zechariah’s view that mankind’s own degeneracy would be the spur that invited the saving intervention of God’s Messiah\, and his prophetic oracles provided the vocabulary for the “apocalyptic” literature of later ages. Vivid images that we associate with the New Testament Revelation of John: the Four Horsemen and the Harlot of Babylon\, find their origins in Zechariah’s powerful visions. \nBut these are not the only New Testament echoes of Zechariah. The Gospel writers themselves seem to have been influenced by the prophet as they set down and made sense of the life of Jesus. Consider these extraordinary parallels with some of the most famous Gospel passages: \nFrom Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice greatly\, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud\, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo\, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he\, humble and riding on an ass\, on a colt the foal of an ass.” \nNow compare that to the story of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem\, at Matthew 21.5-7. “Say to Daughter Zion\,\n‘See\, your king comes to you\, gentle and riding on a donkey\, and on a colt\, the foal of a donkey.” \nFrom Zechariah 12:10: “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of compassion and supplication\, so that\, when they look on him whom they have pierced\, they shall mourn for him\, as one mourns for an only child\, and weep bitterly over him\, as one weeps over a first-born.” \nCompare that to John 19:34-37\, where the Roman centurion stabs Christ’s side following our Lord’s death on the cross: “Instead\, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear\, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.  The man who saw it has given testimony\, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth\, and he testifies so that you also may believe.These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:“Not one of his bones will be broken\,” and\, as another scripture says\, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” \nFrom Zechariah 11:12-13: “Then I said to them\, ‘If it seems right to you\, give me my wages; but if not\, keep them.’ And they weighed out as my wages thirty shekels of silver. Then the Lord said to me\, ‘Cast it into the treasury’—the lordly price at which I was paid off by them. So I took the thirty shekels of silver and cast them into the treasury in the house of the Lord.” \nCompare that to Matthew 27:3-10\, the account of Judas’ guilt over his betrayal of Jesus: When Judas\, who had betrayed him\, saw that Jesus was condemned\, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned\,” he said\, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”  So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.  The chief priests picked up the coins and said\, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury\, since it is blood money.”  So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver\, the price set on him by the people of Israel\, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field\, as the Lord commanded me.” \nAll of these examples show the Gospel writers drawing on the language of Zechariah to remind their readers that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies—even in ways\, he couldn’t have controlled. \nElsewhere in the gospels\, however\, we see a conscious use of Zechariah by Jesus himself. On the night of his arrest\, camped out with the disciples on the Mount of Olives\, Jesus sadly predicted how his own friends would abandon him in his time of need. “You will all fall away because of me this night\,” Christ says at Matthew 26:31; “for it is written\, ‘I will strike the shepherd\, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’” \nThis is a direct allusion\, from the very lips of Jesus\, to Zechariah 13:7: “Awake\, O sword\, against my shepherd\, against the man who stands next to me\, says the Lord of hosts. Strike the shepherd\, that the sheep may be scattered…” \nIn these and other Scriptural moments\, we can see how an obscure\, misunderstood prophet affected the life of Jesus and his contemporaries\, and thus shaped the world that would arise on the Christian faith. \nThe deepest of Zechariah’s concerns was the purity of worship life\, especially as it was exemplified in the rituals of the Hebrew Temple. His ancestors had witnessed in horror the destruction of the original Temple of King Solomon; and his immediate forebears had erected a second\, less elaborate Temple when they returned to Jerusalem after their exile. \nIn this\, Zechariah’s experience was not so different from that of the Armenian people\, who at various times in their history would see their houses of worship seized and demolished; but who never gave up the hope of restoring them\, and revivifying them with the music and rituals of Holy Badarak. Perhaps this is why the Armenians took the unusual step of sanctifying one day each year in Zechariah’s memory. \nIn his own day\, however\, Zechariah could only dream of such a restoration to holiness. In his writings\, he laments the degraded worship life of his people. He rails against the commodification of the Hebrew Temple\, where material transactions had come to displace matters of the spirit. In the last line of his prophetic book\, he pictured a future time when worship would be purified\, and “there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the Lord of hosts on that day” (Zechariah 14:21). \nThough he did not live to see it\, Zechariah’s long-awaited Messiah did come\, to cleanse the Temple of the money changers and their wares. “Take these things away\,” said Jesus (at John 2:13-16)\, in what is arguably another nod to the Old Testament prophet. “You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” \nRef: Christopher Zakian @ vemkar.us
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-prophet-zechariah-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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