St. Peter was one of the 12 apostles of Christ. He was the brother of Andrew. He was one of the beloved apostles of Jesus and the witness of Our Lord’s Transfiguration and the other important events related to Jesus. Peter was a fisherman. His name given during the circumcision was Shmavon, or Simon... Read More »
St James was the son of the fisherman Zebedee, the senior brother of the Evangelist St John. He was one of the closest and most reliable disciples of Jesus and the witness of the important events related to Jesus. When Samaritans refused to receive Christ, James and his brother asked Jesus to send fire... Read More »
Eve of the Fast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Fast of Christmas) The Eve of the Fast of Christmas is always celebrated on December 29, that is seven (7) days before the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas). The Fast of Christmas ends... Read More »
The New Year (Gaghant, Amanor or Navasart) has generally been a feast of joy and happiness for the Armenian people. It is customary to exchange gifts with family members and close friends and to bring delight to children with gifts. It is also customary to set the family table to the extent of... Read More »
Eve of Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Candlelight (Lucernarium) Divine Liturgy According to the Armenian Church, the day changes at 5:00 pm and thus the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ starts on the eve, on the evening of January 5... Read More »
Each year, on January 6, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the commemoration of the Birth and Baptism of Jesus Christ. God was incarnated and appeared to the people. During the Baptism of Jesus, God the Father said, “This is... Read More »
Each year, on January 13, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As Evangelist St. Luke writes in his Gospel, according to the Jewish tradition “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him... Read More »
The Armenian Apostolic Church, observes the Feast of the Birth of St John the Baptist, the Forerunner, in January. The birth of St John is described in detail in the Gospel according to St Luke (1:5-25). He is known as the ‘forerunner’ because it was he who would herald the news of the Saviour... Read More »
Some time after the spread of Christianity, the ascetic movement began. Hermits were people who devoted themselves entirely to God, withdrew to uninhabited places and through prayer and fasting, by the grace of God, overcame human weaknesses, achieving spiritual perfection. Years later, hermits also received the gift of healing through miracles and prayers.... Read More »
The Armenian Church commemorates Theodosius I, the Roman Emperor (379 to 395) who put an end to the last of paganism and the Arian heresy in the empire (The doctrine denying the true divinity of Christ, named after the Alexandrian priest Arius c. 250–c. 336). He was recognised as a “just and mighty Christian... Read More »
St. Gregory the Theologian (also known as Gregory of Nazianzus), has left a rich literary heritage, which was translated into Armenian in the 5th to 8th centuries AD. In all probability, St. Moses of Khoronk created part of the translations into Armenian. St. Gregory the Theologian is one of the most prominent figures of... Read More »
Saints Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi In addition to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel (the four major prophets of the Old Testament), the Armenian Church commemorates the following twelve minor prophets. The Prophets were those persons through which God spoke his will to the people of... Read More »
These names are of Christian origin and in Greek mean wisdom, faith, hope and love. Sophia was a child of a noble family and lived near the city of Rome. Having lost her husband, she completely devoted herself to God. Being an ardent follower of Christ, she raised her three daughters in the Christian... Read More »