BUILDING THE ALTAR OF LIGHT
By Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
Painting of Holy Etchmiadzin by Levon Lachikyan of Yerevan, Armenia.
Today, the Armenian Church commemorates the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator and celebrates the foundation of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral.
Over seventeen centuries ago, in the heart of Armenia, a vision changed the course of our faith. St. Gregory saw a brilliant light descending from heaven, marking the very spot where the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin would be built. This was no ordinary light; it was the light of Christ Himself, illuminating the path for a nation and its people.
St. Gregory called out to the Armenian people with a message that resonates with us today: “Come, let us build the Altar of Light, for it is here that the Light has dawned upon us.” My friends, this was not just a call to build a physical structure; it was a call to build our lives around the light of Christ, to let His light shine in and through us.
In the Old Testament, altars were built as a sign of gratitude, a physical manifestation of their thankfulness for God’s blessings and interventions. When Noah and his family stepped out of the ark after the flood, the first thing Noah did was build an altar to the Lord. When Abraham received God’s promise, he built an altar in response. These altars were symbols of faith, devotion, and deep gratitude.
An altar is a place of sacrifice, a place of communion with God, a place where heaven touches earth. When we build our altars, we are creating sacred spaces in our hearts and lives where God’s presence can dwell. We are inviting His light to penetrate the darkest corners of our existence, to bring hope where there is despair, joy where there is sorrow, and peace where there is turmoil.
These altars may not be made of stone or wood, but they are just as real and powerful. Every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, every prayer lifted up is a brick in the altar we are building for God. And just like the light that St. Gregory saw, the light of Christ will shine through us, illuminating the world around us.
Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
June 2, 2024
Feast of the Holy Etchmiadzin
