Every January 13, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of the Naming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in accordance with the Hebrew custom. The commemoration of this event (see Matthew 1:20-23; Luke 1:30-32; Luke 2:21) comes seven days after the Feast of Theophany, which is the eighth day of the octave of Theophany. This event of the naming and circumcision of our Lord resulted …
On Saturday, December 28, the Armenian Church commemorates the Holy Apostle James and John the Evangelist. Both held prominent positions among the twelve apostles, and they were called “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus (Mark 3:17) probably because they were impetuous and quick tempered as suggested in Luke …
The word apostle refers to the special inner circle of Jesus’ disciples, chosen by Jesus to accompany Him during His ministry, to learn from Him, follow His instructions and continue his work….
Archangel is a title given to an angel of high rank in the celestial hierarchy. Michael, which means “who is like God,” is one of the principal angels. Gabriel, which means “strength of God,” is one of God’s chief messengers…
According to the tradition Dionysius of Areopagus (Areopagite) is the disciple of the Apostle Peter. He is the first Bishop of the newly founded Church of Athens. He has converted to Christianity after listening to the sermon of the Apostle Peter He has witnessed the Assumption of St. Mary, the Holy Mother of God. He has preached the Word of God in Rome, Germany, Spain, Galia (France). He is considered to be the author of many theological works.
Today, we celebrate the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Holy Mother-of-God. The story of Mary’s birth is an amazing example of how God can work through impossible situations to bring about His divine plan. It’s a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness in our own lives and the importance of trusting Him, even when the odds seem stacked against us.
The parents of Mary, Joachim, and Anna were devout and faithful, but they had a challenge that seemed impossible to overcome—they were childless and had grown old. For years, they had prayed for a child, believing, trusting, holding onto faith—even when it seemed impossible. Year after year, seeing no sign of hope. But they never stopped believing and praying.
The Armenian Church commemorates St. John the Forerunner and Job the Righteous. St. John the Forerunner, also known as John the Baptist (Hovhannes Mgrdich), is an important figure in the Gospels. He is recognized as the “forerunner” (garabed) to the Messiah.
This Sunday, September 1, the second Sunday after Assumption, is the feast of the Discovery of the Belt of the Theotokos. Because there are no relics of the Holy Mother’s earthly body (she was assumed into Heaven), her personal belongings became the object of devotion and veneration.
On Saturday, July 20, the Armenian Church commemorates the sons and grandsons of St. Gregory the Illuminator, namely, Sts. Aristakes, Vrtanes, Housik, Grigoris, and Daniel (who was not related, but was a distinguished and favorite student of St. Gregory). All of them continued the work of St. Gregory, preaching the word of Christ to pagans at great personal peril. Gregory had two sons, Aristakes and Vrtanes. Aristakes, the younger son, succeeded…
Jesus selected twelve apostles to carry on His work and instructed them to preach and to baptize converts all over the world (Mt. 28:19-20). The word apostle derives from the Greek word apostellein (arakyal in Armenian). The apostles dedicated their lives to spreading the Word and fulfilling the sacred mission entrusted to them. Their mission was not just to transmit the message but to put it into practice.
