THE RAISING OF LAZARUS

On Saturday before Palm Sunday the Armenian Orthodox Church commemorates the Raising of Lazarus as told in the Gospel of John, Chapter 11. Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha were good friends of Jesus.

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SUNDAY OF THE JUDGE

The Gospel reading for the Sunday is the parable of the Unjust Judge. The judge is seen as hard-hearted and without principles, fear of God, or regard for people. A widow in the same town has been ill-treated and she has come to the judge for justice. Although her cause is just, the judge does not pay attention to her case.

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SUNDAY OF THE STEWARD

The fourth Sunday of Lent, is the Sunday of the Steward. The parable of The Unrighteous Steward is in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16, verses 1 to 8. This parable is about a rich man and his steward. The steward was one who looked out for his own personal benefit and through his cunning arrangements he made deals with those who were in debt to his master…

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EVE OF GREAT LENT

Poon Paregentan is the last Sunday preceding the six-week, forty-day period of Great Lent. It falls seven weeks prior to the Resurrection (Easter Sunday) and, along with the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter), is a moveable feast within an interval of thirty-five days between February 1 and March 7.

The theme of Poon Paregentan is recalling man’s life of perfect harmony with God in the Garden of Eden before his fall from Grace. The hymns and odes of the day recall the story of God creating mankind in His image and likeness, placing man sinless in a bountiful garden paradise and allowing him to share in His divinity. The Lenten period of strict fasting, penance and reconciliation ultimately prepares us for Easter—the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

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BISHOP MESROP’S LENTEN MESSAGE 2025

We have entered the Season of Lent, and I want you to know that I will be praying for each and every one of you as you take this journey of reflection and preparation for the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ at Easter.
Great Lent is a time of many rich traditions in our Armenian Apostolic Church. It’s a time to engage in prayer, fasting, and giving—practices that open the door to God’s grace. I encourage you to take part in them and to be enriched in your spiritual life. Open yourself to the great love that God has for you. Listen for His voice and where it calls you.

Lent also reminds us of our need for repentance and the honest recognition that we are sinners who fall short of God’s glory. To many in the modern world, the very concept of sin seems old-fashioned. Yet, sin is part of our human nature; brokenness is our human condition.

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LAZARUS SATURDAY

On Saturday before Palm Sunday, we commemorate the Resurrection of Lazarus, the seventh and last sign of our Lord Jesus Christ described in the Gospel of John (John 11:1-46).

Jesus Christ freed Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, from the grasp of death and restored him to life through the power of His word: “Lazarus, come out!” The same voice that brought the universe to life now called Lazarus from the darkness of death to the light of life.

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HOLY WEEK | ԱՒԱԳ ՇԱԲԱԹ

We are now entering the most solemn period for Christians—Holy Week—leading us to our most sacred holiday, Easter and the Resurrection. The week before Easter marks a series of events in the life of Jesus that were ordained or prophesied.

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PALM SUNDAY | ԾԱՂԿԱԶԱՐԴ

Sunday, March 24, 2024, is Palm Sunday commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. The Church is joyful after forty days of repentance.

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GREAT LENT – DAY 35: SUNDAY OF THE ADVENT

For thousands of years, believers have looked up at the sky, waiting for God’s revelation. As the prophet Isaiah exclaimed, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down” (Isaiah 64:1). This expectation and longing were first fulfilled with the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The heavens opened, and God’s Only Begotten Son took on human flesh, born in a manger in Bethlehem. We are told in the Gospels that people joined the angels above, singing, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors!” (Luke 2:14). The One who split open the heavens and came down to earth on that silent night in Bethlehem also promised that in the last days, He will come again to judge the living and the dead (Matthew 24:36-44).

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SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Sixth and final Sunday of Great Lent, known as Sunday of Advent (Kalstyan Giragi). Sunday of Advent is in preparation of the following Sunday, Palm Sunday, which is the celebration of the glorious entry of our Lord into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week.

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