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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260901
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260902
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211026T093904Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T081412Z
UID:27059-1788220800-1788307199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Prophets Ezekiel\, Ezra and Zechariah: St John the Baptist’s Father
DESCRIPTION:  \nProphecy is one of the most important phenomena of the Old Testament. A Prophet is the person who has had a close relationship with God\, that is\, he “has spoken” with God\, or has received a message from God\, or has been sent by God to a person or a nation to transfer His message. The main characteristic trait of the true prophet is his being incorruptible\, independent\, brave and extremely faithful to the divine message and commandment. \nThe author of prophecies is God. He has transferred his revelation to man thanks to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. First He has inspired His ideas\, and then man\, under His influence\, comprehending the ideas\, has transferred them to the people. \nProphet Ezekiel\, whose name means “strengthened by God\,” grew up in Jerusalem\, served as a priest in the temple and was among the second group of captives taken to Babylon\, along with King Jehoiachin. While in Babylon he became a prophet of God; he is the author of the Old Testament book that bears his name. \nEzekiel’s ministry began with condemnation and judgment of the nation Judah. After the destruction of Jerusalem\, Ezekiel’s prophecies speak of hope for the future. Ezekiel wanted to help the people learn from their failures. He announced impending judgment upon the nations that surrounded Judah and reestablished hope for the restoration of Israel. His vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37) pictures new life being breathed into the nation\, which will occur in the Millennial Reign of Christ on earth. \nEzekiel did not hesitate in his mission and steadfastly followed God’s instructions. He had a passionate view of judgment and hope\, and he reflected God’s own sorrow over the people’s sins. \nProphet Ezra was the second of three key leaders to leave Babylon for the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Zerubbabel reconstructed the temple (Ezra 3:8)\, Nehemiah rebuilt the walls (Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2)\, and Ezra restored the worship. Ezra was a scribe and priest sent with religious and political powers by the Persian King Artaxerxes to lead a group of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:8\, 12). Ezra condemned mixed marriages and encouraged Jews to divorce and banish their foreign wives. Ezra renewed the celebration of festivals and supported the rededication of the temple and the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall. Ezra 7:10 describes a shaping of the community in accordance with the Torah. Ezra’s goal was to implement the Torah (Law of Moses)\, and his impeccable priestly and scribal credentials allowed him to remain the model leader. \nEzra’s effective ministry included teaching the Word of God\, initiating reforms\, restoring worship\, and leading spiritual revival in Jerusalem. \nZechariah (Zacharias) is John the Baptist’s father\, who served in the temple of Jerusalem. He is different to the minor prophet\, Zechariah\, who wrote the book of Zechariah. \nZechariah and his wife Elizabeth\, who was the sister of Anna\, St Mary’s mother\, had no children for many years. Elizabeth was well past child bearing age when Zechariah was offering a sacrifice in the Temple. The angel Gabriel appeared to him and said “Do not be afraid\, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son\, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you\, and many will rejoice because of his birth\,  for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink\, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.  He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord\, in the spirit and power of Elijah\, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1: 11-17) \nAlthough this was great news\, Zechariah did not initially believe the angel. He objected that this could not be possible\, since he and his wife were too old. Because of Zechariah’s unbelief\, Gabriel told him that he would be rendered mute until the baby was born. Zechariah was immediately unable to speak\, and\, when he came out of the temple\, he had to communicate with hand gestures. The people gathered outside the temple praying\, realised that he had seen a vision of some kind. Zechariah went home\, and it happened just as the angel had said. Elizabeth became pregnant (Luke1: 18-24). \nThe next time Zechariah is mentioned is after the birth of his son. At the child’s circumcision\, Elizabeth’s family and friends wanted to name the baby after Zechariah\, but Elizabeth insisted that his name should be John (Luke 1:59–60). When they consulted Zechariah\, he asked for a writing tablet and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote\, “His name is John’” (Luke1:63). Immediately\, Zechariah was able to speak and began at once to praise the Lord. Luke 1:67–79 records the prophetic words that Zechariah proclaimed\, which may have been in the form of a song. His words indicate the change of heart and the faith that had grown during his nine months of muteness. \nZechariah died protecting his son. When King Herod ordered the slaughter of all males under the age of two\, in an attempt to prevent the prophesied Messiah from coming to Israel\, Zechariah refused to divulge the whereabouts of his son (who was in hiding)\, and he was therefore murdered by Herod’s soldiers.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-prophets-ezekiel-ezra-and-zechariah-st-john-the-baptists-father-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260903
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260904
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211026T110205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T081853Z
UID:27068-1788393600-1788479999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of Saints John the Baptist and Job the Righteous
DESCRIPTION:  \nJohn the Baptist is one of the most significant and well known figures in the Bible.While John was known as “the Baptist\,” he was in fact the first prophet called by God since Malachi some 400 years earlier. John’s coming was foretold over 700 years previously by another prophet: “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up\, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level\, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed\, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken'” (Isaiah 40:3–5). This passage illustrates God’s master plan in action as God selected John to be His special ambassador to proclaim His own coming. \nAlthough his name implies that he baptised people (which he did)\, John’s life on earth was more than just baptising. John’s adult life was characterised by devotion and surrender to Jesus Christ and His kingdom. John’s voice was a “lone voice in the wilderness” (John 1:23) as he proclaimed the coming of the Messiah to a people who desperately needed a Saviour. He was the precursor for the modern day evangelist as he unashamedly shared the good news of Jesus Christ. He was a man filled with faith and a role model to those of us who wish to share our faith with others. \nJohn’s birth was miraculous. He was born of elderly parents who had never been able to have children (Luke 1:7). The angel Gabriel announced to Zechariah that he would have a son and true to the word of the Lord\, Zechariah’s wife\, Elizabeth\, gave birth to John. At the circumcision ceremony\, Zechariah said about his son\, “You\, my child\, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him” (Luke1:76). \nJohn was related to Jesus\, as their mothers were cousins (Luke 1:36). In fact\, when the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would give birth to Jesus\, he also told her about John. When Mary was carrying Jesus in her womb\, she visited Elizabeth\, and John leapt in his mother’s womb for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice (Luke 1:39-45). \nAs an adult John lived a rugged life in the mountainous area of Judea\, between the city of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. He wore clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist\, the typical garb of a prophet. His diet was a simple one\, locusts and wild honey (Matthew 3:4). John lived a simple life as he focused on the kingdom work set before him. \nJohn the Baptist’s ministry grew in popularity\, as recounted in Matthew 3:5–6: “People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins\, they were baptised by him in the Jordan River.” To be baptised by John was to admit your sin and repent of it\, to be prepared for the Saviour’s coming. The repentance associated with John’s baptism also kept the self righteous out of the water\, as they did not see themselves as sinners. For the self righteous\, John had stern words\, calling them a “brood of vipers” and warning them not to rely on their Jewish lineage for salvation\, but to repent and “bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:7–10). People of that day simply did not address leaders\, religious or otherwise\, in this manner for fear of punishment. But John’s faith made him fearless in the face of opposition. \nJohn the Baptist was thought to be a prophet of God (Matthew 14:5)\, and many people thought that he was the Messiah. However\, he had a clear vision for what he was called to do. In John 3:28\, John says\, “You yourselves can testify that I said\, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.'” John cautioned his disciples that what they had seen and heard from him was just the beginning of the miracle that was to come in the form of Jesus Christ. John was merely a messenger sent by God to proclaim the truth. His message was simple and direct: “Repent\, for the kingdom of heaven is near” (Matthew 3:2). He knew that\, once Jesus appeared on the scene\, John’s work would be all but finished. He willingly gave up the spotlight to Jesus\, saying\, “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30). \nPerhaps there is no greater example of humility than what is seen in both Jesus and John in Matthew 3:13–15. Jesus came from Galilee to be baptised by John in the River Jordan. John rightly recognised that the sinless Son of God needed no baptism of repentance and that he was certainly not worthy to baptise his own Saviour. However Jesus answered John’s concern by requesting baptism “to fulfill all righteousness\,” meaning that He was identifying Himself with sinners for whom He would ultimately sacrifice Himself\, thereby securing all righteousness for them (2 Corinthians 5:21). In humility\, John obeyed and consented to baptise Jesus (Matthew 3:13–15). As Jesus came up out of the water\, “heaven was opened\, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said\, ‘This is my Son\, whom I love; with him I am well pleased’” (verses 16–17). \nJohn the Baptist’s ministry\, and his life\, came to an abrupt end at the hand of King Herod. He was tricked into  beheading John by the daughter off Herodias. It was a sad and ignoble end to the life of such a faithful man. \nThe life of Job demonstrates that humans are often unaware of the many ways God is at work in the life of each believer. Job’s life is also one that prompts the common question\, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” It is the age old question\, and difficult to answer\, but believers know that God is always in control\, and\, no matter what happens\, there are no coincidences; nothing happens by chance. Job was a believer. He knew that God was on the throne and in total control\, though he had no way of knowing why so many terrible tragedies were occurring in his life. \nJob was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). He had ten children and was a man of great wealth. The Bible tells us that one day Satan presented himself before God and God asked Satan what he thought of Job. Satan accused Job of honouring God only because God had blessed him. So\, God allowed Satan to take away Job’s wealth and his children. Later\, God allowed Satan to afflict Job physically. Job grieved deeply but did not charge God with wrongdoing (Job 1:22; 42:7–8). \nJob’s friends were certain that Job must have sinned in order to deserve punishment and argued with him about it. But Job maintained his innocence\, though he confessed that he wanted to die and did ask questions of God. A younger man\, Elihu\, attempted to speak on God’s behalf before God\, Himself\, answered Job. Job 38—42 contains some of the most stunning poetry about the magnitude and might of God. Job responded to God’s discourse in humility and repentance\, saying he had spoken of things he did not know (Job 40:3–5; 42:1–6). God told Job’s friends that He was angry with them for speaking falsehoods about Him\, unlike Job who had spoken truth (Job 42:7–8). God told them to offer sacrifices and that Job would pray on their behalf and God would accept Job’s prayer. Job did so\, likely forgiving his friends for their harshness himself. God restored Job’s fortunes two fold (Job 42:10) and “blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” (Job 42:12). Job lived 140 years after his suffering. \nJob never lost his faith in God\, even under the most heartbreaking circumstances that tested him to his core. Though depressed enough to curse the day of his birth (Job 3:1–26)\, Job never cursed God (Job 2:9–10) nor did he waver in his understanding that God was still in control. Job’s three friends\, on the other hand\, instead of comforting him\, gave him bad advice and even accused him of committing sins so grievous that God was punishing him with misery. Job knew God well enough to know that He did not work that way; in fact\, he had such an intimate\, personal relationship with Him that he was able to say\, “Though he slay me\, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face” (Job 13:15). When Job’s wife suggested he curse God and die\, Job replied “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God\, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10). \nJob knew who his Redeemer was\, he knew that He was a living Saviour\, and he knew that someday He would physically stand on the earth (Job 19:25). He understood that man’s days are ordained (numbered) and they cannot be changed (Job 14:5). The spiritual depth of Job shows throughout the book. James refers to Job as an example of perseverance\, writing\, “Brothers and sisters\, as an example of patience in the face of suffering\, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know\, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:10–11). \nOur responsibility to God is to obey Him\, to trust Him\, and to submit to His will\, whether we understand it or not. When we do\, we will find God in the midst of our trials—possibly even because of our trials. We will see more clearly the magnificence of our God\, and we will say\, with Job\, “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5). \nThe Armenian Church celebrates the feast day of these two unlikely pairings on the same day. One comes from the Old Testament\, the other from the New. One was a comfortable man of the world who was stripped of every blessing he had. The other was a man who rejected the world\, who voluntarily cast off the material comforts of life. \nJohn and Job are opposites in so many ways. Yet what they held in common was vastly more important. \nEach was a voice crying out in a wilderness. Each stood in a desert of material poverty: comfortless and even friendless; stripped of all worldly pretension. Yet even in such a state\, John and Job testified with all their heart that they were not alone. God was with them\, and in the end\, that was the only thing that mattered. \nRef: gotquestions.org
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-saints-john-the-baptist-and-job-the-righteous-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260905
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260906
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211026T111716Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T082332Z
UID:27077-1788566400-1788652799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of 318 Pontiffs participating in the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea
DESCRIPTION:  \nThis council is the First Ecumenical Council in the history of the Church. It was the great religious discussion of the 4th century: a gathering of Christian bishops from throughout the world\, convened by no less than on authority than the Roman Emperor Constantine I. \nThe reason for convening the council was because of the viewpoints of priest Arios of Alexandria\, who denied the Divinity of Christ and thus the entire Christian doctrine was endangered. Archbishop Alexander of Alexandria was opposed to Arianism. In his sermons he stressed that God is eternal and the Son is eternal\, Father and Son are of the same time. Father does not precede the Son even for a moment\, Father has always existed and Son has always existed. \nIn 325 AD\, a town in the Black-Sea province of Bithynia played host to 318 scholars of the church who met to deliberate on the burning theological questions of the day. The false teaching of Arios (Arianism) was condemned during the first Ecumenical Council and it was declared to be heresy. \nWe remember it today as the Council of Nicaea: the first attempt to forge a truly “ecumenical” Christianity\, that is\, a Christianity that encompassed all the world’s human habitations by coming to a consensus on church doctrine. \nThe most significant result of the council was the Nicene Creed: the first uniform expression of Christian doctrine. The Creed would be elaborated upon in subsequent councils\, but its essential form\, conceived during that historic gathering in Nicaea\, remains the fundamental statement of orthodox faith\, embraced by churches throughout the world and repeated during every Armenian badarak as the Havadamk (“We believe”). \nThe Armenian Church participated in the council\, with St. Aristakes\, the younger son of S. Gregory the Illuminator\, representing his then ailing father. \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-318-pontiffs-participating-in-the-ecumenical-council-of-nicaea-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260906
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260907
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211026T122350Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T082701Z
UID:27086-1788652800-1788739199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Fast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross
DESCRIPTION:  \nThis is the Sunday preceding the week prior to the Exaltation of the life giving Cross of the Lord. Fasting period is from Monday to Friday.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-fast-of-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260908
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260909
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211026T124950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T083404Z
UID:27096-1788825600-1788911999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Birth of St Mary from Anna
DESCRIPTION:  \nJoachim and Anna of Nazareth were married and childless for fifty years. Now advanced in age\, and in what seemed to be a hopeless\, impossible situation\, they both prayed and made special vows in order for God to bless them with a child. \nOnce\, when Anna went to the garden to pray\, God’s Angel appeared to her and told her that she will have a baby. Anna thanked God for hearing her prayers and promised to present her baby to God. Joachim also had the same vision. He also rendered glory to God for making him deserving of that grace. \nAs the result of their prayer and humility\, the impossible became possible: Anna’s barrenness was transformed into fertility\, and what came forth was the birth of their only child\, Mary\, meaning “illuminated”\,  a conception nothing short of a miracle. \nIt was Mary whom God granted the grace to be the Mother of God. As a mother she worried\, suffered for her Son\, but never opposed God\, very well understanding the importance of the mission entrusted to her by our Lord.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/birth-of-st-mary-from-anna-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260912
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260913
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211027T001146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T083822Z
UID:27105-1789171200-1789257599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross
DESCRIPTION:The Saturday preceding the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy cross is called The Eve of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This day\, and the following Tuesday\, Wednesday and Thursday are also known as the Feast of the Holy Churches. Each of these days celebrate four different churches. \nThe commemoration on the Eve of the Feast of Exaltation\, is of the Navagadik (Dedication) of the Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) in Jerusalem. \nThe site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is identified as the place both of the crucifixion and the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. The church has long been a major pilgrimage center for Christians all around the world. \nAccording to the New Testament\, Jesus was crucified at Golgotha\, “the place of the skull” (Matt. 27:33–35; Mark 15:22–25; John 19:17–24). This has been identified as an area of abandoned stone quarries just outside the city wall of the time. \nAbout 10 years after the crucifixion\, a third wall was built that enclosed the area of the execution and burial within the city\, and this accounts for the Holy Sepulchre’s location inside the Old City of Jerusalem today. \nThe Roman emperor Constantine I\, a convert to Christianity\, had the temple of Venus in Jerusalem demolished to make way for a church. In the course of the demolition a tomb was discovered that was thought to be the tomb of Jesus. \nThe rock cut tomb was initially open to the elements\, but later it was protected by a small building. \nIn 326 AD\, Constantine’s mother\, Saint Helena\, made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem\, where\, according to legend\, she discovered the relic of the cross of Jesus (the “True Cross”). The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was then built at the site of the discovery\, by order of Helena and Constantine. The church was dedicated nine years later\, with a portion of the cross placed inside it. \nIn 614 AD\, a Persian army destroyed the church and the True Cross was taken away\, but in 631 AD\, the Byzantine emperor Heraclius negotiated its return. The Sacred Cross was restored to its place in the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. \nTo commemorate this victory\, in the seventh century A.D\, the Church of Rome adopted the “Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross”. \nIn the 11th century a cave deep below the ruins of the basilica came to be known as the Chapel of the Invention  (Finding) of the Cross. \nToday\, if you enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and go down a big staircase\, you come to the Chapel of St Helena\, owned by the Armenians. \nDescend more steps and you will stand in the dark Chapel of the Invention (Finding) of the Cross. The Greeks have the right side of the chapel. The left side belongs to the Catholics; their altar features a life sized bronze statue of St Helena holding a cross.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-feast-of-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260913
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260914
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211009T064431Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T084145Z
UID:27114-1789257600-1789343999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Khatchverats)
DESCRIPTION:  \nThe Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is the last one of the five major feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is the most important feast among the feasts dedicated to the Holy Cross\, as it is dedicated to the history of the return of the Holy Cross from imprisonment\, its elevation and glorification. In the Armenian Apostolic Church the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on Sunday during the period between September 11-17. \nThe dictionary defines “exaltation” as the state of praising highly\, or of raising something aloft to a superior position. According to early accounts\, the public adoration of the Cross of Christ\, when it was ceremoniously elevated before the faithful for veneration\, took place on three significant occasions. \nThe first occasion was by the apostle James in Jerusalem. While zealously preaching to a crowd\, he boldly raised a cross and cried out\, “We kiss the ground before your Cross\, O Christ. Lord\, you who were nailed to the Cross and shed your blood in sacrifice\, we bow down before your Cross.” \nIn the early days of Christianity\, the cross was viewed as an instrument of infamy and punishment used by the Romans. Jesus’ crucifixion was intended to stand (by the executors) as a warning that those who followed his teachings would incur severe punishment. One could not openly declare one’s Christian faith without serious consequences. Thus\, in James’ public adoration of the Cross of Christ and acknowledgment of Christ’s sacrifice\, the cross was transformed from a symbol of death to one of new life and victory. \nThe second occasion on which the Holy Cross was ceremoniously elevated before the faithful was when it was “discovered” by Queen Helena\, mother of the Emperor Constantine\, in 326 A.D. in Jerusalem. The “true cross” (the one on which Christ was crucified) was authenticated when a deceased man came alive after being placed on Christ’s cross. At that time Bishop Cyril\, the Patriarch of Jerusalem\, elevated the Holy Cross before the faithful crowd\, who witnessed the miracle and were inspired with awe. \nThe third auspicious occasion on which the Holy Cross was elevated and venerated\, was upon its return from captivity from the Persians. In the year 629 A.D. the Emperor Heraclitus\, leading a coalition of forces\, including Armenians\, recaptured the cross from the Persians and personally led his troops to return the Cross to Jerusalem. The king led the troops through Armenian lands\, a long journey from Constantinople to Jerusalem. It was an emotional experience for those Christian people of the East witnessing these events\, but especially the Armenians who had played a substantial role in the rescue of the precious cross. \nThe celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in the Armenian Church takes place at the end of the Divine Liturgy. With great ceremony\, the clergy\, deacons and acolytes proceed around the church holding high the gleaming gold cross\, which is adorned with sprigs of fresh basil (a symbol of royalty)\, after which an antasdan service takes place. \nIn the antasdan service\, the four corners of the church are blessed as a sign of the sanctification of the world. Similar to the Feast of the Assumption\, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross is also related to the blessing of the harvest of fruits and their preservation: a time to give thanks for God’s blessings. Following the ceremony\, parishioners customarily take home a sprig of the sweet basil and use it for its healing properties. \nFor Christians\, the Cross is God’s power and strength on which Christ’s innocent blood was shed. By means of the Cross Jesus proved His love towards mankind and the Cross became for us the symbol of hope\, love and saving.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-the-exaltation-of-the-holy-cross-khatchverats-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Major Feasts (Daghavarner)
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260920
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211027T003755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T084516Z
UID:27123-1789862400-1789948799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Eve of the Fast of the Holy Cross of Varak (Varague)
DESCRIPTION:  \nThis is the Sunday preceding the week prior to the feast of the Appearance of the Holy Cross on Mount Varak (Varague)\, lasting from Monday to Friday. \nBeing hidden by St Hripisime on Mount Varak\, the relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross was found by a miracle in the 7th century and the Armenian Apostolic Church established another purely national feast dedicated to the Holy Cross\, which is known as the Holy Cross of Varak.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/eve-of-the-fast-of-the-holy-cross-of-varak-varague-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260926
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260927
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211027T043740Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T084857Z
UID:27132-1790380800-1790467199@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of St George (Kevork) the Captain\, St Adoktos and St Romanos the Singer
DESCRIPTION:St George the Warrior (Sourp Kevork/Gevorg Zoravar in Armenian) is revered all over the world. He is one of the beloved saints of the Armenian Church\, whose life serves as an example of remaining faithful to God even under the harshest circumstances \nEarly Christian tradition tells us that St George was born to Christian parents in the late third century. After his father was martyred for his faith\, his mother took the little boy back to her hometown Diospolis\, now in the modern city of Lod in Israel. \nSt George became a soldier in the Roman army\, and his bravery and discipline made him the climb ranks to become a Captain. St George was steadfast in his faith\, and\, as a Christian\, refused to bring the pagan sacrifice to the Roman emperor Diocletianus\, which was venerating the emperor as a god. He was tortured and martyred around 303 AD. \nWhile Saint George was being tortured\, Alexandra\, the King’s wife\, went to the arena\, bowed before George\, and professed her faith openly. When she questioned whether she was worthy of paradise and martyrdom without being baptised\, Saint George told her\, “Do not fear\, for your blood will baptise you.” She was denounced as a Christian and imprisoned on her husband’s orders then sentenced to death. \nSt George is often portrayed slaying a dragon. Christian tradition recounts that in a certain city\, a dragon pestered the inhabitants\, demanding two sheep a day. When there were no more sheep in the village\, the vicious dragon demanded a human sacrifice. \nThe inhabitants cast lots\, and the daughter of the city’s governor was chosen. When they were taking the crying girl to the dragon’s den\, St George passed by. When he heard what was about to happen\, he decided to intervene. He followed the girl into the den\, crossed himself with prayer and slew the fire spitting dragon before it could attack. The citizens were in awe and recognised God’s powerful works. That day many were baptised and became Christians. \nSt George sets us an example in bravery\, steadfastness and strong faith. \nSt Adoktos (Adauctus) was martyred in 320 AD. He was from Ephesus and was appointed governor by Emperor Maximin. Maximin asked Callisthene (Kalistene)\, the daughter of Adoktos\, to marry him\, but her father did not want to give her to an idolater. For being Christian\, upon the King’s order\, Adoktos was deprived of his title and property and exiled to Melitene. The local governor of Melitene also failed to convert Adoktos to the heathen religion. Remaining steadfast and unshaken in his faith\, St Adoktos was beheaded. \nHis daughter Callisthene disguised herself as a young man and concealed herself in Nicomedia. She later on went to Thrace where she lodged with a family. Callisthene healed their blind daughter and the girl’s parents\, who considered Callisthene to be a man\, asked him to marry her. Then St Callisthene revealed the truth and they praised God. \nCallisthene decided to leave in order to follow an ascetic way of life with humility. At the time\, she met Constantia (Costantsa) the sister of Constantine the Great. The emperor defended and protected Callisthene and she managed to take back her father’s property and also to transfer his relics to Ephesus. She built a Church there in order to pay homage to him. \nSt Romanos the Singer (the Melodist) is considered to be the author and creator of more than 1\,000 hymns or kontakia (hymns performed in Orthodox traditions). \nAccording to legend\, Romanos (Romanus) was not at first considered to be either a talented reader or singer. He was however\, loved by the Patriarch of Constantinople\, because of his great humility. Once\, around the year 518\, while serving in the Church of the Panagia at Blachernae\, during the All-Night Vigil for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ\, he was assigned to read the kathisma verses from the Psalter. He read so poorly that another reader had to take his place. Some of the lesser clergy ridiculed Romanos for this\, and being humiliated he sat down in one of the choir stalls. Overcome by weariness and sorrow\, he soon fell asleep. As he slept\, the Theotokos (Mother of God) appeared to him with a scroll in her hand. She commanded him to eat the scroll\, and as soon as he did so\, he awoke. He immediately received a blessing from the Patriarch\, mounted the pulpit and chanted extemporaneously his famous Kontakion of the Nativity\, “Today the Virgin gives birth to Him Who is above all being….”  \nThe emperor\, the patriarch\, the clergy\, and the entire congregation were amazed at both the profound theology of the hymn and Romanos’ clear\, sonorous voice as he sang. According to tradition\, this was the very first kontakion ever sung. The Greek word “kontakion” refers to the shaft on which a scroll is wound\, hence the significance of the Theotokos’ command for him to swallow a scroll\, indicating that his compositions were by divine inspiration. St. Romanos passed away in 556 A. D \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-saints-kevork-gevorg-the-captain-adoktos-and-romanos-the-singer-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260927
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260928
DTSTAMP:20260419T010244
CREATED:20211027T023140Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240804T085301Z
UID:27141-1790467200-1790553599@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak (Varague)
DESCRIPTION:  \n\n\n\nThe Mountain of Varak\, on which was built the Monastery of Varak and the Monastery of the Holy Sign\, is at the centre of the uniquely Armenian feast of the Cross we celebrate as the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak (Varague). \nThe Armenian Church celebrates this feast two weeks after the Feast of Exaltation of the Holy Cross\, that is\, the Sunday during the period of September 25 – October 1. \nAccording to the tradition of the Armenian Church\, St Hripsime and her companions\, running away from the Roman Emperor Dioklethianos\, who had started persecutions against Christians\, reached Armenia and found shelter in Vagaharshapat. However\, before reaching Vagharshapat they stopped at Mount Varak\, which is to the southeast of Lake Van. Taking off from her neck the relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross\, St Hripsime gave it to the praying monks living on the mountain and asked them to preserve it in one of the caves. Thus\, the sacred relic remained hidden till the seventh century. \nIn 653 AD\, a monk named Totig (Todik) and his student Hovel saw an apparition of the Cross above the mountain that led them to the sacred relic. The Catholicos of All Armenians\, Nerses III the Builder (Creator)\,  and Captain Vard\, son the Knight Theodoros\, learning about the miracle\, went to Mount Varak to personally witness The Cross. Catholicos Nerses verified the relic’s authenticity\, and established a feast in honour of the discovery. \nWith the support of the Armenian people\, the Pontiff built a magnificent church\, which in honour of the miracle was named Saint Nishan Church. The Pontiff Nerses also wrote the marvellous church hymn “By means of the most powerful sign”\, which is sung in the churches on the day of the feast. \n\n\n\nVaspurakan or Van\, was one of the most important regions in all of historic Armenia. The Mkhitarist Father Hamazasp Voskian writes that the history of the founding of the Monastery of Varak is “shrouded in mist\,” though there were clearly already monks and pilgrims visiting the mountain by the 7th century. \nIn the 10th century\, the Monastery of Varak and the other churches and monasteries on the mountain of Varak were supremely important. Although King Gagik I kept his court on the island of Akhtamar\, he directed that the Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Varakavank) be built on Mount Varak. For generations King Gagik Artsruni and the Artsruni family members were buried at Varakavank. \nThe sacred relic remained at Mount Varak till 1021 AD\, when the Armenian King Senekerim Artsrouni brought the relic to Sebastia. After the latter’s death\, the relic was again transferred to its old place and remained there until 1651 AD\, when the relic was taken to Khoshab. In 1655 AD\, the relic was placed in the Church of Holy Godmother\, in Van\, which was renamed the Church of the Holy Sign. The relic was preserved there till 1915 AD. Today\, the location of the relic remains unknown.
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/feast-of-the-holy-cross-of-varak-varague-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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