Saints & Feasts

Of The Armenian Church

 

Abridged & edited

Patriarch Torkom Koushagian

 

Translated & Edited by

The Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Melkonian

 

Contents

Introduction

Preface

The Saints

Adovmyan Generals and Their Armies (c. 451 and 853)

Andon and Gronites (c. 330)

Apkar, King

Aristages, Catholicos (333 AD)

Asdvadzadoor/Makhoj (553 AD)

Atteh (36 AD)

Daniel, Bishop (348 A.D,)

King Drtad, Queen Ashkhen and Princess Khosrovitookht (c. 330 AD)

Hoosig, Catholicos (347 AD)

Hovhan Otznetzi, Catholicos (John of Otzoon) (c. 728 AD)

Hovhannes Vorodnetzi (John of Vorodn) (1315-1388 AD)

Hripsime, Kayaneh, and Their Companions (c. 265 AD)

Koharinyank (1156 AD)

Krikor Datevatzi (Gregory of Datev) (1346-1410 AD)

Krikor Loosavorich (Gregory the Illuminator), (326 AD)

Krikor Naregatzi Vardabed (Gregory of Nareg) (950-1010 AD)

Krikoris, Bishop (Gregoris) (c. 345 AD)

Krikoris Rajig (Gregoris Rajig) (549 AD)

The Levontian Fathers

Mesrob the Vartabed (known as Mashdotz) (438 AD)

Nerses the Great, Catholicos (373 A, D.)

Nerses Shnorhali (Nerses the Graceful), Catholicos (1102-1173) 

Nooneh and Maneh, Nuns (c. 320 AD)

Sahag Bartev, Catholicos (437 AD)

Sahag and Hamazasp Ardzroonik (786 AD) 

Sahag and Hovsep Gametzik (808 AD)  

Santookht, Virgin Princess (1st Century) 

The Seven Witnesses Called Vegetarians (604 AD)

Shooshan (470 AD) 

The Sookiasians (130 AD) 

Stepanos Oolnetzi (Steven of Oolnia) and His Companions (c. 450 AD) 

Tatool, Varos, and Toomas (5th Century) 

Tavit Tvinetzi (David of Tvin) (701 AD) 

Vahan Koghtnatzi (Vahan of Koghtn) (737 AD)   

Vartanank: St. Vartan and 1036 Martyrs (451 AD)  

Vertanes, Catholicos (341 AD)  

The Vosgeyan Priests (107 AD)  

Yeghisheh, Movses, and Tavit The Holy Translators (5th century)

 

The Feasts

DOMINICAL FEASTS 

THEOPHANY 

TRANSFIGURATION 

RESURRECTION 

Feasts of the Holy Mother of God

Dominical Observances

FEASTS OF THE HOLY CROSS 

FEASTS OF THE HOLY CHURCH

Saints' Days

The Angels 

Pious Customs of the Armenian Faithful

Introduction

I have endeavored to translate Saints and Feasts as faithfully to the original text as possible. This is, however, an abridged and edited edition and any departure from the original occurs as follows.

The preface has been edited to reflect the changes in the "Saints" section and for clarity. In the section on the saints I have presented only the saints of the Armenian Church tradition, as descriptions of all the other saints can be found in English language references. In certain instances I have augmented the text with information from other sources listed in my bibliography. Many of the saints' lives have been paraphrased to recount their story with precision and omit extraneous details such as lengthy descriptions of martyrdom or conjecture.

The feasts have been presented almost exactly as described by the author. In some instances he either diverges from the subject or offers his personal viewpoint. I have deleted these paragraphs and footnoted them accordingly. Whenever possible I have added the appropriate Bible references.

The majority of the feasts and saints commemorations of the Armenian Church are variable. That basic difference between the feast days of the Armenian Church and those of other churches also makes it impossible to present them in chronological order. It is for this reason that the author has presented them according to the Major or Tabernacle Feasts to which they am related. It should also be pointed out that the church year is nearly divided equally between days of fasting and days of feasting, reminding us that we are of both body and soul and each must be nourished differently.

In the Armenian Church, Dominical commemorations (feasts) take preeminence over all other celebrations, and the five tabernacle Daghavar feasts are always followed by a day dedicated to the repose of all departed souls (Merelotz).

The last section of this book, Pious Customs of the Armenian Faithful, has been borrowed from Archbishop Ardag Manooglan's Feasts of the Armenian Church. I did not translate His Grace's words but paraphrased them, adding and subtracting whenever necessary for those English-speaking readers who have grown up in the Canadian and American Armenian Church.

I have added this section because such customs are an important element of worship in the Armenian Church. Anyone learning about the feasts and saints of the church can only be further helped by an explanation of the meaning and practice of related customs.

It is my fervent prayer that this work in its abridged and edited translation serve as a reference for those who wish to understand more completely the beauty of the Armenian Church, and that it whet their appetite for even greater knowledge of this fortress of the faith, hope and aspirations of the Armenian people through the ages.

Very Rev. Haigazoun Melkonian

Preface

To some it might seem that a collection of saints' lives has been sorely needed for a long time and is very late in coming. These people would not know that at one time, aside from the Bible and a few prayer books, the lives of the saints were the only materials available for general reading and for spiritual elucidation.

Nations have produced heroes, outstanding men and women who have glorified their nation throughout history. Subsequent generations commemorate these people and their achievements both from gratitude for what they have done and, more importantly, in order to pass along the spirit that emanates from the lives of such exemplary individuals.

The Church, despite its divine foundation, is also an organization of human beings. It has also had heroes who were fired with faith and virtue and these, in their own way, have had a dramatic impact on the history of mankind. And so the Church, rightfully and with just pride, commemorates those who have lived as children of the Mother Church, who have maintained the principles of the Holy Gospels; those who declared through martyrdom that Christianity is the true faith; those who have unshakably championed orthodoxy in the face of cults and heretics even from within; and finally, those who have given over their talents and gifts, their pen and prose, their lives and work for the glory and edification of the Holy Mother Church and her mission to save souls. The Church for eternal commemoration alone has deemed them worthy. And we have compiled the lives of the saints within to acquaint the faithful with these exemplary individuals.

The traditional saints' lives have customarily been published for the spiritual need of the faithful so that they might imitate the lives of the saints and become worthy of their heavenly crowns by example.

This book differs from the traditional saints' lives in its language and style; all previous works were in classical Armenian (krapar) and previous authors employed great rhetoric, embellishing in detail the life of each and every saint. This merely reflected the style of the time. This book, on the other hand, is presented relatively simply, despite the author's flowery style.

Another difference is that earlier accounts of the saints would include many accounts of miracles, as there hardly exist a saint to whom one or more miracles have not been attributed. Those accounts have been reduced to a bare minimum in this book. We are not questioning the authenticity of any of these miracles nor their historical accuracy. In fact, miracles, which have been historically recorded and attested to by, church authorities, become established fact in the church. So the saints - the supreme example of virtuousness and the elect of the Church - might surely have experienced or witnessed miracles. There should be nothing surprising here; the entire universe, all life therein and all wonderful things were brought into being out of nothing by God through a miracle (in other words, by means not comprehensible to us). It is that same Heavenly Power whom, in the same mysterious way, moves through the life of the Church. This direct divine intention is commonly called a miracle.

A few words, on the present work. As the name implies and the reader will soon see this book comprise two sections, the saints and the feasts. The saint’s section is limited to a great extent as is obvious by the omission of some of the Church's greatest saints. This of course is intentional and not due to oversight. These saints are for the most part from Holy Scriptures where the reader can find an accurate and detailed account of their lives.

Although abridged and limited, this book does accomplish its purpose--to familiarize the reader with the saints and feasts as commemorated by the Armenian Church.

October 5, 1939 Jerusalem

The Saints

For the most part, the Armenian Church recognizes the martyrs and Holy Fathers of the early church among the saints, as well as the saints of her own tradition. The canonization of saints in the Armenian Church generally ceased circa the fifteenth century. Saints can be categorized according to the ancient church with which they are associated. Here, we shall present only the saints of the Armenian Church tradition since saints of the ancient churches are canonized and remembered throughout the church year and are either very well known or hardly known at all. We feel that a discussion of them would be outside the realm of this book. Some names, however, may help the reader form a general idea as to which the Armenian Church recognizes early saints. The ancient churches referred to are: the Holy Churches of Antioch, Cilicia, Mesopotamia, Jerusalem, Cyprus, Alexandria, Ethiopia, Caesarea, Sebastia, Laconia, Pontus, Ephesus, Constantinople, Chaldaea, Byzantium, Rome, Africa, and Persia. There are over two hundred saints in this category, some of the most popular being Melitus of Antioch, St. James of Nisibis, Maroukeh the Hermit of Mesopotamia, Yeprem Khouri, Patriarch Cyril of Jerusalem, Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria, the saintly monks of the Egyptian desert, the Kharityan witnesses of Ethiopia, Patriarch Basil of Caesarea, Patriarch Krikor (Gregory) the Miracle Worker of Sebastia, the Forty Young Men of Sebastia, Patriarch Nicholas the Wonderful of Ephesus, Gregory Nazianzen the Theologian, Emperor Constantine the Great, Queen Helena, John Chrysostom, Varvareh (Barbara) the Virgin, Bishop Theobomba of Byzantium, Patriarch Stephan of Rome, Sarkis (Sergius) the Captain of Persia, and many, many others.

We have presented here the saints of the Armenian Church in alphabetical rather than chronological order to aid those who wish to use this section for reference; Armenian names are transliterated without using any formal linguistic rules. In cases where there are English names, we have tried to incorporate them into the text. To aid pronunciation, the reader may keep in mind that 'gh' has been used for the Armenian ~ which is similar to the French ’r’, and 'kh' for the Armenian/~ which is usually represented by the Greek 'x' in linguistic texts.

In total, the Armenian Church celebrates the memory of 325 saints of which 104 are Armenian and the remainders belong to the previously mentioned ancient churches.

V.R.H.M.

Adovmyan Generals and Their Armies (c. 451 and 853)

The Armenian Church remembers two groups of martyrs bearing the name of Adovmyan. One group belongs to the period Just prior to the Battle of Avarayr; the second group was martyred in 853 during the reign of Pougha Vostigan.

The Adovmyans of the fifth century were two armies of Armenian soldiers led by Adovm Knooni and Manajihr Rshdooni. The leaders had been commissioned by their Persian commanders to leave Armenia and proceed to one of the most distant outposts of the empire. The reason was to keep the Armenian soldiers far away from Armenia and thus prevent them from helping the Armenians in case of a revolt. The commanders recognized the Persian plot, turned their backs on their assignment, and returned to Armenia with their armies. Having been divided into two sections, the Armenian soldiers were pursued, captured and martyred by the Persian forces.

The second group, also known as the new Adovmyans, was a special group of young men who were selected for their physical beauty, stature, and ability by Poogha Vostigan and presented as a gift for the Khalif of Baghdad during the 9th century. Poogha thought that they would readily change their faith for such a special 'privilege.' The young men, however, encouraged by one of their number, Adovmn, remained steadfast in their faith. They were martyred one by one In the hope that a few of these men might change their faith since the tortures grew progressively more horrible. In the end, all of the young men, more than 150 souls, were martyred.

Andon and Gronites (c. 330)

These two monks were very well known in Caesarea for their pious works. St. Gregory the Illuminator took the monks with him to Armenia and commissioned them to a holy place in the province of Daron named after St. John the Baptist, where they organized and sewed in the newly established monastery. St. Gregory visited them often. After long lives of service to the Lord, they peacefully fell asleep in Him.

Apkar King (1st century)

There are many traditions connected with King Apkar, both popular and as recorded by church historians. At the time of Christ, there was a great Immigration of Armenians to Edessa; therefore, the possibility of King Apkar being an Armenian, as the tradition states, is a strong one.

According to tradition, the king was suffering from a very serious skin ailment whereupon he wrote a letter to Christ requesting His aid. Our Lord replied that He would send one of His Apostles and on this occasion sent a cloth with His portrait. After Christ's ascension, St. Thaddeus was sent to King Apkar whom he cured. After his miraculous recovery the king and his family accepted Christianity. He then wrote a number of letters to his cousin King Sanadrook of Armenia and to other kings telling them of his cure and calling upon them to accept Christianity. He died three years after having been converted and baptized.

Aristages, Catholicos (333 AD)

St. Aristages, the younger of St. Gregory's two sons, entered the service of the church at an early age and remained celibate. He was ordained bishop by his father in 318 AD and became his aide. In 325, he was sent to Nicaea as the representative of the Armenian Church at the Ecumenical Council and his name is recorded with other great Church Fathers as a representative of Greater Armenia.

St. Aristages was not only his father's aide but served as his representative when St. Gregory was absent. As related in the Armenian histories of both Movses Khorenatzi and Pavstos Puzant, the saint was martyred, most likely in 3,33 AD by a prince whom he reproached for impious activities.

Asdvadzadoor/Makhoj (553 AD)

Makhoj was the chief priest of the monks (pagan priests) assigned to Armenia and was himself the son of a monk and from a priestly family in Tvin. He witnessed the martyrdom of Krikoris Rajig and slowly became drawn towards Christianity. After witnessing a miracle when a conflagration was extinguished by a blessing with a cross, he converted to Christianity. Shortly afterwards, he was imprisoned along with two Armenian priests. During this period he was baptized and received the Holy Orders; he was renamed Asdvadzadoor which means 'gift of God.' Later, during an examination of the prisoners, the two Armenian priests were released; but Makhoj, being a Persian and former high priest, was ordered to return to his old religion. As a result of his firm refusal, he was crucified and shot with an arrow while on the cross. Nerses Catholicos had his body placed near the Cathedral of Tvin and marked his grave with a carved martyrium.

Atteh (36 AD)

According to holy tradition, St. Atteh was a royal robe maker by trade and the maker of miters to the Edessan court. When the Apostle Thaddeus was preparing to leave the country, he consecrated Atteh a bishop and appointed him as Locum tenens until his return. During the Apostle Thaddeus' absence, King Apkar's son, who ascended to the throne after his father's death, and who reestablished paganism, demanded that the saint make him a mitre. The saint refused, saying that he could not do so for a pagan. Thus, shortly after the refusal and during instruction of the holy faith and before his pupils, Atteh was martyred.

Daniel, Bishop (348 A.D,)

Bishop Daniel was elevated to the Catholical Throne after the martyrdom of Catholicos Hoosig. Although he was an Assyrian by birth, Daniel had spent many years in Armenia, first as a student of St. Gregory and later helping in the conversion of pagans. When he became Catholicos, he condemned Prince Diran for the martyrdom of his predecessor and for his desire to remove the line of Gregory from the Catholicate. Prince Diran had him strangled in 348 AD only one year after Catholicos Hoosig's martyrdom.

King Drtad, Queen Ashkhen and Princess Khosrovitookht (c. 330 AD)

King Drtad was sent to Caesarea and then Rome after the assassination of his father and other members of the royal family as described in the entry under St. Gregory the Illuminator. After condemning St. Gregory to the pit and because of his responsibility for the martyrdom of the Hripsimeyan nuns, the King lost his sanity. His wife, Queen Ashkhen - daughter of the King of the Alans, and his sister, Princess Khosrovitookht, had most probably already accepted Christianity through the efforts of the Hripsimeyan nuns and others in the Christian underground in Armenia. It was the Princess who suggested that Gregory be brought out of the pit to cure the king. Upon King Drtad's recovery, he, his wife, and his sister all helped to lay the foundations of the Hripsimeyan martyria. When St. Gregory returned from Caesarea where he was ordained a bishop, the king, his family, and his entire court and army met St. Gregory en route and was baptized in the Euphrates River.

During the construction of Holy Etchmladzin, the king aided physically, spiritually, and financially. He encouraged St. Gregory in spreading the Gospel throughout Armenia. Queen Ashkhen and the Princess went together to the fortress of Garni to live the remainder of their lives in dedication to the Lord. The King did likewise, retiring to St. Gregory's place of retreat, Mt. Sebouh, where hostile princes who wished to reestablish paganism martyred him.

Hoosig, Catholicos (347 AD)

Hoosig was St. Vertanes' younger son who was married (to King Diran's daughter) and ordained Catholicos at a very early age. He had two sons, Bab and Atanakineh. St. Hoosig was valiant in his attacks against royal intervention in ecclesiastical affairs as well as demanding of the royalty in their Christian duties and activities. According to Khorenatzi, a serious dispute arose between King Diran and Hoosig when the former wished to install a picture of Julian the Apostate in the church. Hoosig vehemently objected. He was martyred in 347, most probably by one of the princes whose activities he had publicly condemned.

Hovhan Otznetzi, Catholicos (John of Otzoon) (c. 728 AD)

Catholicos between 717 and 728 AD, Otznetzi is remembered as one of the most outstanding of the Armenian Church Fathers. Born in the province of Dashratz in the village of Otzoon, he studied with Teotoros Krtenavoree, who was the most celebrated theologian of the time. He received the title of philosopher and was educated in the Hellenic school of thought. He, however, did not bend to Hellenistic politics and during Arab rule in Armenia, endeared himself to the Arab overlords and ushered in a period of tolerance and cooperation. By means of his farsightedness, statesmanship, and piety, he secured some basic and important rights for Armenian Christians such as general religious freedom, the right to worship freely, and exemption from taxes for the church and clergy. He was also able to put a stop to the forced conversion of Christians to Islam. During his second year as Catholicos, he called a Council of Bishops in the city of Tvin where he established thirty-seven canons and organized a collection of the canons of the Armenian Church. These canons were the first such book and it was in time added to and finalized,

St. John of Otzoon is also remembered for his literary and official battles against the numerous sects, which plagued the church at this time. As a writer, he is remembered for his contributions in the Book of Sharagans as well as his many epistles and essays. Respected for his personality, for being righteous, pious, brave, and humble, in addition to being a great statesman and writer, St. Hovhan Otznetzi was greatly loved by the Armenian people. During his latter years, he retired to a mountain monastery, living under severe conditions, as a monk. Armenian Church writers and historians remember his name and he is revered as a saint by all.

Hovhannes Vorodnetzi (John of Vorodn) (1315-1388 AD)

St. Hovhannes was born in the village of Vaghantan within the county of Vorodn during that period of Armenian history when the Unitors were trying strenuously to Latinize the Armenian Church and thereby undermine her national and theological identity. St. John of Vorodn gathered many clergy and encouraged theological study as well as a proper education of the masses in order to safeguard the Armenian Church. He was a member of the monastery of Kailitzor where he served as an instructor and was very beloved of his students. Later, he moved to the monastery of Datev where he continued his teaching and educational pursuits. During this period, he was offered the Archepiscopal See of the Siunik Province but refused in order to continue his work. Extant among his many works are commentaries on the Gospel of John and the Pauline letters; he was also one of the leaders of the Armenian Church in defending her autonomy and the purity of her theology. Most of his life was dedicated to the battle against the Unitors and the preservation of the orthodox faith. He was loved and respected by his many students and followers,

Hripsimeh, Kayaneh, and Their Companions (c. 265 AD)

Thirty-three nuns under the leadership of Kayaneh escaped to Armenia hoping to find refuge from the Roman Emperor who desired to wed one of them, Hripsimeh, because of her unusual beauty. The Armenian King Drtad, being in contact with Rome, heard of their entry into Armenia and likewise desired Hripsimeh. After many efforts to convince her, the king saw that it was useless and that she would not consent to his desires, nor would she leave her companions, nor the worship of Christ. The king became enraged and had Hripsimeh's tongue cut out first, then her body burned with great torches. Her womb was torn from her body. After all this, she was dismembered. The following day, Gayaneh and her companions were tied to stakes where they were skinned alive. After that, their Intestines were torn from their bodies and finally they were decapitated.

Upon his delivery from the pit, St. Gregory built chapels over the relics of the holy nuns. Later, during the time of St. Sahag Barter (4th c), these chapels were rebuilt and, during the Catholicate of Gomidas (7th c), two beautiful cathedrals were erected --the Cathedral of St. Hripsimeh being a monument of Armenian architecture. The Catholicos also wrote a beautiful sharagan in their memory, "Antzink Nviryalk."

Koharinyank (1156 AD)

The non-Christian overlords of Armenia took Prince David of Sebastia and his eldest son captive. During their captivity, both father and son were forced to convert to Islam, but Prince David's wife and four younger sons, Koharinos, Radigos, Dzamitos, and Doukigos, who had remained behind, practiced their faith openly. When the four young men came of age, they entered military service and soon it was discovered that they were Christians. They were called before their commander and because their father was a follower of Islam, they too were expected to be so. Through the mediation of their older brother, they were spared and returned to their position. Afraid that they had given the impression of changing their faith because of their freedom and safe return, they made no effort to hide their Christianity. Radigos entered the Soorp Nishan monastery. The others worshipped openly in the presence of their children, hoping it would inspire their conversion. Once again they were arrested. This time, however, they were severely tortured and finally beheaded in 1156 AD Koharinos' son, Teotoros, the monk, was very upset about his father's and uncles' martyrdom and made pubic denunciations of the authorities. He was arrested, tortured, and finally beheaded, joining his father and uncles in martyrdom.

Krikor Datevatzi (Gregory of Datev) (1346-1410 AD)

St. Krikor was born in 1346 in the province of Vaiotz Tzor. He was one of the famous students of Hovhannes Vorodnetzi and while on a pilgrimage with his mentor to Jerusalem in 1373, received the Holy Orders. Later he was to receive from his teacher the degrees of Doctor of the Church (Vartabed) and finally Supreme Doctor of the Church (Dzayrakooyn Vartabed). Like Vorodnetzi, he was well versed in Latin and had studied all the great Greek philosophers. In that style, he wrote the famous "Kirk Hartzmantz" (Book of Questions), a work of practical theology, and two collections of sermons, the style and depth of which set a new standard for Armenian preaching. Although Krikor spent most of his life in the Monastery of Datev, he did travel to other monasteries where he taught and gathered students. Men marveled at his genius and clarity of thought and wherever he went students and admirers followed him. He increased the number of students and novices in each monastery that he visited. St. Krikor added the granting of the doctoral staff to celibate priests and the prayers for the granting of the Veghar (hood) as well as the degree of Supreme Doctor of the Church to the Book of Ritual (Mashdotz). A great defender of the faith, intellectual, spiritual leader, wonderful preacher, and pious and humble believer, St. Gregory of Datev is often called the "Second Gregory the Illuminator."

Krikor Loosavorich (Gregory the Illuminator), (326 AD)

Father and Patron Saint of the Armenian Church

There is a wealth of tradition connected with St. Gregory; however, we shall only present a brief summary of his life and works.

 

Krikor was the son of Anak, brother to the Armenian king, who during the Perso-Byzantine struggle for control of Armenia was responsible for the assassination of his brother and the royal family, except for the young prince Drtad and his sister, Khosrovitookht. Anak and his family were killed in return, with the exception of his son Krikor who was secretly taken to Caesarea in Cappadocia (some say the city of Sebastia).

The young King Drtad was sent to Rome for his formal education where he became very renowned for his extraordinary strength and valor. Passing through Caesarea on his return to Armenia to claim his throne, King Drtad took with him from Caesarea a young scribe named Krikor. When the king later found that Gregory was a Christian and that he had refused to worship the gods and goddesses of the court, Drtad then had Gregory punished and thrown into a deep pit (Khor virab). Later, Gregory's true identity was discovered and he had to spend fourteen years in the pit (his imprisonment and delivery from the pit are celebrated feast days of the Church). According to some church historians, he was sustained through heavenly intervention; according to others, through the aid of the king's sister who was a devout Christian.

During Gregory's imprisonment, the king martyred the Hripsimeyan nuns, an act so brutal that it caused him to lose his sanity. Through the intervention of the king’s sister, Gregory was called from the pit in order to cure the king whom no one dared approach. With his saintly power, Gregory cured the king and converted him to Christianity. Upon. The king's recovery, the whole of the royal court was baptized and Christianity was declared the national religion in the year 301 AD; thus Armenia was the first Christian nation (according to some historians, 287 AD).

After the great conversion, Gregory was ordained bishop and then Catholicos, becoming the first Catholicos of the Armenian Church. He called from hiding the bishops and priests of the Armenian Church who had suffered much persecution. He started to preach throughout Armenia, putting aside paganism and spreading the holy light of Christianity. He built churches over the relics of the Hripsimeyan nuns and while in the province of Vaspouragan, had a vision that the Only Begotten (Etchmiadzin) had descended with a golden hammer, showing him where to build His great cathedral. In the year 303 AD, St. Gregory built Holy Etchmladzin which is the Mother Cathedral of the Armenian Church to this day. He established the first canon laws and wrote many prayers and put order to many of the church services.

His two sons, Aristakes and Vertanes, were also ordained bishops and in his ripe old age, St. Krikor retired for his final years to the mountains where he died. Shepherds found his mortal remains and he was then buried with great ceremony as the father of the Armenian Church, its greatest saint and patron.

It is believed that the great Illuminator was born in 256 AD, ordained 302 AD and died 326 AD Aside from the aforementioned feasts, the Church also celebrates the discovery of his relics.

Krikor Naregatzi Vartabed (Gregory of Nareg) (950-1010 AD)

Born in the city of Nareg, he received his education under the guidance of his father, Bishop Khosrov (Antzevatzi, author of the earliest commentary on the Divine Liturgy) and from Anania Vartabed, Abbot of Nareg Monastery. At an early age, he and his two brothers entered the monastic life. Naregatzi launched his writings with a commentary on the Song of Songs, which was commissioned by an Armenian prince. Krikor felt he was too young for this assignment, yet he wrote this commentary which is famous for its clarity of thought and language as well as excellence of theological presentation. He wrote a number of famous letters, sharagans, treasures, odes, melodies and a wealth of church writings but his masterpiece is his Book of Lamentations called Nareg in which his universal genius is displayed. (Nareg has been translated into at least thirty languages.) St. Krikor Naregatzi is considered the greatest poet of the Armenian nation and the first and greatest. Mystic. His style and command of the Armenian language cannot be excelled and his saintly person has been an inspiration to the Armenian faithful for centuries. Numerous miracles and traditions have been attributed to the saint and perhaps that is why he is referred to as "the watchful angel in human form."

Krikoris, Bishop (Gregoris) (c. 345 AD)

Bishop Krikoris, the eldest son of St. Vertanes, was responsible for spreading Christianity to Armenia's two sister countries in the Caucasus: Georgia and Caucasian Albania, where he was also martyred. St. Gregoris Church was built over his remains in 489.

Krikoris Rajig (Gregoris Rajig) (549 AD)

A Persian by birth from the Rajig family, Krikoris was originally named Manjihr. At a very young age, he moved to Armenia and adopted the Christian faith and his new name. Krikoris entered a monastery near Tvin and was so renowned for his piety and strong faith that the monastery was eventually named Rajig Manjihr. When the Persian Marspan Tenshabouh started his reign over Armenia,' he spent much time and effort spreading the Persian religion and was particularly concerned with Krikoris. Finally, he ordered Krikoris to return to Persia. Krikoris refused whereupon he was tortured and finally beheaded.

The Levontian Fathers:

Catholicos Hovsep; Bishops Sahag and Tatig; Priests Levontlus (Ghevont), Mousheh, Arshen, Manuel, Abraham, Khoren; Deacons Kachach and Abraham (454 AD)

After the Vartanantz Battle, the above saints were abducted by the Persian King and placed in custody. During a later battle, the Persians suffered a great loss and under the evil influence of the pagan priests, their losses were attributed to the fact that the Armenian priests had not been punished. Some were taken separately and the remainder in-groups, tortured mercilessly and then martyred. Historians have recorded the martyrdom of each of the saints. St. Ghevont (Levontius) the Elder serves as a particular inspiration as he was influential in the battle of Vartanantz. These saints are especially loved and honored by the Armenian people in that they were martyred for their strength of faith and love for their nation.

Mesrob the Vartabed (known as Mashdotz) (438 AD)

St. Mesrob was born in the village of Hatzegatz in the province of Daron. In his early years, he learned both Greek and Persian and served in the Armenian Royal Court. Later, he decided to enter the ranks of the clergy and with some other young men, he went to preach in the province of Koghtn around 395 AD During this period he felt the great need of the Armenian people for an alphabet of their own so he petitioned the Catholicos Sahag and together they requested the aid of King Vramshabouh.

After much research and many travels, Mesrob was able to come up with the skeleton of an alphabet. However, it did not meet the needs of the Armenian language. According to tradition, while meditating in a cave near the village of Palu, the saint had a vision in which, "the hand of God wrote the alphabet in letters of fire." Upon his return to the Catholicos and king, the saint was received with great honors and much joy.

Immediately after the discovery of the alphabet, the Holy Translators worked to translate the Bible and the first words in the Armenian language were from the Book of Proverbs, "To know wisdom and Instruction; to perceive the words of understanding." They also opened schools to teach the newly discovered alphabet, among whose students were the famous translators Yeghisheh, Movses, Tavit and Saint Vartan.

After the discovery of the alphabet, St. Mesrob spent many years translating and writing literary and ecclesiastical works. He went to many provinces where paganism still existed and preached the word of God in the people's own language, with the light of the Holy Gospels. During this period, he was invited to Georgia and Caucasian Albania where he likewise invented alphabets to suit their languages. His life's works have been recorded by one of his famous students, Goriun, in his book, The Life of Mashdotz. St. Mesrob was buried in Oshagan in the province of Vaspouragan where a beautiful cathedral has been built in his honor and where one may go and pay homage at the saints tomb to the present.

The book of ritual used in the Armenian Church bears the name 'Mashdotz' and is dedicated to this great saint. Although it had been compiled at a later date, it was based on a sacramental anthology attributed to Mashdotz.

St. Mesrob gave the Armenian people the most precious of gifts and continues to serve as an inspiration to all generations. Beloved by all, St. Mesrob is a special inspiration to Armenian writers and poets.

Nerses the Great, Catholicos (373 A, D.)

St. Hoosig had two sons, Bab and Atanakineh, who did not pursue the clergical life. Nerses was the son of Atanakineh and from a very early age, displayed his love and abilities for religious and national life. After a period of administration by two Catholicoi who were not very distinguished in their works, the nation once again sought its spiritual leader from the line of St. Gregory. At that time, Nerses was still a layman and serving in the court. Because of his humble nature, Nerses had to be persuaded to accept the Holy Orders. According to tradition, at his ordination as bishop by Bishop Basil of Caesarea, "the Holy Spirit descended upon the two in the form of a dove" and later during the first Divine Liturgy, "a pillar of fire appeared

And his face was illuminated like Moses." One of the greatest of Nerses' accomplishments was the Council of Ashdishad (364-65 AD), where the canons were drawn up concerning the sanctity of family life, Improvement of social conditions, the establishment of Institutions such as hospitals and inns for pilgrims and the like, and the establishment of monasteries and convents. It is for this reason that he is also known as St. Nerses the Builder. Partly because of the Perso-Byzantine struggles, and partly due to his strength of character in criticizing the audacity of the princes, St. Nerses was not a favorite of the court.

St. Nerses is noted for his many benevolent and spiritual works. He Is remembered as one of the initiators of the national revival and of the new impetus to the religious life, which was to reach fulfillment In the Golden Age of Armenian Literature. A grateful and loving nation surnamed the saint 'Great.'

Nerses Shnorhali (Nerses the Graceful), Catholicos (1102-1173)

St. Nerses was born in 1102, his father being Prince Abirad and his grandfather, the great church writer, Krikor Makisdros. He studied under Stepanos Vartabed in Garmir (Red) Monastery and was ordained at 18 years of age by his brother, Catholicos Krikor III Balavouni in the City of Hromgla. By the age of thirty, he was consecrated a bishop. He served as the personal aide and right hand man to his brother, the Catholicos, whom he succeeded in 1166.

Merely to list all St. Nerses' works would be a tedious task. He is most famous for his 'General Epistle' which was directed to the Armenian people, eloquently guiding them in their faith, for his many letters, orations, poems, such as "Lament for Edessa," a moving masterpiece on the destruction of that city, commentaries and ecclesiastical studies. A great musician as well as writer and poet, St. Nerses enriched the Book of Hours with many songs and the Book of Sharagans with a wealth of sacred hymns, adding almost a third to their number. His book, Jesus, Son is used by devout Armenians and is second only to Nareg. St. Nerses was an ecumenist as well as an astute theologian and beloved leader. The title 'graceful' was previously an educational rank but Nerses added a new dimension to that title and is remembered for his loving nature and paternal care of his flock, the members of the Armenian Church. Along with St. Gregory of Nareg, he is a pillar of Armenian literature, especially of the Silver Age. St. Nerses is perhaps the most beloved of all Armenian saints and is respected not only nationally but also universally. His final resting-place has been a place of pilgrimage for all Christians without distinction who referred to him as "Lord Nerses." The following are a few lines from his most famous church songs.

Aravod Looso--From the Morning Service, a song written with each stanza following the alphabetical order of the Armenian alphabet and dedicated to the Holy Trinity, a few stanzas must suffice here:

Thou morn of light,

Sun of Righteousness

Shine unto my soul,

Thou from the Father flowing,

Let flow from my soul

Words, pleasing to Thee.

Unity Triune,

Keeper of all Things,

Have mercy on me;

Arise, Lord, and help;

Rouse me from slumbering,

With angels to wake.

Thy name, Christ, is Love;

Make soft with Thy love

This my heart of stone;

By Thine own pity,

By Thine own mercy,

Make me live again.

NorasdeghzyaI--This hymn is dedicated to the Resurrection of our Lord. First and last stanzas:

God the Word from naught created. In the beginning the heaven of heavens,

And the heavenly hosts incorporeal of angelic beings rational

The four elements also of sense, each other repelling and attracting

By which forever is glorified the ineffable Holy Trinity.

Ye sons of Zion, haste and rise, tidings of light the Bride to bring,

Saying to her, thy Bridegroom risen hath conquered death with power divine,

And comes with glory thee to crown, meet thou Him in thine adornments.

Sing a new song to Him who rose,

First fruits of life of them that sleep.

Nooneh and Maneh, Nuns (c. 320 AD)

Both of these saints entered Armenia with Hripsimeh and her companions. Nooneh then proceeded to Georgia where she was successful in converting the Georgian queen and her son and finally King Mihran. She received spiritual guidance and support from St. Gregory who had given her certain ecclesiastical authority until he could send clergy to Georgia. She is noted for her holy works and saintly life.

Maneh, like Nooneh, came with the Hripsimeyan nuns. She had a vision and retired to a life of prayer, meditation, and solitude in the Armenian Mountains. Many years later, when St, Gregory passed the nun's place of retreat, he called to her; but she requested that he wait three days. After the three days had passed, St. Gregory found that the nun Maneh had passed away. He buried her with prayers and blessings and stayed in that place until his death.

Sahag Bartev, Catholicos (437 AD)

St. Sahag was the son of St. Nerses the Great and received his primary and higher education in Caesarea and Byzantium. He married and had one daughter, Sahaganoosh who married into the Mamigonlan family and was the mother of Vartan, Hmayak, and Hamazasbyan. St. Sahag was elevated to the Catholical throne in 387 AD This period was one of the most tragic in Armenian history in that in 390 AD Armenia was divided between Persia and Byzantlum. St. Sahag witnessed the coming and going of many kings and the political situation of Armenia deteriorated into that of being a Persian province. He was not popular with the Armenian princes because he would not aid them in their acts against the monarchy, and blamed them for its fall. Prior to this period, he had worked with the peace-loving and farsighted King Vramshabooh during whose reign the Armenian alphabet was invented. Because of the political situation, St. Sahag was replaced as Catholicos by two Assyrlan bishops successively. Their terms were very short because of the animosities they caused by being pro-Persian and foreign to the Armenian people. Although the Assyrian bishops had the political power, the populace as a spiritual leader respected St. Sahag,

Aside from his strong leadership in the dark hours of Armenian history, St. Sahag is also remembered for his literary works; he was the guiding force of the Golden Age. It was he who encouraged St. Mesrob in his works. After the discovery of the alphabet, St. Sahag set to work on the first translation of the Holy Bible. He established schools and improved upon those already existing. He formulated the first books of ritual and translated the works of the Holy Fathers into Armenian. He wrote a number of canons, hymns, and prayers and is recognized as one of the founders of Armenian ecclesiastical and national literature. His fruitful life ended in 437 AD at the ripe old age of 89. With the death of St. Sahag, the line of St. Gregory the Illuminator was also ended. St. Sahag is remembered as one of the greatest saints of the Armenian Church. His work, together with St. Mesrob and King Vramshabouh, granted the Armenian nation the key necessary for its survival, the establishment of Armenian literature. He ushered in the Golden Age, and was responsible for Armenia becoming ecclesiastically and nationally autonomous, giving it the strength to withstand centuries of political division and subservience.

Sahag and Hamazasp Ardzroonik (786 AD)

During the Arab rule in Armenia, these two brothers with a number of other Armenian nobles were responsible for a minor revolution. When they were finally captured, they were given the choice between changing their religion or death. They refused to convert to Islam so the Arab overlord, in his impassioned anger, had them severely tortured and finally beheaded in 786 AD Then he had their bodies hung and finally burned with the ashes spread into the wind so that no relics would remain from their martyred bodies.

Sahag and Hovsep Gametzik (808 AD)

Sahag and Hovsep were the sons of a Muslim father and an Armenian mother. Their father not only permitted his wife to remain Christian but also allowed her to raise her children as Christians. Pressured by the Muslim overlords to convert, they resisted and were tortured and martyred in the city of Gadn because of their refusal to accept Islam.

Santookht, Virgin Princess (1st Century)'

Daughter of King Sanadrook, the Princess Santookht was converted to Christianity by the Apostle Thaddeus. When the king heard of her conversion, he tried every means possible that she might forego Christianity and return to paganism. Exhausting all possible means of persuasion, the king finally offered his daughter a choice between the crown and a sword; between martyrdom for Christ and the regal coronet. Remaining steadfast in her faith, she chose the sword, thereby becoming the first saint of the Armenian Church. She is also remembered as the first witness for Christianity in Armenia as well as an apostle In that she, while learning from the Apostle Thaddeus, was Instrumental in the conversion of many others.

The Apostle Thaddeus, who was martyred by decapitation at the hand of the same king a few days later, had secretly buried her remains. Both the apostle's and the first saint's relics were discovered by means of a divine vision near the field of Shavarshan by a monk name Giregos, at some time in the 4th or early 5th century.

The Seven Witnesses Called Vegetarians (604 AD)

These seven young men came together near the end of the sixth century from both the Persian and Greek parts of Armenia to live as hermits in the surroundings of the Monastery of Klag. They retired to a nearby cave and used only wild roots, berries, and other types of plant for nourishment.

When the Persian troops marched through Armenia in pursuit of the Byzantines, Armenian Christians suffered the same fate as the Christian Greeks. Boghigarbos, the leader of the seven witnesses, suggested to the abbot of the monastery that he and his companions remain to protect the monastery and the monks should go for help and protection. When the Persian troops passed through, all seven of the witnesses were decapitated. Upon the return of the abbot and monks, they found the bodies of the saints and buried them. With Boghigarbos as their leader, the names of the seven are Teovnas, Simeon, Hovhannes, Yebipan, Timarios, and Nargesos.

Shooshart (470 AD)

St. Shooshan, whose baptismal name was Varteni, was the daughter of St. Vartan. She received her early education from St. Sahag and her saintly mother, Sahaganoosh. Her father's martyrdom was a powerful impetus to her own piety and grace. When of age, she was married to Vazken, the son of the Georglan King, to whom she bore three sons and one daughter. Before the death of her father-in-law, Shooshan lived a very happy and peaceful life; but upon his death, events took a drastic change. Vazken became power-hungry and, after being called to Persia, returned to Georgia, having renounced his faith and brought with him another wife. Shooshan was appalled by what he had done and sought sanctuary in the church. Vazken was determined that she also changes her faith and proceeded to persecute her mercilessly. He insulted her father's memory and had her chained in prison where she was subjected for more than seven years to all kinds of torture, especially at the hands of wizards who tried devious methods to have her renounce her faith; he forced her children to apostatize, which was perhaps the most heinous blow. Even after her death, It took the pleas of the high-ranking clergy as well as the king's brother and other relatives to have her buried properly. The king's wish was to have her dismembered and her memory erased for all time.

The Sookiasians (130 AD)

The Sookiasians were members of the Royal Court converted and baptized by the Vosgeyan priests, after whose deaths they retired to the mountains as hermits.

After a number of years, the Caucasian Albanian king called them back to could but they refused. The king, having been angered by their refusal to return to court and worship the pagan gods had the Sookiasians impaled and burned to death. Two of the younger saints were not apprehended but died later in their mountains retreat and were buried by shepherds. The date of the martyrdom of the Sookiasian saints is about 130 AD

Stepanos Oolnetzi (Steven of Oolnia) and His Companions (c. 450 AD)

During a period of severe persecution in Armenia Minor, Stepanos, his parents, a group of nuns, and other companions escaped to the mountains; Stepanos' father died on the way. Here they remained successfully hidden for three months until one of the local shepherds betrayed them. They were called before the judge and professed their faith and willingness to die rather than give up their Christian faith. Stepanos and his companions were subjected to horrible tortures, while his mother was stabbed through the heart, and the nuns were beheaded. After the saints were tortured beyond endurance, they were beheaded. Hundreds of pagans who witnessed their martyrdom were Inspired to convert to Christianity; their executioners converted as well. The converts gathered up the relics of the saints and took them to the city of Oolnia.

Tatool, Varos, and Toomas (5th Century)

Tatool and Varos were brothers who decided to retreat to the mountains of Armenia to live as hermits in order to strengthen their faith. They had been witnesses of the deportation of the Armenian clergy and exile of the Armenian nobility during the Vartanantz Battle. Being students of Saints Sahag and Mesrob, they also worked during and after the Vartanantz Battle to reject the monks of Persia and fire worship in general. After remaining in the mountains together for a number of years where they lived a more severe life and ate wild berries and roots for nourishment, they parted to live separately. Tatool became famous with the mountain people .for his piety and, before long, many students gathered around him. He established a monastery in which Toomas became his most outstanding pupil, endeared to all because of his piety, Intelligence, and good nature. As Tatool preferred the life of a hermit to that of abbot of a monastery, he turned his monastery over to Toomas and returned to the mountains,

All three saints lived to an old age and monasteries were constructed over their places of rest.

Tavit Tvinetzi (David of Tvin) (701 AD)

Born Sourban of a Persian father and a Christian mother, he entered military service of the Arab overlords at a very young age and was assigned to Armenia, where he served side by side with the Armenian prince Krikor Mamigonian. He accepted the Christian faith and was baptized by Catholicos Nerses the Builder and renamed Tavit. He lived many years in peace and made his home near the Armenian capital, Tvin. When Abdulla Vostigan became overlord of Armenia, he started a series of persecutions against the Christians. Tavit, a former follower of Islam, was among the first to be arrested. When he refused to change his religion, he was crucified and speared upon the cross, when he was sixty years of age. His body was buried near the Mother Chumh of Tvin and the cross and spear used to martyr him were kept in the church.

Vahan Koghtnatzi (Vahan of Koghtn) (737 AD)

As a young child, Vahan was taken into custody with many other children of Armenian nobility who had been killed. He was moved to Damascus where he received his education and, like the other children, Islamic training. He was well liked by the Arab leaders and attained a high position in the court. While sewing in court, the Arab overlords granted the captured Armenian children, who had grown to adulthood, the right to return home. Vahan promised his overlord he'd come back but after returning to Armenia, his overlord died and Vahan felt he was released from his promise.

Vahan married and established himself over the lands of his father who was killed prior to his captivity. The Arab overlords, however, demanded Vahan's return and started to pursue him. He fled from one place to another over a number of years, leaving his family and home. At each place he went, the populace became endangered because of his presence so he finally decided to surrender himself, explain his desire to remain in Armenia and practice his own religion. The Vostigan governing Armenia had him immediately thrown into prison and after many different kinds of torture, he was finally beheaded. His life and martyrdom were recorded and according to some traditions, his sister wrote the melody and lyric of the sharagan dedicated to this saint.

Vartanank: St. Vartan and 1036 Martyrs (451 AD)

In 451 AD the Persians waged war against the Armenian princes after a series of attempts to force the Armenians to follow Mazdaism. For a number of decades, this confrontation had been looming and with the refusal of the Armenian princes to conceal, it was brought to a peak. Under the leadership of St. Vadan Mamigonlan, the princes fought with their armies against the might of the Persian Empire. Armenia's terrain was to the advantage of her brave sons but the vast numbers of the Persians brought victory to their side (60,000 Armenians against 200,000 Persians excluding the armored elephant brigade).

This battle, known as the Battle of Avarayr (the field where it was fought) is the first recorded battle in defense of Christianity. As the historian Yeghisheh states, the Armenians fought "for the freedom of religion and for the Fatherland." The battle became a spiritual victory for the Armenian nation in that the Persian kings henceforth recognized the Armenian claims for freedom of worship. St. Vartan and the 1036 martyrs are held in special respect by the Armenian people who have continued for centuries to hold fast to their Christian faith and to their national identity.

The following is pad of the response of the Armenian princes to the Persian King, which has served as an Inspiration to Armenians for centuries.

"From this faith, no one can shake us, neither angels nor men; neither sword, nor fire, nor water, nor any, nor all other horrid tortures. All our goods and possessions are in your hands, our bodies are before you; dispose of them, as you will. If you leave us to our belief, we will, here on earth, choose no other master in your place, and in heaven choose no other God in place of Jesus Christ, for there is no other God. But should you require anything beyond this great testimony, here we are; our bodies are in your hands; do with them as you please. Tortures from you, submission from us; the sword is yours, the neck ours. We are no better than our forefathers who, for the sake of this faith, surrendered their goods, their possessions, and their bodies. "Were we even immortal, it would become us to die for the love of Christ; for He Himself was immortal and so loved us that He took death on Himself that we, by His death, might be freed from eternal death. And since He did not spare His immortality, we, who became mortal of our own will, will die for His love willingly, so that He may make us participants in His immortality. We shall die as mortals that He accepts our death as that of immortals.

"Do not therefore interrogate us further concerning all this because our bond of faith is not with men to be deceived like children but with God to whom we are indissolubly bound and from. Whom nothing can detach and separate us, neither now, nor later, nor forever, nor forever and ever." The historian Yeghisheh then adds:

"The entire multitude, from the highest to the lowest, assented to this declaration of faith. They bound themselves by an inviolable vow to remain true to their confession in life and in death."

This confession has served as a supreme example of the faith, which has sustained the Armenian nation for more than fifteen hundred years through persecution, massacre, and finally attempted genocide. Until today, you may hear Armenian children In every part of the world reciting a treasured poem: "1 am Armenian, Armenian; I am the grandchild of Brave Vartan."

Vertanes, Catholicos (341 AD)

St. Vertanes was the eider of St. Gregory's sons and followed his brother to the Catholical Throne in 333 AD St. Vedanes had two sons, Krikoris and Hoosig. He is noted for his works in spreading Christianity to those provinces where paganism still prevailed, particularly in the province of Daron. He is also known as the founder of the idea of a national church.

The Vosgeyan Priests (107 AD)

According to tradition, the Armenian King Sanadrook sent these five leaders to Rome as ambassadors. On their way they met the Apostle Thaddeus who converted and baptized them. Their leader, Vosgi, whose name they bear, led them to the mountains in one of the eastern provinces; there they lived as hermits for over forty years whereupon they started to preach to the Royal Court. There, they converted Queen Satenig's relatives who were Caucasian Albanians and called the Sookiasians. The Vosgeyan priests were martyred by Prince Ardavast in 107 AD

Yeghisheh, Movses, and Tavit The Holy Translators (5th century)

Yeghisheh was one of the most renowned of the students of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob and, according to tradition, served as secretary to St. Vartan. He wrote the great history of the Battle of Vartanantz in which he also included a section about the Council of Ardashad. He was author of many books and wrote commentaries on some of the books of the Old Testament. After the Battle of Vartanantz, he retired to the mountains. After returning for a time to civilization, he once again retreated to the mountains of the province of Mogk where he lived a virtuous life. Later when the local peasants learned of his saintly ways, he moved to the mountains of the Rushdouni province, where he passed away.

Movses of Khoren, known as the father of Armenian history, was also one of the more important students of St. Sahag and St. Mesrob. He is noted for his abilities in philosophy as well as being a great spiritual leader and pious in nature. He possessed a genius, which was soon realized, and he was commissioned to write a history of Armenia. Later he also wrote a number of very important works among which are histories, poems, hymns, orations, and chants. He was ordained bishop but in a later period, he met opposition as a student of the great translators and was martyred.

Tavit the Invincible, was a student of Movses and received his higher education in centers outside Armenia, particularly in Athens where he received the title of Invincible because of his genius in philosophy. He translated the works of Plato and Aristotle and is also noted for a number of commentaries and ecclesiastical writings. Like Movses, he was subject to persecution. Tavit, like Movses and Yeghisheh, is remembered as one of the Great Translators and intellectuals of the late 5th century who, with pure faith and genius crowned the Golden Age of Armenian literature and church history.

The Feasts

The anniversaries of significant events and dates related to important individuals are commemorated in secular life. Likewise, the Church commemorates events and Individuals significant in our spiritual lives.

The purpose of an ecclesiastical feast is not an excuse for celebration but rather, celebrations are a means by which we may awaken our own spirituality. In this way the individual may be more receptive to the spiritual strengthening of grace, divine order, and to the intercession of the saints, thus, serving as a means, through prayer, to invoke reflection and rededication.

The Armenian Church celebrates three types of feasts and ecclesiastical celebrations: dominical Feasts, Saints' Days, and Days of Abstinence.

Dominical Feasts refer not only to those feasts connected to Christ's mission of redemption and those events connected thereunto, but also to those feasts and celebrations dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, the Holy Cross and the Church. This is so because all of the above-mentioned are commemorated in honor of and in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Saints' Days commemorate those who have been canonized because they have lived exemplary lives of Christian virtue and sanctity.

Days of Abstinence are intended as a time for repentance, meditation, and reflection. It is also a time of prayer--for ourselves, for others, and for the repose of the souls of those who have fallen asleep in the Lord.

Dominical feasts take preeminence in all cases. The mason for this is that Christ, His ministry and the person of the Holy Mother of God is an axis for and a means of our salvation,

The Saints' days, which are numerous, are compelling and spiritually inspiring. They put us in contact with the divine plan of salvation as it is witnessed here on earth through martyrdom or the virtuous behavior of exemplary individuals chosen by the Lord.

During days of abstinence we try to strengthen our souls by means of reflection, meditation and through ritual, keeping our physical beings from pleasure and enjoyment. Lent has two meanings for us; physical and ritualistic. On such days ritual Is strictly penitential and we are careful to abstain from certain foods; during such periods the Church nevertheless celebrates the commemoration of the saints.

The most ancient manner of abstinence Is fasting, which means to refrain from eating at all for an entire day or for a number of days. Through time, strict adherence to fasting has been modified to certain hours of the day rather than the entire day. This method also has been modified to mean only refraining from rich foods. On the Eves of the Feasts, It has also been permitted to partake of fish and dairy products, which is yet another modification of abstinence. This method has been widely used by the Roman Catholic Church and to some degree by the Orthodox Churches but remains in our Church a practice permitted only on the eve of a major feast.

 

In the Armenian Church, lent (fasting or abstinence) means to refrain from all meat and animal by-products and to partake only of those foods which are plants or grown in the earth.

DOMINICAL FEASTS

Dominical feasts are divided into three categories. They are the propers of Dominical feasts, feasts of the Holy Mother of God and Dominical observances.

 

The Proper of Dominical Feasts

 

There are three feasts In this category: Theophany, the Transfiguration and the Resurrection.

In the early days of Christianity, Dominical feasts fell Into two groups: A) observances of Christs earthly ministry and B) the final events of His ministry of salvation. The first group commences on January 5th and concludes on January 13th with the great day of celebration being January 6th, no matter which day of the week it is. This day is called Theophany, the "Revelation of God."

The second group is called the 'Resurrection', and begins with Palm Sunday, lasting until Pentecost (the Advent of the Holy Spirit).

THEOPHANY

In early times, the Feast of Theophany was celebrated together with a number of observances as Is recorded in the Holy Gospels. They are: the Annunciation of the archangel Gabriel to the Holy Virgin Mary; the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the glorification of the heavenly hosts, the veneration by the shepherds and the coming of the Magi; the Circumcision; the Naming of our Lord; the Presentation to the Temple; the Flight to Egypt and Return; the Baptism at the River Jordan; the Temptation in the Wilderness and the Testimony (Witness) of St. John the Forerunner. This group of feasts was celebrated from the 6th to the 13th of January. Of them the most prominent was the Birth and Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, with special importance afforded to the Baptism. These two were celebrated together (called Theophany, "the revelation of God,") on January the 6th no matter on which day of the week it fell. The reason for this double celebration is that at Christ's baptism He was revealed as God and Savior. The voice of the Father and appearance of the Holy Spirit in dove-form likewise was a revelation of the Holy Trinity and one Godhead.

Until about the second half of the second century, both in the East and the West, the Baptism of Christ was held In preeminence above all other celebrations, even to that of the Birth of our Lord. it was also in that same period that In the West a need arose to separate the Feast of the Birth from Theophany by celebrating It on December 25. This was also designed to discourage Christians from partaking In a major pagan festival on that day. This custom eventually became accepted in the East as well, particularly in Jerusalem where it was very difficult to celebrate Christ’s Birth In Bethlehem and His Baptism at the River Jordan on the same day. Therefore, by the end of the fourth century, all churches were celebrating Christ's Birth on December 25, with the exception of the Armenian Church, which did not feel the need to deviate from the ancient canon.

The other observances connected with Theophany also did not retain their previous status. With consideration of the Canonical Church Year and after some time, the Annunciation was changed to April 7th (in other churches near March 25). Feasts of the Holy Mother of God became special occasions of pious celebration and specific ritual; the Presentation to the Temple was changed to forty days after the Nativity -- February 14 (in other churches February 2). The Circumcision, Name Day of our Lord and the Temptation in the Wildemess were recalled during the octave of Theophany (to January 13); the Coming of the Magi, the Escape to and Return from Egypt am also recalled during that period.

 

Readings:

The Annunciation: Luke 1:26-38, 56

The Nativity: Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-21

The Baptism: Matthew 3:1-17, Mark 1:4-11

The Naming and Circumcision: Luke 2:21

The Presentation to the Temple: Luke 2:22-40

The Flight to Egypt: Matthew 2:13-23

The Temptations in the Wildemess: Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13

TRANSFIGURATION

The previous group of religious observances, titled Theophany, dealt with Christ's birth, childhood, and youth as recorded in the Holy Gospels. As we shall see later in this chapter, those observances connected to the final events in our Lord's life, e.g., His Final Entry into Jerusalem, His Betrayal, Passion, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension are grouped together under the title of Resurrection.

Between these two groupings, Theophany and Resurrection, falls the three-year period of our Lord's ministry, during which He preached and performed miracles. These are recalled throughout the entire Church year without special celebration and in particular on Sundays and penitential days, and as they am taught through the ritual (sharagans, prayers, etc.) and the reading of the Holy Gospels. The only exception is that of the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the summer of the third year of Christ's ministry, the Transfiguration took place on the summit of Mount Tabor. The Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 6th. Saint Gregory the Illuminator established the celebration of the Feast of the Transfiguration in our church on the first day of the month of Navasart, which corresponds to the first day of the Armenian calendar year, August 11. It is most likely that Saint Gregory did this to discourage the pagan New Year celebrations which took place in Ashdishad and around the nearby Innagyan Temple (which later became the Monastery of Soorp Garabed in Moush) which were the primary holy sites in pagan Armenia.

During the pontificate of Catholicos Movses II, Yeghivartzi, the Armenian calendar underwent modification in 551 AD, at which time the date of the Transfiguration was also changed. In light of the fact that a major feast, that of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, was being celebrated in August, the Feast of the Transfiguration was separated from the New Year (Navasart) and tied to the dominical observance of the Resurrection. Thus, the date was moved forward to a Sunday fourteen weeks after the Feast of the Resurrection (seven weeks after Pentecost). It thus was tied to the Feast of the Resurrection and became a variable feast. As in the case of Easter, there may be a 35-day variation wherein it may fall on a Sunday between June 28 and August 1.

Although this Christian feast was separated from the pagan festival, it nevertheless retained the common name Vartavar. Some customs also remained, such as decorating the church with roses or other flowers, spraying one another with water, and the releasing of doves which are truly the last customs of ancient pagan Armenia still practiced. By practicing these customs, however, pious Christians have modified their meaning and have given them a new meaning in light of the Holy Scriptures, thereupon recalling the Great Flood, the dove of Noah and other such symbolic references.

The Feast of the Transfiguration, Vartavar, is celebrated for three days with the exception of the Eve of the Feast on the previous Saturday. It is the third major or tabernacle feast of the Armenian Church and for this reason the following Monday is a day dedicated to the repose of all souls.

 

Readings:

Matthew 17:1-9

Mark 9:2-10

Luke 9:28-36

RESURRECTION

Of the final acts of our Lord's earthly ministry, it is most convenient to classify them by using the name of the one of primary importance, namely, the Resurrection. This classification of feasts connected to the Resurrection encompasses a sixty-four day period which begins with the Saturday prior to Palm Sunday and dedicated to the Raising of Lazarus and concludes with the seven-day period of abstinence dedicated to the prophet Elijah and ending on a Saturday. This would comprise the Raising of Lazarus, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday to the Ascension (Thursday), a forty-day period, and from the Ascension to Pentecost (another ten days), which is followed by the six days of abstinence dedicated to the Prophet Elijah.

In the early church there was much discussion and debate as to the proper day for the celebration of Easter. The basic concern was whether to celebrate it on the day of the Judaic Feast of Passover or on the closest Sunday thereto. This discussion was ended in 325 AD by the decision of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea wherein it was decided that the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ would be celebrated on the first Sunday following the full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox. This decision and particularly the celebration of Easter on a Sunday was based on the fact that it was a Sunday on which Christ rose from the dead, or in other words, It was the second day of Passover of that year in which our Lord was crucified and died.

The Feast of Theophany and related observances are celebrated by precise chronological (solar calendar) equations and are not variable, no matter on which day of the week they may fall. Likewise, the Feasts of the Holy Mother of God, the Holy Cross-, and the Church are celebrated by using the solar calendar. Easter, however, and the religious observances connected to it, are calculated by the lunar calendar and like the Passover, are variable within a 35-day period. Therefore, Easter may fall between March 22 and April 25. (The variation of the celebration of Easter between the Eastern and Western churches is strictly related to the calendar and the equations thereof, and in no way are theological). Easter and its related observances encompass a 24-week (168-day) period, which includes the 10-week period prior to Easter, from the Fast of the Catechumens to the Feast of the Transfiguration.

The first observance related to the Feast of the Resurrection is the Remembrance of the Raising of Lazarus, which foretold our Lord's own miraculous Resurrection. It serves as an Introduction to the glorious Resurrection of our Lord and not as a commemoration of Lazarus and his sisters which is celebrated separately. The first view we have of that glorious event is on the following day, Palm Sunday. This is Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem as Messiah.

Sometimes Palm Sunday is referred to as Advent In reference to Christ's coming as the Messiah to Jerusalem and to His Passion. For that reason it is connected with Christ's Second or Final Coming and Is celebrated in our church in the evening with the special ritual of the 'Opening of the Doors,' a foreshadowing of the Last Judgment and divine justice (compassion).

The week following Palm Sunday is known as Holy Week (Avak Shapat) and each day of that week, Monday through Saturday, is prefixed with the word Holy, which in a way reflects the week prior to Theophany wherein the holy days (Avak Doner) are dedicated to the saints.

The first three days of Holy Week are not dedicated to any particular observances. The readings from the Holy Gospels describe that period from His entry into Jerusalem until the fulfillment of the divine plan of Salvation. The lections from the Old Testament describe the Creation, the fall of man, sin, the Flood, the escape of the righteous by means of the Ark, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, reminding us of the need +for the Incarnation and Salvation. The daily sharagans describe this both beautifully and compellingly. Holy Wednesday's lections and hymns are particularly concerned with the Betrayal, which was the first event in the mystery of the divine plan of Redemption.

Holy Thursday is the celebration of the Passover Sacrifice, the Last Supper and the establishment of the sacrament of Holy Communion. The midday Liturgy is celebrated during which the faithful prepare themselves through penance and by receiving absolution. That evening, with great ceremony, the ritual of 'Washing of the Feet' takes place, which, according to the Holy Gospels, symbolizes humility. The ritual, which was established in the 1lth century by Catholicos Krikor Vugayaser, was originally practiced in more simple fashion. The priest would wash and bless with oil the feet of all the faithful in the vestibule

(Narthex) of the church, Later, this ritual became more elaborate and was performed on the bema. The Odes and 'Discourse on Love' were added at a later time, which show how this ceremony has been embellished.

On Holy Friday, the Evening Service (Khavaroom)' and Midday Service of the Crucifixion are performed in remembrance of Christ's Betrayal and Passion (suffering).

On Holy Friday afternoon the Burial Service is performed which can also be considered as the Rite of the Descent from the Cross. The Trisagion (Soorp Asdvadz) is sung on bended knees and is traditionally dedicated to Joseph of Arimathea who, according to tradition, sang it as Christ's body was taken down from the Cross.

Holy Saturday is dedicated to the Savior's Burial and the sealing of the Tomb. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated at the end of the day (dusk), "Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week..." Matt. 28:1. For that reason it is called Jurakalooytz (Candle mass) because it was at that time that in all homes every lamp was lit to signify the beginning of a new day.

The term Jurakalooytz, although similarly used for the Candle mass prior to the Feast of Theophany, was most likely first used only for the Feast of the Resurrection. It was initiated in Jerusalem in reference to the special ritual performed Easter Eve at Christ's Tomb (Service of the Light). From ancient times until the present the faithful of the Eastern churches gather there with great anticipation to express their faith and piety during the compelling and inspiring service of the 'light.'

From Easter to the Sunday of Pentecost is a fifty-day (50) period called Quinquagesima. As part of the Quinquagesima the first forty-day (40) period culminates with the Feast of the Ascension which is celebrated on the Thursday of the sixth week. This entire period is dedicated solely to the mystery of the Resurrected Savior's encounters with His Apostles and followers during that period with the exception of only four special remembrances, which do not detract from the preeminence of the Resurrection.

The first of these is the Decapitation of St. John the Baptist that is remembered on the first Saturday or the seventh day of Quinquagesima. It is remembered by the lection (during the Morning Service) of the Gospel of St. Mark, which describes the occurrence.

The second is New Sunday, which is the first Sunday after Easter, the eighth day of Quinquagesima. Its purpose is to emphasize the wondrous Resurrection, with only minor variables in the hour’s services.

The next is the Sunday of the World Church, which follows New Sunday and commemorates the establishment in Jerusalem of the first Christian Church. According to some, it was founded in the Chapel on Zion where the Upper Room was and where our Lord established the Sacrament of Holy Communion. (According to others it is the Cathedral of the Holy Sepulcher/Holy Resurrection).

The last is the fifth Sunday of Quinquagesima when the Feast of the Apparition of the Holy Cross over Jerusalem is celebrated, which took place during the time of Emperor Constans of Byzantium and Patriarch Cyril of Jerusalem. (See Feast of the Holy Cross)

After the Feast of the Ascension, which is celebrated in commemoration of our Lord's ascent into heaven, the ensuing nine days until Pentecost compoundly celebrate the Resurrection and the Ascension.

The seventh Sunday of Eastertide, which falls within this ten-day period, combines an ecclesiastical and national tradition, which is recalled in the sharagan of the day. According to tradition, an angel visited St. Gregory the Illuminator daily during his imprisonment in Khor Virab, yet on that day the angel did not appear. On the following day when the saint asked the angel about his absence he explained that each day a rank of heavenly hosts celebrated Christ's Ascension and since it was the fourth day and he belonged to the fourth rank he took part in the celestial celebration. This Sunday is also known as the Second Palm Sunday because the gospel readings of Sunday recall Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem (the same as Palm Sunday).

The final feast of the Resurrection grouping is that of the Advent of the Holy Spirit, which takes place on the fiftieth day of Quinquagesima, a Sunday (10 days after the Ascension). It commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles In the Upper Room in tongues of fire, granting power and grace to them for the establishment of the Christian Church.

In ancient times this feast was celebrated only one day, since the next day the Fast of Elijah commenced. In the 12th century, St. Nerses the Graceful established the seven-day celebration of Pentecost retaining the fast. Aside from the 64 days of the above-mentioned period all Sundays of the year am dedicated to Christ's Resurrection. Other churches, while dedicating Sundays to the Resurrection, also celebrate other feasts and Saints Days on Sunday. In the Armenian Church, Saints Days are never celebrated on Sunday. Only a few Dominical are celebrated on Sunday, i.e. Transfiguration, Assumption of the Holy Mother of God, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Discovery of the Holy Cross etc. but always with the emphasis on the Resurrection, with the reading of the Myrophores (Gospel of the Oil Bearing Women) and the mood of all ritual being that of the Resurrection. Those lections from the gospels, which include both the Burial and Resurrection of our Lord, are read in the morning only during Great Lent and then only those verses dealing with the Burial. Yet, the concept of the Resurrection is recalled during the ensuing Liturgy when the deacons beseech the Lord saying, "make us worthy of thy Resurrection."

 

Readings:

The Raising of Lazarus: John 11:1-44

Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-10, Luke 19:2840

John 12:12-19

Holy Week: Matthew 26:1-27:66, Mark 14:1-15:47, Luke 22:1-23:56, John 13:1-19:42

Resurrection-Easter: Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12,

John 20:1-18

Decapitation of St, John the Baptist: Mark 6:14-29 Ascension: Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53 Pentecost: Acts 2:1-4

Feasts of the Holy Mother of God

The Holy Mother of God serves as an excellent example of Christ’s redemptive grace and is an inseparable part of Christ's dominical economy.

In the 5th century at the holy Ecumenical Council of Ephesus, where the Nestorian heresy was condemned, the Holy Mother's position as "Mother of God" and "Bearer of God" (Asdvadzamayr-Asdvadzadzin) was doctrinally established.

Only those aspects of St. Mary's life, which are directly related to Christ or His dominical economy, are mentioned in the Holy Gospels. The remainder of her biography is attributed to Holy Tradition which is common to all the ancient churches and which is covered in much of the most ancient of ecclesiastical literature.

Accordingly, St. Mary was of the house of David, daughter of Joachim and Anna of Nazareth (originally Bethlehem). Anna, being barren, prayed for a child and made special vows, which were answered by the birth of her only child, a daughter whom she named Mariam (Mary). Although Mary was born naturally (having both a father and mother) she is considered morally pure and immaculate. It is for this reason that the church not only celebrates her birth but also her conception, which the Greek Orthodox and we celebrate on December 9, and the Roman Catholic Church on the 8th. The concept of her being morally immaculate later developed into the question of her Immaculate Conception (from Anna), a doctrine adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in 1854. Our church, on the other hand, does not accept this, as it attributes to Mary that which belongs only to Christ; only Christ was immaculately conceived. Yet, her purity is unquestioned. According to the teaching of the Armenian Church, at the time of the Annunciation when the Holy Spirit entered her she was cleansed of all sin (original sin) as she was to be the vessel in which God manifest was to be incarnated.

Feast of the Conception of St. Mary. Although chronologically the first In the events of the Holy Mother's life, this feast entered in the church calendar relatively late and has no specific hymn have its own.

Feast of the Birth of the Holy Mother of God. The second feast of the Holy Mother is her birth, which is non-variable and celebrated alike by all traditional churches on September 8. There is no information concerning her birth and, in fact, the place of her birth, whether Nazareth or Bethlehem; nor the date. Based on the Jewish tradition of that time, it is safe to say she was between 14 and 18 years of age when the Annunciation took place.

Presentation to the Temple of the Holy Mother of God. The third feast of the Holy Mother of God is the Presentation to the Temple at the third year, which is non-variable and is celebrated by all the traditional churches on November 21. The meaning of this feast is that since Mary’s parents made a vow, she was presented to the Temple at an age when she could be separated from her parents. According to tradition, she stayed therefor awhile and at seven was given over to the care of pious widows and maidens who lived at the Temple. One of them was the prophetess Anna. After another seven years, Mary became betrothed to Joseph the Carpenter.

The other commemorations concerning Mary's life are recorded in the Holy Gospels, and perhaps belong more to the commemorations of Christ's life, as they are an integral part of His plan of redemptive economy. They are:

 

The Annunciation, which on one hand is part of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy and plan. On the other, it was the most important event in Mary's life.

The Visit to Elizabeth, which is a celebration of Mary's maternity. The Roman Catholic Church celebrates this feast separately on July 2 as a manifestation of God.

Christ’s 40th Day Presentation to the Temple, which is called by some the Sanctification of St. Mary. In Jewish tradition, mothers present themselves to the temple 40 days after giving birth for purification.

Other incidents recorded in the Holy Gospels are:

(a) When Jesus was 12 years old, the trip to Jerusalem, His being lost, sought after by His parents and found in the Temple.

(b) The Wedding Feast of Cana where He changed the water into wine at His mother's request. (c) Her search for Him in Capernaum. (d) At the foot of His Cross on Golgotha

(e) After the Ascension, her constant presence with the Apostles.

 

None of the above has been commemorated with a special feast; they are all connected with the commemoration of Christ’s redemptive economy after the Ascension.

After the Ascension of her divine Son, the remainder of St. Mary's life comes to us through Holy Tradition. It states she lived out the rest of her days in Jerusalem cared for by St. John the Evangelist. She died In Jerusalem some 15 years after Christ's Ascension and was buried in her family tomb in Gethsemane.

The other tradition which states that the Holy Mother died in the City Ephesus is not a very reliable one and was most likely formulated because St. John the Evangelist had lived in that city. Nevertheless, the church on the occasion of her "death" offers the greatest respect with great solemnity and rituals. This non-variable commemoration is the oldest of all those dedicated to the Holy Mother and is celebrated by all churches on August 15. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast on the nearest Sunday to the 15th of August (August 12-18) which was adopted at the time of St. Nerses the Graceful if not later. Its commemoration lasts for nine days and not three as it did previously.

The Holy Tradition concerning the death of the Holy Mother appears nearly identically in the traditions of all the ancient churches and was presented in the abridged fashion in the Sharagan "Arevelk Kerarpin" by Giragos Vartabed:

 

The Holy Virgin lived in Jerusalem after our Lord's crucifixion for fifteen years after which she passed away. All the Apostles, save Bartholomew, who was absent at that time, conducted her funeral with great ceremony and hymns at her cave-like tomb in the Garden of Gethsemane. After a short while, St. Bartholomew returned and wished so dearly to see the Holy Mother one last time that he convinced the Apostles to open the tomb.

 

Upon opening the tomb, they could not find the body of the Holy Mother. Angels' voices were heard for three days and nights. They interpreted the angels' singing as a sign that our Lord had assumed (taken up) His Mother into heaven as He had promised her. They found the empty tomb a confirmation of that promise for she had not been dead but had fallen asleep. For this reason, the church refers to the end of her earthly life as "the dormition" rather than "death."

 

The concept of her Assumption is a most ancient one as is witnessed in sacred prose and poetry dedicated to the Holy Mother. Yet, it did not become a basic teaching (doctrine) of the church until the ninth century. And it wasn't until the 12th century that the feast was titled "the Assumption."

 

We should note that the Service of the Blessing of the Grapes is customarily performed on the Feast of the Assumption. This however is a special service dedicated to the autumnal harvest of which the grape is usually the first fruit (in Armenia usually harvested middle to late August) and also from which the wine of Holy Communion is made. There is however no canon stating that this service must be performed on that particular Sunday.

Concurrent with the tradition of the dormition is the Commemoration of her Image. According to tradition, as solace to St. Bartholomew for being unable to attend her funeral or see her, he was given a veil with the image of the Holy Mother, which she had blessed and given to St. John the Evangelist. According to Armenian Church tradition, St. Bartholomew brought that with him to Armenia and placed It at '"Tarpnyatz Kar" In the province of Antzevatz. There was established a convent of faithful nuns who honored and protected this relic. Sister’s Hoosig, Vormztad and Makovdoor are remembered as leaders of that convent. The convent was also known as "Hokvotz" or "Hokeyatz" and until recently was a place of pilgrimage to the Holy Image (Veil) despite the fact that the relic was not in view. It had been secreted in the walls of the convent to protect it against the constant attacks and pillaging. Since there are no relics of the Holy Mother's earthly body (as she was assumed into Heaven), her personal belongings became articles of pious devotion. As they were secretly kept during the time of persecution of the early church, they began to appear in later times.

The first, her belt or girdle, was discovered in Jerusalem in the fifth century during the reign of Emperor Argadeos. This important article of clothing and decoration for Eastern women was later translated to Constantinople and placed In the Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, where it was recorded to be at the time of Empress Zoe's miraculous recovery more than half a century later.

The second is her box or case, in which she kept her veil. According to tradition, two aristocratic brothers made a vow to go to the Holy Land. In a village of Galilee, most likely Nazareth, and many people were making pilgrimages to a certain Jewish woman's home where there was a box to which many miraculous cures were attributed. Through cunning, they were able to have another box made like the one they saw and switch it with the box of the Holy Mother. They returned to Constantinople where they were received with great ceremony and the box was placed in the Cathedral dedicated to the Holy Mother.

The celebration of the Discoveries of the Belt and Box of the Holy Mother of God were introduced into the Armenian Church during the revisions made by Catholicos Simeon Yerevantzi (Catholicos 1763-1780) to the Directory of Feasts (Donatzouytz). The Discovery of the Belt is celebrated on the second Sunday following the Feast of Assumption and the Discovery of the Box on the fifth Sunday after Pentecost.

Prior to Catholicos Simeon's revision, these were listed as voluntary celebrations and most Likely was celebrated only in Constantinople for a long period of time. Later in Western Armenia, not only were these commemorations celebrated but also so were others connected to the Holy Mother's personal items deemed relics. After the 13th century, when the Latin’s established their empire in Constantinople by means of the crusades, many ecclesiastic antiques and relics were translated from Byzantine to Europe.

The Armenian Church celebrates eight feasts of the Holy Mother of God. They are:

 

1. Her Nativity

2. Her Presentation to the Temple

3. The Annunciation

4. The Conception of St. Anna with Mary

5. The Purification

6. The Assumption

7. Discovery of the Belt (girdle)

8. Discovery of the Box (chest)

 

Readings:

Annunciation - Luke 1-26-38

Nativity - Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:1-21

Visit to Elizabeth - Luke 1:39-56

Christ's Presentation to the Temple - Luke 2:22-40

Jesus as a child is lost - Luke 2:41-52

Wedding in Cana - John 2:1-11

Capernaum - John 2:12

At the Cross - John 19:25-28

After Ascension - Acts 1:14

Dominical Observances

This section includes the Feasts of the Holy Cross and the Holy Church, which are truly dominical in that the 'Cross' was the 'vehicle' and the 'Church' the 'result' in God's redemptive plan. Both have been venerated throughout Christianity not only as honorable items but also as spiritual aids. The 'Cross' was the means by which Christ's blood was spilled thereby establishing the Holy Sacrament. The 'Church' is the institution in which one lives a sacramental and virtuous life, and is caretaker of our souls until the Great Judgment and the establishment of Christ's eternal kingdom.

FEASTS OF THE HOLY CROSS

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross-is the major feast celebrated in honor of the Holy Cross-. Other churches commemorate this feast on September 14: in our Church it is celebrated on the closest Sunday to the 14th making it variable between September 11-17. The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross-is solidly based on a glorious historical event.

Recorded in ecclesiastical chronicles and in accordance with Holy Tradition, the Holy Cross-was ceremoniously elevated only on three occasions before the faithful for veneration. The first Bishop of Jerusalem, St. James the Apostle, elevated a cross, blessing the faithful and according to tradition sang for the first time, "We bow before thy Cross, O Christ..." (This dagh or treasure is sung frequently in our Church, especially during Holy Week.) Reference was made to a Cross instead of the Holy Cross since at the time of St. James-- because of the pressure employed by the Jews and the subsequent Roman persecutions-- the name of Christ was still being whispered with much trepidation. Therefore, it was quite impossible to go to the dung-heap on Golgotha in which the Holy Cross-had been discarded after the crucifixion and rightfully display it for the veneration of the faithful. This tradition, established by St. James, points out that even in the earliest times of Christianity the Holy Cross, because of the Great Mystery it represents, was an article of devotion for Christians.

The second occasion when the Holy Cross-was elevated ceremoniously before the faithful for veneration was when it was 'discovered,' by Queen Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine in 326.

According to ecclesiastical chronicles, an informed Jew from Jerusalem by the name of Juda was forced to disclose the place where the Cross-was buried. Three crosses were found, one of them being our Lord's, the others belonging to the two criminals crucified with Him. In order to authenticate the true cross, the body of a youth who had recently died was placed on each. When he was placed on the third cross he was resurrected and thus the true and Holy Cross-was discovered. At that time, Bishop Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem elevated the Holy Cross-before the faithful who, having witnessed the miracle, were awe-inspired and venerated it. The commemoration of this historical event is celebrated on the closest Sunday to October 26 (variable from October 23-29), and is called Discovery of the Holy Cross.

Finally, the third and most auspicious occasion on which the Holy Cross-was elevated and venerated was upon its return from captivity. In 610 King Khosrov of Persia waged war against Emperor Heracle of Byzantlum, conquered Jerusalem, and took the Holy Cross-into captivity to Persia in 614 AD Heracle regrouped and went against the Persians again. At that time the general of the Armenian troops was Mjejh Knouni who also managed to gather troops from Persian Armenia. Khosrov suffered a great defeat and was murdered by his son Gavad Shiroh, who died a year later and was succeeded by his son-in-law Khoryam. Khoryam ascended to the Persian throne through Emperor Heracle's assistance on the condition that the Holy Cross-is returned. After accepting that condition, the Holy Cross-was returned to the Christians in 629. Its ceremonious journey from Persia to Garin, from Garin to Constantinople and finally back to Jerusalem was extremely emotion-evoking; it was elevated constantly along the way for the spiritual comfort of the faithful and everywhere it became a symbol of pious worship. It was this occasion, which gave reason for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross-, which the Greeks started to celebrate on September 14.

In our church, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross takes place with great ceremony and includes the ritual of the Procession and Blessing of the Four Corners of the Earth which is performed that day. It is most likely that this particular ritual reflects the deep feeling and emotion aroused in Armenia when the Holy Cross was elevated and brought through on its return to Jerusalem from Persian captivity.

In the southeastern section of the Valley of Garine lies a group of hills; its tallest peak, until recently, was known as Khachapayd (Wooden Cross). On a small plateau of that mountain, which has an elevation of 9000 feet, is a spring of fresh cold water, which has become a place of pilgrimage. According to tradition, the Persians had a change of heart after relinquishing the Holy Cross and tried to attack and regain it. The Armenians left the Holy Cross-at that place and repelled the attack with all their strength. Upon their return they saw the pure spring water flowing from the place they left the Holy Cross and thus it became a place of pilgrimage. At the foot of that same mountain is the Monastery of the Holy Cross-to which the faithful go on pilgrimage on the Feast of the Holy Cross.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, one of the Five Tabernacle (Daghavar) Feasts of the Armenian Church, is preceded by a fast (Monday through Friday) as precedes the feasts of the Transfiguration and Assumption. In connection with this feast are also celebrated the Eve of the Feast (Navagadik), Day of Remembrance (Merelotz), and post-festive celebration (7 days) of which and aside from the Eve of the Feast, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are feast days dedicated to the Holy Church. Theologically, Feasts of the Holy Cross-and the Holy Church differ only slightly since both are related to our Lord's redemptive economy.

The second feast of the Holy Cross-is that of the Discovery of the Holy Cross-, which has been described previously.

The Apparition of the Holy Cross is the third feast of the Holy Cross and is celebrated on the fifth Sunday of Quinquagesima after Easter. This commemoration is in remembrance of the apparition of the sign of the cross over the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives to Golgotha in 351 AD Its apparition was so luminous that it was shining brighter than the sun's light. It was seen by both cleric and lay persons who rushed to the churches to praise the Lord for this miraculous sign. Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem at that time, had recently composed a stem yet respectful letter to Emperor Constans of Byzantlum for reinstating the Adam heresy within the church and disrupting its peaceful functions. Admonishing the Emperor, the patriarch reminded him of the orthodox faith of his father Emperor Constantine the Great and cited the apparition as a further proof to convince him to return back to orthodoxy. The Armenian translation of this encyclical is read on this feast during Antastan prior to the Gospel lection.

The fourth and final feast of the Holy Cross-is that of the Holy Cross-of Varak. The previously described feasts of the Holy Cross-are common to all traditional churches, however this feast is particular to the Armenian Church. It is our feast of the Holy Cros