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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280604
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280605
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T093159Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T075020Z
UID:29589-1843689600-1843775999@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:The Feast of Pentecost: Hokekaloust
DESCRIPTION:  \n“When the day of Pentecost came\, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4).\n\nOn the day of Pentecost (Hokekaloust)\, tongues of fire filled the upper room resting upon the heads of Jesus’ disciples who had gathered together as had been instructed. In this dramatic scene\, the disciples felt the Holy Spirit descend upon them as they began speaking in other languages and could be understood by a crowd of believers from other nations.\n\nWith the tongues of fire came the ability for the spread of Christianity to other nations which would soon reach the land of Armenia by the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. This would become the birth of the Armenian Church and the nation’s religion. \nTongues symbolise God’s purifying presence which burns away the undesirable elements of our lives and sets our hearts aflame to ignite the lives of others. \nThe coming of the Holy Spirit (or Hokekaloust in Armenian) is celebrated by the Armenian Church\, as in all Christian churches\, 50 days after Easter. \nAs possessors of this beautiful faith\, Pentecost points us to our personal Pentecost\, for just as the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles\, so too does the Holy Spirit come to each one of us at the time of our chrismation or confirmation with the anointing of the Holy Oil. As baptised infants\, if we are open to that gift\, it transforms us and inspires us to live a Christ centred existence\, in which the fruits of the Spirit — love\, joy\, peace\, patience\, kindness\, goodness\, faithfulness\, gentleness and self-control — can grow and thrive. \nBut the fruit of the Spirit is love\, joy\, peace\, forbearance\, kindness\, goodness\, faithfulness\,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. \n(Galatians 5:22-23)
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/the-feast-of-pentecost-hokekaloust-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Pentecost.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280611
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280612
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T095043Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T075704Z
UID:29602-1844294400-1844380799@armenianchurchsydney.org.au
SUMMARY:Commemoration of the Prophet Elijah
DESCRIPTION:  \nWelcome the Stranger: Elijah \nHe was a man of holiness and generosity; but also a man who could countenance the cruelest violence. His very name confessed his loyalty to God; but also prefigured the loneliness that can follow any man with such loyalties. He was Elijah the Tishbite\, Elijah “the Stranger”: the Hebrew prophet the Armenian Church remembers the Sunday following the Feast of Pentecost. \nAs the “model” prophet\, Elijah cuts a gigantic figure in the Old Testament\, with his name and influence echoing through the New. He even makes a personal appearance in the Gospel\, alongside Christ and Moses\, during the cosmic vision of the Transfiguration. \nBut he was truly an isolated figure in his day: a friend of God in an age when all his countrymen (so it seemed) had abandoned their holy heritage; when a profane ruling class had infected the people with the spirit killing disease of idolatry. \nElijah was a severe opponent of the pagan cults imported into the court of the Israelite King Ahab\, and his early prophetic career was marked by divine signs and miracles. But at the very moment of his vindication; his extravagant triumph over the pagan idols\, leading to the horrifying slaughter of their priesthood\, Elijah’s fortunes turned. \nA public vendetta against him by the infamous Queen Jezebel sent Elijah into hiding. In fear for his life\, he scaled the mountain where Moses had once received the Ten Commandments\, to stand in the presence of his God. A hurricane wind\, a mighty earthquake\, a blazing fire all passed before him. But God (Scripture assures us) inhabited none of these. \nOnly a “still\, small voice”\, a gentle whisper in Elijah’s hearing—was recognisable as the sign of God’s presence. And the Voice asked the prophet\, “What are you doing here\, Elijah?” \nWeary in body and spirit\, Elijah could only answer as one who had given his all\, in a lost cause. “I have been your champion\, Lord\,” he said. “But the people have rejected your covenant\, torn down your altars\, put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left. And now they want to kill me too.” Earlier he had dared to utter a prayer of even deeper bitterness\, “I have had enough\, Lord. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” \nBut God’s reply to the prophet’s spiritual exhaustion was a miracle of mercy and simplicity. He gave Elijah a human companion to share his burdens. The young plowman Elisha would be the chosen disciple for Elijah to instruct; the “son” who would carry the prophet’s mantle in the next generation\, extending Elijah’s achievements\, and perhaps correcting his mistakes. \nThere would be further adventures for the prophet with no respite from the hardships of his vocation. But after the experience on the mountain\, Elijah’s heart was eased enough to permit him to peacefully depart this world\, which he did in the most dramatic way imaginable: carried away to heaven in a chariot of fire. \nBut his story doesn’t end there. Subsequent generations\, reflecting on his mysterious departure\, insisted that Elijah would one day return\, as a herald of the Messiah. The preaching style of John the Baptist so closely resembled Elijah’s that observers of the day thought the two might be one and the same. Though John directly disabused people of that notion\, Jesus attested that John was indeed the spiritual successor to Elijah\, who had come to announce Christ’s advent. \nArmenian spirituality holds that Elijah never actually died. Our haunting Requiem hymn paints a word picture of the “Supernal Jerusalem” (Ee verinn Yerousaghem) where Elijah still lives in vastly advanced old age\, alongside the antediluvian (before the flood) Patriarch Enoch. The inscrutable classical Armenian word aghavnagerb (usually translated as “dove-like”) describes their present state\, offering us a dim glimpse into what it might be like to live as an immortal resident of God’s heavenly city. \nThe story of Elijah “the Stranger” is told in the Books of Kings (1 Kings 17 -2 Kings 2)\, with its uncanny sequels related in the gospels and our liturgy. In preparation for his remembrance\, welcome “The Stranger” into your heart. \n 
URL:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/event/commemoration-of-the-prophet-elijah-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://armenianchurchsydney.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Elijah-770x330.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280612
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280613
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T104339Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T080155Z
UID:29615-1844380800-1844467199@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
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:20280613
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280614
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T111443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T080827Z
UID:29630-1844467200-1844553599@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
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:20280615
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280616
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T112533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T081718Z
UID:29643-1844640000-1844726399@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
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:20280617
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280618
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T114254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T082336Z
UID:29656-1844812800-1844899199@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
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:20280618
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280619
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211023T115444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T083014Z
UID:29669-1844899200-1844985599@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
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:20280619
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280620
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20250520T084109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T084330Z
UID:29682-1844985600-1845071999@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-2-2-2/
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:20280620
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280621
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211024T040254Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T084947Z
UID:29695-1845072000-1845158399@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280624
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280625
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211024T042212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T085749Z
UID:29708-1845417600-1845503999@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280625
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280626
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211024T033355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T090446Z
UID:29721-1845504000-1845590399@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20280627
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20280628
DTSTAMP:20260426T004219
CREATED:20211024T053026Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T091036Z
UID:29734-1845676800-1845763199@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-2-2-2-2-2-2/
CATEGORIES:Feasts & Commemorations
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