Stone Angels

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Roots of Armodoxy: Stone Angels

Messages come in different forms and in different formats. The text gets wrapped in SMS code, a letter in an envelope, lessons by books or lectures, and words from God are communicated by angels.

A quick scan of the Armenian landscape reveals messages in stone, known as khatchkars. The word literally means “cross-stones.” Some of these khatchkars represent the work of a lifetime. Monks of the past, would dedicate their life to preparing and presenting a khatchkar in intricate detail.  They are beautifully and delicately carved out of stone. The hard rock is unforgiving, leaving no room for mistake.

At the St. Leon Ghevondyants Armenian Cathedral in Burbank, khatchkars decorate the walkways and outer walls. I have watched the master carver work on these khatchkars and have wondered if they carve the image into the stone? Or is it possible that the stone already contains this spiritual gem inside, and the craft of the artist is to unveil it?

The khatchkars in Armenia are found surrounding monasteries and churches. Most are several hundred years old and some are from the early centuries of the Christian Church in Armenia. Most of the older ones tell a story and there is an art to reading the stones. From the top of the khatchkars we might see a glimpse of heaven in the decoration, followed by a large cross, connecting the bottom quarter of the stone with images earth. Hence, the stone reads as a message of human existence. The cross – the centerpiece of the khatchkar – is the bridge between heaven and earth.

Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily.” – Luke 9:23

The cross is the bridge between heaven and earth. It is the symbol of suffering and ultimate love. The centerpiece of the khatchkar is the eternal symbol of love, the cross and it unites heaven and earth.

The inanimate stone has spoken. To the early Christian community, these khatchkars were like books with encoded messages which were easily deciphered by the people. In as much as the khatchkars provided this means of message transfer, they are the stone angels of Armodoxy. The question, then, is, do and can stone fly? Angels are messengers. Angels have no physical form. They are spiritual beings, communicating love, hope and faith, from God to people. These stone-angels transmit the divine message to the world. And so, yes, these stone can and do fly!

Often, like the khatchkar, the messages are all around us, waiting to be discovered. Take time to listen, to read the writing, and see the glory of goodness that is communicating something very beautiful and unique to a hurting world. It is a call to sacrifice and to love.

From St. Nersess Shnorhali’s 14th hour we pray, Upholder of all creatures, protect by the sign of your cross, my soul and body, from the allure of sin, from the temptation of evil, from unjust people, and from all dangers physical and spiritual. Amen.

Angels of Geghart

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Roots of Armodoxy: Angels of Geghart

Angels are all around us, if only we look. An angel is a messenger that shares God’s message of faith, hope and love with people. Several angels have had encounters with people, both in ancient times, in Biblical times, as well as today.

Vazken I, of blessed memory, the Catholicos of All Armenians from 1955 to 1994 was one such angel. During the harshest years of Soviet oppression and their hushing of the human spirit, many of the monasteries and churches in Armenia were forced to close their doors or limit their access to the people. The diplomacy of Catholicos Vazken, secured certain rights and functions of the church in the midst of targeted atheism. Some of his actions were meant to go under the Soviet radar, but for the most part, the church functioned, albeit in limited form, in full view of the government. He was a gifted and patient leader of the church who was loved by the people. Vazken I was an angel for nearly four decades passing along the faith, the hope for better days to come, and all with his compassion and example of love.

During the Soviet rule over Armenia, it was common for tourists to visit Armenian monasteries as part of the cultural landscape. In other words, the religious significance of these sacred sites was diminished by the government, by presenting them as expressions of random creativity, not necessarily inspired by the spirit. The Christian background was minimized, or even nullified, for the tourist in the official state narrative about churches and monasteries.

Geghartavank, or the monastery of Geghart, is unique because its wonder is felt only after you enter its doors. It is a monastery carved out of a mountain. Inside, different chambers are interconnected through narrow and low hallways. Geghart means “lance” or spear. In the Gospel of St. John 19:34 we read that as Jesus committed his spirit on the cross, the soldiers who were witnessing the crucifixion pierced his side with a lance to assure themselves Jesus was dead. That lance is kept by the Armenian Church to this day, and was originally kept at Geghartavank.

The monastery was a tourist stop even during Soviet times. Today, people flock there for curiosity, but more and more as a pilgrimage shrine to augment their faith.

We arrived one morning to discover a small group of a cappella singers had just concluded a mini-concert in one of the caves. Their repertoire included a few sharagans, or hymns of the Armenian Church, and a couple samplers from Gomidas Vartabed (early 20th century). We inquired when the next concert might take place and they told us it would be a bit later. Our group of nine pilgrims entered the cave at Geghartavank. We were alone. We huddled together and sang a hymn, requesting God’s mercy, “Der Voghormia.”  The acoustics of the cave are such that, we, untrained vocalists, sounded amazing, so much so that the group of a cappella singers came back in as if to answering a prayer. They smiled and lined up in front of us. Taking out an electronic pitchfork, one of the singers gave the note and the others tuned into to produce the concert that was the answer to our prayer. It was renewing and invigorating, leaving us in tears, with full heart of contentment.

Life is a give and take, even with our angels. We weren’t expecting this concert, rather our prayer was one of thanksgiving. Not everything needs to be articulated. Sometimes its best to pray and know that everything falls into place. Angels bring that simple message to us as they did that day in Geghartavank.

We pray the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali from the 20th hour, “Benevolent Lord, commit me to a good angel, who may deliver my soul in peace, and convey it undisturbed through the cruelty of evil, to heavenly places. Amen.”

Kid Play

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Roots of Armodoxy: Kid Play

Armenia is surrounded by hostile neighbors. One wonders, what is life like under the imminent danger of attack and war? We know that that imminent threat of extinction is reality in many parts of the world.

In Armenia, you’ll find a very healthy family life, with young kids playing carefree on the streets to a late hour. The streets are literally filled with life. This is not a cliché but a reality that can be witness any night of the week.

We sat in the courtyard of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral in Yerevan. From one side a young man was flying a drone. From the other side, young people with arms locked, were laughing about some inside joke. A group of tourists joined the fun by picking up ice cream cones from the local vendor, licking away at vanilla and chocolate swirls. In a skatepark, skaters and razor-riders dared each other with a beautiful display of riding that almost looked choregraphed.

Skating away on the thin ice of a new day…

Parents at a distant, confident that their children are fine and safe enjoy one another’s company.

For us, from the United States, we can’t even imagine a similar scenario in the US today. Oh, yes, there was a time when carefree went hand-in-hand with youth, but those days are firm in our memories and sometimes jarred from scenes in movies. Today fear from within has paralyzed society from enjoying these simple moments, begging the question, what is the difference here or there? Do we not also face imminent danger? Random shooters, child theft are the counterparts to attack and war.

The prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali, from the 15th hour comes to us, “Christ, guardian of all, may your right hand protect and shelter me by day and by night, while at home and while away, while asleep and while awake, so I may never fall. Amen.”

 

Children Lost

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Roots of Armodoxy: Children Lost

Yerablur is place where you sober up quickly. Sometimes the beauty and charm of Armenia and all of its wonders are very exciting and mesmerize the senses. It becomes easy to forget that there was and there still is a cost to this beauty.

Graves on a small hill in Yerevan, called Yerablur, with an abundance of flags, incense and flowers, dazed family members, and “brave soldiers that cannot get older” make it clear that freedom has a cost, that is, freedom is not free. These graves are of the soldiers that paid the price.

Most of these graves are from the 44 day war in 2020, when the Azeris attacked the Armenians and young men, many in their teens, we called to defend the homeland. The grave markers, or tombstones, stare at you with pictures of these children.

As we stood there on this hill, I reflected on our purpose for being here: Peace.

As the Armenian Church we offer something that no one else can, namely the peace through an effort of love and compassion. Walking “in the shoes” of others is a form of compassion. In Armenian, the “In His Shoes” formula is summed up, “Tzav’t Tanem” – let me feel your pain.  To feel the pain of others is the beginning of compassion, and the next step is to help alleviate the pain. The way of the world is to send weapons of war – guns, bombs – the way that we have discovered in the ancient form of Armenian Christianity is not by passing along guns – weapons of violence – but by offering the tools to overcome the guns.

A little chapel sits at Yerablur, where we offered a prayer for the souls of all those who’ve fallen for this sacred land, but not before reciting the song by Stephen Stills, which serves as our prayer,

Daylight again, following me to bed

I think about a hundred years ago

How my father’s bled

I think I see a valley covered with bones in blue

All the brave soldiers that cannot get older

Been asking after you

Hear the past a’ calling from Armageddon’s side

When everyone’s talking and no one is listening

How can we decide

Do we find the cost of freedom buried in the ground?

Mother Earth will swallow you

Lay your body down

Children and Religion

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Armodoxy for Today: Children & Religion

It is interesting to me that as adults we want to impose on our children systems that have not worked for us. Jesus, turns the tables on that discussion, as he usually does, by calling a child as the example of what he wanted to see in us all.

We read in Matthew 18: At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,  and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.

Children are pure, but we know that purity can soon be diluted and corrupted. It seems there are more opportunities and quicker means by which children can be corrupted today. And so, we create ways of passing on knowledge to our kids. The challenge for us, is not to lose track of our goal. I have heard many well-intentioned teachers of scripture do so in literal terms. For instance, presenting the story of Noah’s Ark as literal truth, will certainly backfire when the children ask simple questions like, “What do you mean everyone was so bad that God flooded the world? What about the child that was born the night before, was she evil too?” Instead, the stories of the Old Testament are there to be used as metaphors and templates for some basic truths, such as God has rules and regulations.

The best lessons we can give children is given not with words but by action. When children see their parents and teacher live the life they preach, a greater lesson cannot be learned.

At the Armenian Monastery at Geghart, there is a room to light candles, as there is in all the monasteries. In these rooms are large trays holding sand, where people can light candles of prayer, reminding them of the Light that comes from Christ. At Geghart, however, they have a few of these candle areas that are only a few feet above the ground, making them accessible by children. Right next to their parents, children have an opportunity to stop, light a candle and begin a habit that they will carry with them through their lifetime. These habits are the way traditions are born.

The easiest and most meaningful lessons in life are those which are passed along sincerely.

We pray a prayer by Archbishop Hovnan, “Lord, my God, Your light shines upon me this morning. I lift up my heart to You and with Your blessings I walk to school to enlighten my mind and soul and to become a kind student. Lord, bless me day and night and I promise to live a meaningful life for your glory. Amen.”

 

Liberty

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Roots of Armodoxy: Liberty

Today is anniversary of Independence for the United States of America. This experiment in democratic principles of equal rights, general suffrage and government by majority is almost 250 years old. It is far from perfect, but still, the consensus is to strive for the “goal” as outlined by the constitution. The Declaration of Independence, signed on this day in 1776, claims that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

These words are beautifully and thoughtfully crafted at a time when independence was only a dream for a group who had escaped the tyranny and ties of the Crown. Religion exists inside of political realities. In the Declaration of Independence can be heard cries for the rights that true religion has advocated even during oppressive circumstances.

The Armenian Church has lived within monarchies, kingdoms, dictatorships, oppressive and barbaric regimes, and even through atheistic soviet society. The Gospel Message of Christ is greater than any political ideology and must maintain its integrity despite the political climate of the age.

After enjoying only a brief period of independence from 1918 to 1920, Armenia became an Independent country in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union. In the last 30+ years it has had its share of trials and tribulations, and sometimes it is tempting to be critical of system that sometimes brings with it social injustice and inequity for the masses.

Today, with the celebration of Independence Day in the United States of America, we have an opportunity to reflect on true freedom and liberty. We can appeal to history to see that at the turn of the 18th century to the 19th century, that is only 30+ years in the life of the United States, the country was far from perfect, there was slavery, there were disparities among classes of people, women were not allowed to vote, and the list goes on. It’s important to cut some slack on new countries, such as Armenia, that are going through their own growing pains.

It’s also an opportunity to reflect on us and our commitment to ideals greater than ourselves. We often talk about the Armenian Church as the oldest of Christian traditions. Yes, it does trace its roots to 2000 years ago with the person of Jesus Christ, but there is another reality, that of the Genocide. When the Turks wanted to annihilate and destroy the Armenian people they went after the Church. The Armenian Church was left in shambles after the Genocide. The reality of what we have today is thanks to what brave church leaders -both clergy and lay – have put together in the last 100 years, since the Genocide.

The greatest expression of Liberty is when we use our God-given power to create. Today is a day of committing to the ideals that we all find appealing and necessary for healthy living: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We pray for America, we pray for ourselves and we pray for our Armenian Church today. Heavenly Father, bless those who bless you. Give wisdom to leaders. Keep us vigilant in our commitment to pursue that which is necessary for our lives. And keep us focused on our commitment to work for peace on earth and good will toward one another. Amen.

 

The Connection that Binds

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Roots of Armodoxy: The Connection that Binds

The landscape of Armenia is riddled with ancient Armenian churches, monasteries and chapels. They are recognized uniquely by the cone shaped domes that point toward heaven.  If you go around the world, this design is the identifying marker of the Armenian Church. Whether in Argentina, Paris, London, Egypt, Australia, on one of the three countries of North America, wherever this dome is standing, with a cross atop its point, you know that an Armenian Church community is to be found. Each Armenian Church throughout the world is connected to all the others through an invisible threat that unites them at their foundation. Christ is at foundation, and the thread that ties them together is the Apostolic Tradition, that is, the Scriptures, the customs, and the methods that facilitate the mission.

Buildings from antiquity, particularly religious buildings, have an element of mystery attached to them and with that mystery comes wonder. We are first intrigued by the size and nature of the structure. We question the how – how were these stones placed on atop the other, without the use of machinery? How is the dome supported atop these arches? Next we are intrigued by the ornaments, and the weathering they have endured during difficulties.  How did the etchings and carvings reach such perfection with primitive tools? How have they survived natural and man-made disasters?

But if you dare to see the connection between all the Armenian Churches throughout the world, you start understanding that each time and age had their challenges that have been overcome through unwavering faith in the Foundation, Jesus Christ. In fact, most of the Armenian Churches in the diaspora were built in the aftermath of the Genocide. People who had every reason to complain, instead came together and validated their faith in Jesus Christ as their only hope for life. If you dare to see this connection, then you can walk into any Armenian Church in the world, even the newest, and find the mysteries that unite us.

Many years ago, while on vacation in the Southwest, my wife and I found ourselves in Albuquerque, New Mexico on a Sunday morning. There was no Armenian Church in town, and we went into the local Roman Catholic Church for mass. We attended and were truly renewed and invigorated after the service. It was one of the most meaningful celebrations of the Divine Liturgy we had ever experienced. And then it hit us! We had gone in to pray and celebrate the Eucharist. That was it. We didn’t know the background stories of the parish, nor did we know members of the parish council. Unlike our experience of running a parish, in this case we were not exposed to the day-to-day workings of the parish.

It has been said that familiarity breeds contempt. We might suggest that the opposite is also true, that unfamiliarity promotes admiration. Going into these ancient monasteries in Armenia should be no different that walking into your local church, but it is. The challenge is to find the foundation and the thread that ties them all together. It’s the challenge that will guarantee the harmony that we seek in our lives.

In the capital city of Armenia, Yerevan, the world’s largest Cathedral stands atop a hill next to a statue of St. Vartan the Brave. This Cathedral, named after St. Gregory the Illuminator, is one of the newest construction in Armenia. It was dedicated in 2001, on the 1700th anniversary of Christianity in Armenia. The modernism doesn’t detract from the mystery and wonder. A group of us went for Sunday worship, and found the thread that connected us. It’s there and the Foundation was firm.

We pray, Lord Jesus, open the door of your Church to me, and open my heart to understand the essence of the Church in Your presence within those doors. Whether in Armenia on any of the other continents, or even virtually, may I find the wonder and beauty that has been placed there from the beginning of time and proclaimed at your Birth: Peace on Earth and Good will toward one another. Amen.

Gosh – Science and Religion together

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Roots of Armodoxy: Gōsh-Science & Religion

Gender equality, tolerance, scientific models of the universe, are all topics of discussion in our world today. It might surprise you, that the Armenian Church priest and scholar, Mkhitar Gōsh, was discussing these topics and had formulated expressions that even today, many contemporary thinkers are hesitant to .

Mkhitar Gōsh’s (1130-1213) descriptors are many. He was a scholar, a writer, public figure, thinker and a priest. He was a representative of the Armenian renaissance. At Gōshavank, a large statue of this giant of Armenian history greets you as walk up the hill to enter this sanctuary, and the adjoining buildings. This was a center of learning and housed its own library.

Fr. Tateos is the dynamic head of this monastery, and he doesn’t hide his enthusiasm, neither for Mkhitar Gōsh nor for Gōshavank. As a seat of education, he points out how many of the artifacts spoke to the brilliance of the people and the times. For instance, a large Cross-stone, Khatchkar, stands tall to tell a story of heaven-earth relations. It may not seem very unusual to see earth depicted as a large sphere, until 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. Gōsh had written about equality of the sexes. He had advocated for health care and autopsies, to give reasons for death so that medicine could advance. Gōsh was certainly ahead of his time, by nearly a millennium.

Even more, this monastery featured large spaces for learning, with rooms and spaces dedicated to the preservation of books. The double walled, climate-controlled rooms of the 12 century  structure preserved manuscripts and books of knowledge, but of course, those room were no match for the ignorance of the enemy who found ways of burning and destroying these treasures of thought.

Even the architecture of Gōshavank was ahead of its time, with Lego-like notches, the stones are set into place to remain in place in this earthquake-prone region.

Mkhitar Gōsh and the work done at Gōshavank are expressions of progressiveness without the cost of spiritual degradation. Often science and religion are thought to be mutually exclusive. In fact, just the opposite is true. Mkhitar Gōsh is only one example of those who dared to understand the spirit and soul as sixth and seventh senses that needed to be developed. The troubadour, Sayat Nova, is another example of one who became a priest to explore the inner depths of the heart.

A great man of wisdom once said, “The only limits that we have in the world are the ones we put on ourselves.” It is so true. When we discount the role of spirit in our lives, we have placed the greatest limit on ourselves because we have negated half of our humanity. In Einstein’s words, “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.”

We pray today, “Lord our God, you have created all things with Wisdom, accept us as your creatures in your world. May we marvel at the things we do see and celebrate the mysteries of the unseen. In all things, may we express ourselves with joy and love. Amen”

Voices that Lead

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Roots of Armodoxy: Voices that lead

Most people would not want to admit they have been hearing voices in their head. Not so with Fr. Grigor, the priest at one of the local parishes inside of Yerevan. He’s very open about hearing the voices now, but not when he first heard them. It scared him. He thought he should seek psychiatric help. It was a voice he heard when he was using one of the hand crosses during services in his church.

In Armenian Church tradition, a small (4 to 6 inch) ornate cross is held by the priest during services and is referred to as a hand cross. It is used to bless items, objects and especially sacraments, such as baptisms, weddings and of course the Holy Eucharist. The cross itself is attached to a short rod which is how the priest holds the cross.

This particular cross that Fr. Grigor held was in the church when he took over the pastorate. On the four points of the cross – two on the vertical member, top and bottom, and two on the horizontal, sometimes referred to as the arms of the cross – are four translucent stones. And in the center, where the vertical and horizontal members intersect, there is the fifth stone. He shared with us that every time he used this cross to offer a blessing, he would hear a voice saying that the cross belonged in one of the side altars and that he should place it there. Just as he had resigned himself to the fact of seeking some professional help, the small company of the archeologists were sent over the church to the inventory and study some of the ancient artifacts. The Matendaran in Yerevan houses the largest collection of ancient Armenian manuscripts is interested in artifacts and relics from antiquity.

The experts examined the cross and carefully removed the translucent stones to discover under the arms and the top and bottom stones, there were small relics from four different saints, along with notations. The holy relics of saints are venerated in the Armenian Church, as they are charged with the energy of the saints. But still, the voices persisted with Fr. Grigor until the team removed the center stone under which was the unexpected: a piece of Christ’s Cross!

In the center of this cross which had blessed and energized people, protected the poor, the sick and the lonely, and swabbed the merriment of families, the Cross of Jesus Christ lay flat, and untouched and undisturbed. Fr. Grigor admitted that the cross had been used during baptisms and were certainly exposed the elements, at the very least water. Yet, the wood was intact, along with the inscription left there by pious members of the church centuries ago.

The voices stopped. The experts authenticated the Cross and now its blessing had been discovered. Fr. Grigor placed it, as the voice had instructed him, in a place of honor, inside the side altar. Once a year, on the celebration of the Discovery of the Cross (in October) the Cross is removed from its place and processed through the faith people. The church is the Asdvadzadzin (=Holy Mother of God) but referred to as Zoravor (the might one) because of the awesome power which emanates from this simple church.

It should be noted that in the Armenian Church, the Cross is the symbol of Love. Unlike the heart made popular in the West, for the Armenian Church, Love is expressed by sacrifice. The Cross represents that sacrifice. And so, when a blessing is given by the cross, an exchange of love takes place, with Jesus Christ as the author and incarnation of Love.

Today we pray, Holy Mother of God, you are most powerful, zoravor, because you have given the world Love through Jesus Christ. May we be protected under the shadow of His Holy and Precious Cross in peace, delivered from enemies visible and invisible. May we always glorify the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Eternity at Datev

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Roots of Armodoxy: Datev

Albert Einstein’s E=mc2 is one of the most recognized scientific notations by non-scientists. At most, people know it has something to do with time and space, though the mechanics escapes them. At the least, people know it is connected to Einstein and the theory of relativity. Around the same time Einstein was putting together the formulas for the general theory of realtify, American write, Henry Van Dyke was stating the relativity of time in these terms, “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” That’s right, time is relative. It moves according to the vantage point of the observer.

At the end of time is eternity. It is difficult to accept and impossible to comprehend. Eternity exists in the absence of time, and as such is goes counter to all of our natural experiences. We may use words and phrases such as forever-and-ever but they describe time, not eternity. One such place where we come close to touching eternity, however, is at the monastery of Datev* or Datevivank. It is found in the Syunik Province in southeastern Armenia. Nestled in the forests, atop a hill, the Monastery is a marvel of Armenian architecture. Stone-placed-upon-stone, the shell of the church holds within it a very sacred space where the energy is so strong that time seems to be bent. While at Datevivank, you can experience eternity because time is absent. Though the structure itself is finite, inside you lose yourself to the marvel of faith that has constructed this shrine.

Datev is the reason why people look up when they think of heaven or eternity. On this hilltop some of the greats of the Armenian Church have lived and been inspired, including St. Gregory of Datev (14th century) who is entombed inside the sanctuary. He was a theologian and philosopher whose influence on the church is felt to this very day. During the early part of the 20th century, as the Genocide was coming to an end, the Datev Monastery was the inspiration and backdrop for greats such as Garegin Njteh as he chartered out the course for a new and independent Armenia, with his priorities expressed in a trilogy of ideas, God, the Nation and the Fatherland.

As we were visiting this bit of heaven on earth, a service uniting heaven and earth was taking place. The head of the monastery, Fr. Michael was administering the sacrament of baptism on a young boy of nine or 10 years of age. The boy’s godfather was a worker from one of the local villages. Those in attendance to witness the Christening were the boy’s immediate family and us, a group of pilgrims open to the blessing that may come our way.

Fr. Michael baptized and confirmed the boy with holy Miuron and then offered a prayer of thanksgiving, “We thank you Lord for replenishing your Church with this new servant of yours.” That word, “Replenishing” was the key to eternity. Here on this high peak, inside this monastery, in the witness of simple people, a miracle was taking place. Eternity was taking form; the continuity of space and time unfolded in our presence. At Datev we may not have comprehended eternity, but we did understand that eternity is not something to come but is in our midst right now. Henry David Thoreau expresses it concisely, “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.”

Fr. Michael turned to us and gave us a blessing. He is a simple monk of the Armenian Church who understands the power of uniting us with eternity. For those moments at Datev, we saw and were united to the vastness of eternity, and with the certainty of the continuity of life.

We pray today, “Heavenly Father, we say that to You belong the Kingdom of Eternity. May we be in your Divine presence, in that eternity, now, as well as forever. Amen.”

* The Armenian name Տաթեւ, maybe be transliterated into Latin characters as Datev or at Tatev.

Cover Photo: Fr. Vazken 2023