The Khatchkar Dialect of Varak

/1 Comment/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Khatchkar dialect of Varak

As Jesus entered Jerusalem on that first “Palm Sunday” the people went to the streets with joy, singing in loud voices, “Hosanna. Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

In the Gospel of Luke (19) we read that the religious elite of the day called Jesus from the crowd and ordered him to rebuke the crowd, but Jesus answer, “I tell you that if these [people] should keep silent, the stones themselves would immediately cry out.”

There is a small little village just off the shore of Lake Van in Western Armenia called Varak. In the third century the nun Hripsime, escaping persecution for her Christian beliefs hid in the hills of Varak. In her possession was a piece of the Cross of Christ. She hid the fragment on the mountain where it lay for over three hundred years until a hermit named Totig found it in the seventh century. This Sunday marks the celebration of this event, the Cross of Varak.

I had a chance to visit Varak. Today the town as well as all of Western Armenia is occupied by Turkey. The once beautiful and spiritually active monastery of Varak is now in shambles. Among the ruins you can make out the markings of the interior of the church. Small niches where candles once lit the interior are now exposed to the elements with the roof and huge dome in piles of rubble.

Next to the foundation stones which act as a footprint of the Varak Monastery are houses of the villagers. Kids were playing on the unpaved streets and we struck up a conversation with some of the villagers. One of them invited us into their house. The walls were stones stuck together with a dry pack type of mortar. Stones of different colors and different shapes indicating a variety of sources and suggested they were gathered from different time periods. And… there were khatchkars – cross stones – taken from the monastery and stuck on the wall to protect the inhabitants of the house from outside weather conditions.

The destroyed monasteries and ruined churches, are part of a campaign to erase history and are the final act of destruction following Genocide. Michael Arlen, in his book Passage to Ararat, (1975) searches his roots in Armenia and in Western Armenia. Speaking to the erasure of history, Arlen writes, “What was it except hatred to say that a people did not exist?”

The khatchkar answers back. Khatchkars speak to us in a distinct language, or perhaps, it is a different dialect, because if you listen carefully, you can always understand the message. Khatchkars are the stones that counter the hatred by proclaiming peace of heaven on earth. Even in destructed form, in the ruins, the khatchkars are sharing the Divine message of hope and love as an antidote to the hate.

We pray this prayer for peace, Lord Jesus Christ, who are called the Prince of Peace, please grant us peace. Make all men and women witnesses of truth, justice, and brotherly love. Amen.

Khatchkar Messages of Christ

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Khatchkar messages of Christ

Khatchkars decorate Armenian Church, monasteries and the landscape of Armenia. They are tall. They are telling. Many of them can be read like a map pointing to the heavens and eternity.

A khatchkar, literally means “cross stone.” On a large stone, usually rectangular in shape, about six or seven feet tall and three feet wide, engravings reflecting the faith and determination of a person dedicated to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. These stones have survived and have been sharing a message for hundreds and even a thousand years.

The central carving is of a cross, ornate with swirls and designs that depict different theological concepts or ecclesiastical symbols. One khatchkar which is found at the Monastery at Gōsh is especially telling. Gōsh was a seat of education in Armenia as such, the khatchkar there stands tall to tell a story of heaven-earth relations. It may not seem very unusual to see earth depicted as a large sphere in this carving, until you learn that this stone was carved in the 6th century, some 600 years before the Inquisition in Europe, Armenians had already understood the earth to be round and rejected the flat-earth concept.

The messages on the khatchkars are many and in different varieties. However, the greatest story that is often  forgotten is that the khatchkar depicts resurrection and victory. Every cross, without exception, and especially every khatchkar is the story of Jesus Christ. Without Christ, the khatchkar has no meaning, in fact, without Jesus Christ, a cross is merely two perpendicular lines.

We stand between two feasts of the Cross – the elevation and the Cross of Varak. The Cross is defined by Jesus Christ, as the instrument of torture, now turned into a symbol of victory.

Yes, the khatchkar decorates the Armenian landscape, and in that decorative form it has been a constant reminder to the people of the power of love over hate, and good over evil. The khatchkar stoically standing on the sidelines of history as the ever-present messenger of hope is a nonstop witness to the reality that has been central to the survival of a people.

Imagine that, a people who have turned around in their journey, and everywhere they have looked, they have been reminded of the hope in the eternal and aligned themselves with the Divine through Christ. “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Tomorrow, we’ll look at one special khatchkar, decorating a village house, in Varak. Today we pray, from the 13th hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s “I Confess with Faith”: Heavenly King, grant me your kingdom, which you have promised to Your beloved; and strengthen my heart to hate sin, to love you alone, and to do Your will. Have mercy on all Your creatures and on me. Amen

Cover photo: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

The Church the Cyrene

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: The Church the Cyrene

In the Gospel of Matthew (27) we read about the road to the cross as follows:

The soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull… they crucified Him…

At the Crucifixion, they mocked, tortured and eventually killed Jesus. The story remembers a man named Simon who was forced to bear Jesus’ cross – to help him up the hill. In the end, however, it was Jesus who had to climb the Cross.

This week, as we stand between the two remembrances of the Holy Cross, the elevation and the Cross of Varak, we are reminded that the Cross is part of the Christian life journey – that, there is no escaping the cross. We each have our crosses to bear – relationships go sour, health issues arise, financial difficulties force life patterns to go in different directions. Our crosses can get heavy. You may look around and hope for someone to help you – for a Simon the Cyrene – to pick up your cross, even for a little while. That Simon the Cyrene is the Church – the body of believers connected to one another through the power of Jesus Christ. The Church is that able body, that strong one who can pick up the cross and help us move from one point to the other. In the Church you find faith to believe in tomorrow, the hope of resurrection beyond the cross and the love that gives you the strength and courage to conquer  your cross, because in the end, it is your cross and you must rise to the occasion. That is Christian responsibility. This is the strength of the Church. This is Armodoxy.

We pray from the 12 hour of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s “I Confess with Faith,” Lord, who has will all that is good, and who is the director of the will, allow me not to follow the inclinations of my heart; but lead me to always walk according to your good pleasure. Have mercy on your creatures and on me a sinner. Amen.

After Birth Cross

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: After birth Cross

Before new life can enter the world there is pain and suffering that the mother endures (and we’d like to believe we fathers share in it to some degree). But the agony of childbirth is quickly forgotten with the celebration of new life. During the experience of childbirth we encounter both feelings of pain as well as of happiness.

We Christians participate in a similar experience when facing the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The sorrow of Good Friday is forgotten with the arrival of Easter. Within a few hours, Christ’s cross is transformed from an instrument of destruction to a symbol of victory. With the resurrection, the cross is conquered and our pain disappears.

We stand today between two celebrations of the Holy Cross: the Elevation of the Cross and the Cross of Varak.  St. Paul tells us, “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (ICor. 1:18) As Christians the lifesaving message of the Holy Cross plays a unique role in our lives. The Cross is the symbol of the Christian Church encompassing the entire life of Christ and the entire Christian experience. It identifies an unparalleled event in History and for the believer it emphasizes God’s constant love and care for us, His children.

God gives us the supreme example of responsibility and care. In the symbol of the Cross we can see the story of a Father who cared and loved His children so much, that He gave His Very Best. He did not exempt His Son from suffering but made His Crucifixion a part of the liberation process. As the Apostle Peter writes, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (IPet 2:24)

On the feast of the Holy Cross we look up and see the Cross is empty. We see an opportunity to change pain to joy, for new life to overcome our agony. And that opportunity is given to you – to each of us – to meet the challenges of our own crosses head on.  You have an opportunity of changing pain into joy, yet we are never alone. The power of God flows through His Holy Community, the Church and there we find strength as we help one another to meet the challenges before us.

As we pray, look up and see the Cross radiating the Power of God. The hymn “Khatchun genarar” The Life-giving Cross which has become our salvation; through this, let us all praise thee, O Lord, and worship the All-Holy Trinity. Lord have mercy on us and especially on me a sinner, as I accept your promise and know that I will conquer my cross. Amen.

Irony of Cross and Independence

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Irony of Cross and Independence

Between two feasts celebrating the Cross of Christ is the Anniversary of Independence for Armenia. Last Sunday was the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. Next Sunday is the feast of the Holy Cross of Varak.

Armenia is a landlocked country. It is surrounded by hostile neighbors, some of which openly proclaim their desire to do away with the country of Armenia and its people. For the size of the country and its population, Armenia has a well-organized diaspora, nevertheless its populations is small, with less than three million in the country.

While Armenia may not have military power nor military strategy, it has survived against all the odds:  peril, barbarism, exile, massacres and even genocide. Its survival strategy is rooted in the Cross. “If anyone desires to come after Me,” says Jesus, “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)

The Cross is a symbol of sacrifice. In the message of the Cross you understand that you are loved by God, so much so, that God continually blesses you.

Struggle is a part of life and therefore the Cross is the symbol of a fulfilling life. Your Christian identity carries with it responsibilities that are predicated on sacrifice. Life lived for others is the most fulfilling life because ego is placed in check. When ego is out of the way, God has room to work. With God’s help, you can conquer all of your difficult and the challenges before you. God will not let you go. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” writes St. Paul. (Romans 8:31)

A Christian who has put on Christ cannot say no to difficulties. Ironically, in the scope of independence, a Christian has no other choice but to help the oppressed, the sick and the troubled. Herein the Christian understands true independence in service to others.

Military strategies may be classified as top secret, but I share this survival strategy because it was never meant to be a secret. Just the opposite it was meant to be evangelized, that is spread.

We pray, Christ, protector and guardian of the faithful, protect and deliver us under the shadow of Your Holy and Precious Cross in peace. Deliver us from enemies visible and invisible. And we glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Muiron, Connecting the Drops

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Muiron, Connecting the Drops

From Armenia Muiron has been prepared and blessed, and now enters your home. We began this deep-dive with, and end it with, Jesus Christ – the alpha and the omega, the a and z, the ayb and keh, the center of our Faith. The Holy Muiron is blessed at the same location where Jesus descended and designated where the Church of the Armenian people would be built. From that same place, Holy Etchmiadzin, the Light of Holy Muiron now needs to radiate to the world.

Our starting point of this series was the story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (26), of a woman anointing Jesus. Jesus took a break from the mundane workings of the world and focused on the act of love, charity and care offered to him. Our world today is no different from the time of Christ. Sure, there are more people and we may believe our troubles are more complex, but in reality we – people – are driven by the same urges, passions and temptations. Pride, envy, anger, laziness, gluttony, desires and lust were the reasons and are the reasons for all of our problems. Every seven years our Church takes a break from the mundane and celebrates the Love of Christ with this eccentric and beautiful tradition.

The Holy Muiron is the vehicle of the Holy Spirit communicating with us – each of us. On the eve of our Lord’s birth the angels proclaimed, “Peace on Earth and goodwill toward one another.” At the end of His ministry, our Lord says, “Peace I leave you…” but so that we are not orphaned, He promises the Holy Spirit. On Pentecost, the Christian Church – the Body of Jesus Christ – is established by the Power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Christian Church has had one consistent message for two millennia, no different from the message proclaimed at the Manger: Peace on Earth and goodwill toward one another.

Drop-by-drop the Holy Muiron was prepared over time and blessed with the most expensive and extravagant items found on Earth: the trees, their sap and fruit, the flowers and vegetation, the oils and nectars, the energy of Ararat, the Sacredness of Etchmiadzin, the power of the Holy Cross, the words of the Holy Gospel, the Holy Geghart, and mixed by St. Gregory the Illuminator and the entire assembly of saints, from the time of Christ forward, who add their prayers, tears, and joy to this mix. In other words, all that is necessary – everything we need – to bring about peace and goodwill toward one another is before us.

Every seven years, against the backdrop of a hurting world, this exotic elixir is mixed and blessed in Armenia and distributed as a tonic for the world. It is the gift of God, presented through the Armenian Church to the world. As Jesus announced, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16)

Having this background, you are now invited, to mix your prayers to this Muiron, to say “Amen” to the anointing that unites us to our past, our future, and all of eternity. This is the seventh year. This is the blessing of Holy Muiron.

We pray, from the prayer of the blessing of Holy Muiron, O Merciful Lord, send down your all-powerful Holy Spirit, and make this an anointing of holiness, spiritual grace, life for my life, protector of my spirit and my body, a joyful oil which was given to us through the law but enlightened through the new Covenant, with which You anointed your Holy Apostles, and to all of us through the new birth of the holy font of baptism… so that, kept away from evil, we may come to know You in holiness as Your children, and be with You always, having You Father and Holy Spirit with us and Christ in our heart, always. Amen.

Muiron Blessed

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Muiron Blessed

At some point oil becomes Muiron. For days, the oil has been absorbing the prayers and energy from Etchmiadzin and the sacred land in the shadow of the Biblical Mount Ararat. The Catholicos of All Armenians, with representatives of the hierarchical sees of Cilicia, Jerusalem, Constantinople and the Dioceses in Armenia and the Diaspora, now gather for the blessing. When the Catholicos mixes the Muiron from the previous batch to the oil, he then refers to the content of the cauldron as Muiron.

There are four sacred articles with which the Catholicos blesses the Muiron: The Holy Cross, The Gospel, the Lance, and the Relic of St. Gregory the Illuminator.

The Cross – Surb Khatch – which the Catholicos uses to bless the Muiron, sits in his hand. It is ornate and decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. It should be because it houses a piece of the Cross of Christ. The ornate shell or case in the shape of a cross was prepared for Catholicos Pilibos (Phillip) in the middle of the 17th century. St. Helena, the Mother of Emperor Constantine (4th century) is credited with finding the Cross of Christ at Golgotha. Several fragments of the Cross are kept at Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Gospel – the Holy Avedaran – refers to the first four books of the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Here is documented the life, ministry, teaching and events in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. These books are housed in an ornate  metallic covering, and held by one of the assisting bishops.

The Lance – the Holy Geghart – was brought to Armenia by the Apostle Thaddeus. The Gospel of John (19:34) records that a Roman guard pierced the side of Jesus while he gasped on the Cross. Scripture records that blood and water spilled out. The name of the soldier is Longinus (from the Gospel of Nicodemus). Most tourists who visit Armenia visit the monastery of Geghart, which is carved out of a mountain. The Holy Geghart was kept there for centuries.

The Relic of St. Gregory the Illuminator – Loosavorchi ach – is a fragment of the bone from the right arm of the first Catholicos who blessed the first batch of Muiron after Armenian’s acceptance of Christianity in 301 A.D. The relic is housed inside a life size gold arm, which the Catholicos lifts, stretch across Cauldron, blessing the Muiron and then blessing the people.

We pray today, a prayer from the Blessing of the Holy Muiron, Christ, our God, You are a sweet aroma to those who believe in You, and to those who are connected to You through Your love. Through Your love for humanity, You have welcomed us into the eternal habitats, and You make us worthy to work for You, with all of our senses, all the days of our life. Lord, fill us with the gifts of that sweet smell, and place within us the graces of the Holy Spirit. Allow us to stand before You clean and without blemish. Amen.

Muiron: Manger to Resurrection

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Muiron Manger to Resurrection

Armenia was blessed by the visit of two of Christ’s Apostles, Saint Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew. They came to Armenia to evangelize the Gospel three to four years apart from one another, in the years 41 and 45 A.D. respectively. To put it in context, they arrived in  Armenia less than 10 years after the life-changing and history altering events of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, to which they were both eye-witnesses! Yesterday I shared the story of Thaddeus’s part in the formation of the Holy Muiron. St. Bartholomew’s story is considered apocryphal yet inspiring and is one more connection with Jesus and the Muiron.

When the Blessed Mother, the Asdvadzadzin, passed away, all of the Apostles attended her funeral except for Bartholomew. When Bartholomew returned to Jerusalem and was informed of Mother Mary’s passing, he requested to see the Blessed remains one last time. When they opened her tomb, her body was not there. She was assumed into Heaven by her Son.

During Jesus’ infancy, scripture tells us many events took place and “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19) When Jesus’ umbilical cord fell off, Mary kept it in an alabaster box. When Bartholomew came to pay his respects to Holy Mother’s life, he was given the box, which he kept close to his heart.

Bartholomew brought this box with him to Armenia. He was martyred there for his faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ. Before he was executed, he was able pass along the small alabaster box to the members of the underground Church in Armenia. The box and its content – the umbilical cord of our Lord – were secretly kept by the Church until the Conversion of Armenia in the year 301 A.D. by St. Gregory the Illuminator. At that time the box was turned over to Gregory who had ascended to the Apostolic Throne as chief bishop. Gregory blessed the first batch of Holy Muiron at that time and added the content the alabaster box to the oil, along with the Oil that Jesus had sent with Thaddeus. Because in each new batch the previous batch is added, there are molecules from the time of Jesus Christ, with his DNA giving a direct physical connection to the Lord, from the Manger to the Resurrection.  Indeed, the Muiron is what binds us together into one family – the family of Christ – or Christian. Is it any wonder that Armenian names end with the suffix “ian”? The “ian” refers to “the family of…” In this case, a Christ-ian is a member of the family of Christ.

During the Blessing of the Muiron, in the prayers offered by the Catholicos, he refers to the mixture as yiugh, that is “oil” up to the point where the previous batch is added, at which time it is properly referred to as Holy Muiron.

We pray today, Lord Jesus Christ, Keep ever before my mind your precious and holy words, that “My family are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21) Through the intercession of your beloved disciples Bartholomew and Thaddeus, I ask that you fortify with me the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love so that I may be worthy be called a Christian. Amen.

Muiron, the Christ Connection

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for today: Muiron, the Christ Connection

King Abgar, was born in the first century B.C. and died in the middle of the first century A.D.  This Armenian king is considered to be the first royal to have converted to Christianity. He suffered from a skin disease which many speculate was leprosy.

Abgar wrote a letter to Jesus, asking, “… Having heard all these things concerning you, I have concluded that one of two things must be true: either you are God, and, having come down from heaven, you do these things, or else you, who does these things, are the son of God. I have therefore written to you to ask you if you would take the trouble to come to me and heal all the ill which I suffer. For I have heard that the Jews are murmuring against you and are plotting to injure you. But I have a very small yet noble city which is great enough for us both.” With those words, Abgar invited Jesus to Armenia.

Jesus replied in a letter dictate to a scribe, “Blessed are you who has believed in me without having seen me… In regard to what you have written me, that I should come to you, it is necessary for me to fulfill all things here for which I have been sent, and after I have fulfilled them, thus to be taken up again to Him that sent me. But after I have been taken up, I will send to you one of my disciples, that he may heal your disease and give life to you and yours.” *

When the Apostle Thaddeus arrived in Armenia in the fourth decade A.D., Jesus promise to the King was fulfilled. He brought with him holy oil blessed by Jesus. It was used to heal King Abgar. Thaddeus is regarded as the first illuminator of Armenia.

It is important to remember that the Christian Church in Armenia was an underground movement. Thaddeus, before his martyrdom in Armenia, hid the remaining holy oil under an evergreen birch tree in the Armenian province of Daron. After the proclamation of Christianity in Armenia in 301, St. Gregory the Illuminator discovered the oil, through a vision. That oil was mixed into the first batch of Muiron which was blessed at Holy Etchmiadzin by St. Gregory. And at each subsequent blessing of Muiron, the previous batch is mixed in with the new. Molecules from the original oil blessed by our Lord Jesus are present in the Muiron that is blessed today, thus giving us a spiritual and absolute physical connection with Jesus Christ. Every child and person who is baptized, every building that is consecrated, every khatchkar that is wiped – that is, everyone and everything that comes in contact with the Holy Muiron received a seal of incorruptible heavenly gifts.

We pray today, a prayer from the christening sacrament of the Armenian Church: Nourish me, Lord God Almighty, protect me in purity through Your Holy Spirit so that I may do your will blamelessly and may attain eternal life in freedom from sin. Amen.

 

* References: Leclercq, Henri (1913) “The Legend of Abgar” Catholic Encyclopedia, New York and The Church Father, Book 1, Euebius

Muiron Continuity

/0 Comments/in ,

Armodoxy for Today: Continuity

The ingredients of the Holy Muiron are mixed together prior to the day the Catholicos of All Armenians blesses the new batch. For forty days and forty nights the olive oil, essence of balsam and the flowers sit in a cauldron before the Holy Altar at Etchmiadzin, soaking in the prayers, chants and energy from that most unique sacred space at the base of Mount Ararat where Jesus Christ descended, hence the name, Etchmiadzin, the descent of the Only Begotten.

The Holy Muiron is the vehicle of the Holy Spirit and connects us directly to Jesus Christ, not only spiritually but physically as well. During the blessing service, the Catholicos will add Muiron from earlier blessings. Each blessing throughout the centuries contains muiron from the previous batch. And since the Holy Muiron dates back to the time of Christ, there are molecules in today’s Muiron from the time of Jesus Christ, containing all the oil, flowers, prayers, the tears and laughter from the all the centuries, all the blessings to this date. The history, the scriptures, the saints, the martyrs, the sacred spaces, the innocent, and the sweet wishes of mothers and fathers are in this Muiron. The Holy Spirit has a vehicle in the Muiron, but now we understand how we are connected to the whole of history through the power of God.

Furthermore, throughout the centuries, when the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin was under attack or when enemies were too close for comfort, the Catholicos and Catholicosate was moved to other cities for safety. Tvin, Ani, Aghtamar, Sis were some of those towns where Muiron was also blessed.

In 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed the Catholicos of Cilicia was invited by the Venerable Catholicos of All Armenians Vazken I, to bring the Muiron from the Catholicosate to the Mother See and add it to the mix. Giving it the name, “The Muiron of Independence” His Holiness accented the unifying power of the Muiron for a resurrected people.

The Armenian Church is Apostolic, in that its roots can be traced in a lineage to Jesus Christ and his Apostles. In the Armenian Church the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew are referred to as the first enlighteners of Armenia. In the next two days we will learn how the Muiron that was touched by Jesus Christ is in today’s Muiron.

We pray, Lord Jesus Christ, touch my life with your presence, as you touched the lives of those throughout the centuries who were pleasing to you, by their actions to live and love. Amen.

 

What Did Jeremy Allen White Say During Bleeped Emmys Speech? (indiewire.com)