Another Nail in the Coffin

Good Friday.

In our church we set up a grave (of Jesus). In the evening we conducted the proper service of the day – the Burial of Jesus according to the rites and traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church. At the conclusion of the service we invited people to crawl under the grave of Christ. I explained that according to the teaching of our Church, that between the time of his crucifixion and the resurrection, he descended into Hell and preached to the lost souls. So I invited people to enter under the tomb, crawl under, and leave everything that belongs in Hell there and rise as a new person. And mostly, I emphasized that this is yet another opportunity to come to terms with your faith as a Christian.

As people went under the grave they took flowers off of the grave. By the time they had finished the grave had been stripped. Nothing left. (Puzigd’vadz)

Service ended, I packed up my stuff. Everyone was gone,Susan and I were leaving the church building – some lady came into the church. Just looking like a lost puppy dog. I tried to avoid eye-contact, because I knew what was coming up. Sure enough, without any greeting or hesitation on her part, she just blurts out, “Don’t you have any flowers?” (Dzaghig choonek?) I reached over to the flower in Susan’s hand. Took it and give it to this lady. She left happy.

Her action was one of the final nails in the coffin.