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

The Story

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Roots of Armodoxy: The Story

After your first visit to Armenia, and especially once you make the rounds to the monasteries and ancient sites, you can’t help but ask, how come no one knows about this?

You’re in the first Christian nation. You’re standing in front of the oldest Christian Cathedral on Earth at Holy Etchmiadzin, you’ve maneuvered through the caves at Geghart, you’ve entered into a pit where the Miracle of the Illuminator took place, and just about anywhere and everywhere you turn there are stories and sights that are, well to use a very crude but descriptive term, mind-blowing! You’ve watched your share of documentaries on Discovery and National Geographic, and this is your first glance at these sacred shrines and holy spaces, that have somehow escaped the curiosity of Hollywood producers. Where ever you look, there are stories waiting to be heard. You can’t help but make comparisons: Etchmiadzin is 800 years older than The Cathedral of Notre Dame, Karahounj predates Stonehenge by 5,000 years. The vortexes here pull more than they do in Sedona. Where am I and why am I just learning about this? you ask yourself.

Visiting Armenia is a journey. It is not about facts and figures but about the mysterious flow of energy that moves through this land. There is really no way of explaining or expressing the resilience and the supernatural means by which this country and its people have survived against adversity, except by resigning to the fact that this is a story that needs to be absorbed.

I was standing with a group pilgrims at one of the sacred spaces in Armenia when a group of tourists walked by and I heard the tour guide explain the history of the monastery that stood before us. She was good. She was young, born in Armenia, spoke and articulated herself in English and weaved the history together, just as you would expect to read it in a textbook. And then, she and her group moved on. Unfortunately, her group didn’t get the story behind this marvel of architecture and faith. They received the history, but the story was not there.

You’re in Armenia. It is a small, land-locked country, at the crossroads of three continents. It is inhabited by a peaceful group of people who have tapped into the Power of Christ, in their witness and expression. This Christ force, is expressed in its history and its story. That is what you witness in these sacred spaces and it is the reason why this place has survived atrocities, perils and even genocide.

The story is what we understand as Armodoxy, that is, the essence of the history with a connection to our lives today. Inside the monastery, the churches and the sacred sites, stone upon stone have absorbed the prayers, the candle drippings, the smoke of the incense and the tears and laughter of the people for centuries. This is the story that we tell. It’s no different than your life. You are not merely a list of historical events, but you have your candle drippings and incense filled walls as well. Yours is a story of relationships, dressed by love, hurt, pain and joy. You are who you are because of the friends who sat next to you, to the hand you extended to your children, the mother and father who disciplined you, the love that hurt you. That’s your story. Armenia has a story that is at the root of Armodoxy. It is why we understand Christianity as a power that can move mountains and heal the soul. Armenia is the living expression of the Christian experience, and every corner you turn, that power and that energy can and should be tapped into.

Tomorrow, we fly with “wings” up to the Datev Monastery, overlooking eternity.

We pray, “Lord our God, open my heart to the wonders that are around me. Allow me to find the Kingdom that is within and without me, so that my story becomes a part of the story of Life. Amen.”

Ararat

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The Roots of Armodoxy: Ararat

In stark contrast to the wonderful and joyous hospitality you’ll be extended as a tourist in Armenia, is your first encounter with its people, at the small passport control booth as you exit the plane and enter the country. This passport official in that small booth is not interested in chit-chat or idle conversation. Just the facts. A quick look up-and-down, and a few back-and-forths at the documents, and then relief! They have stamped your passport and so you enter into this amazing land of enchantment, dreams and surprises.

We’ll be looking at the surprises that Armenia holds in this series of daily podcasts, called the Roots of Armodoxy here on Epostle.net. And the first surprise is in the document that you hold, in your newly stamped passport!

You look at the stamp, that identifies the date of your entry and directly at the top of the stamp is a drawing of a mountain with two peaks, one small and one large. For me, and I assume for many Armenians who have grown up with the double peaks, its recognized as the symbol of the Biblical Mount Ararat. In fact, its so recognizable to Armenians that the element of surprise might escape you.

Mount Ararat is identified in the Bible, Genesis 8:4, as the resting place of Noah’s Ark following the great flood. Whereas Genesis 2:10 locates the Garden of Eden in Armenia, we discover that the second change for the cradle of civilization is once again in Armenia at Mount Ararat.

Armenians are described as the people who inhabit the land at the base of Mount Ararat. Politics being what it is, has the mountain within the borders of Turkey today, but it is the Armenian mountain, so much so, that on this legal document, on this internationally recognized and accepted passport, the symbol of the country is Mount Ararat. Surprised? The root of both the mountain and the people is the same, the “Ar,” just as it is for everything that is essential, such as the sun, “arev.”

Poet Yeghishe Charents proclaims, travel around the world and there is no peek such as Ararat. I’ve been to both sides of Mount Ararat. When seen from the other side, the majesty of the peaks is just not there. Viewed from Yerevan, Armenia, Mount Ararat is overwhelming and grand, like a mother forever present in the life of her children, witnessing the struggles, the pains, the joys and triumphs they experience.

Ararat sets the tone for the journey through this sacred and inspiring land. Here is a small area, occupied by a people who sit at the crossroads of three continents, who have been trampled and bullied by invaders and barbarians. And yet, with no military strategy that weighs on the world theater, this group of people continue to live and prosper, based on a Biblical game-plan, not of floods and disasters, but of resurrection. Armodoxy, brings that game-plan to our lives today. We begin with a visit to this holy land. Join me tomorrow as we continue on this journey – roots of Armodoxy.

For today, we conclude with Psalm 36, “Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgements are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

Etchmiadzin, Center of Light

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Armodoxy for Today: The Road to the Center of Light – a five-part mini-series of daily messages dedicated to this special week in the life of the Armenian Church. Five days, five inspirations, five sparks that connect to shine the Christ Light.

Day 5: Holy Etchmiadzin. The final day of the week-long celebration of Armenia’s Conversion is the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. The hymn of Holy Etchmiadzin, includes the phrase, “Come, let us build the altar of Light.”

With the Conversion of Armenia, “The true Light which gives light to every man,” (John 1:9) lit up Armenia. Gregory and Tirtad, hand-in-hand, church-and-state, came together to spread the Gospel among the people. In a vision, Gregory saw Jesus Christ descend from heaven, pointing to four points, defining an area with a golden hammer. This is where the first Cathedral in all of Christendom was constructed. The word “Etchmiadzin” defines his vision, literally meaning the “Descent of the Only Begotten.

The week-long celebration, with the feasts of Saints Hripsimé, Gayané and Gregory, is capped with the proclamation that the Only Begotten Son of God, descended from heaven and became the Light which enlightened the Armenian soul. Throughout Armenia today, thousands of pilgrims converge on the monasteries of Hripsimé, Gayané and Khor-Virab, to commune with the essence of this story.  But early on in Armenian Church history, the pattern of celebration was instilled because the Christ Light had transformed the people. It was only 100 years later that the Church in Armenia commission the translation of the Holy Scriptures. For this task, a monk named Mesrob Mashdots invented the Armenian alphabet. With that alphabet the entire Bible was translated in a manner that is considered the “Queen of Translations” by Biblical Scholars. And subsequently the Armenian nation enjoyed a golden age of literature. Culture and education was the hallmark of this period, thanks to the Church.

Only 150 years after the Conversion, Armenia was forced into a war because of their commitment to Jesus Christ. The Battle of Vartanants is considered the first battle for the freedom of worship of Christianity in history. As a result, Christianity spread like wildfire. It wasn’t the last time Armenians stood up for their faith. They have been persecuted to the point of even Genocide and continue to be, because they carried the label, “Christian.”  Jesus invited us saying, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” That cross has been a heavy one for the Armenian people, but it has been its salvation. Abp. Hovnan Derderian has said, “Because of Holy Etchmiadzin, our presence as a nation and as a people is secure.”

Many try to dispose of the cross opting for the comforts of this world. Tragically, what they sacrifice is the fullness of life and the luster that comes from the Light.

His Holiness Karekin I, of blessed memory, once proclaimed “Etchmiadzin is Mission” and in that simple statement set a direction for us, every one of us, who comes in contact with the story. Like all of the history we communicate through Epostle, the story you heard in the mini-series, Etchmiadzin finds its true value when we connect to it with our life. The mission is ours, to proclaim the importance of Light amid the darkness. With wars, hatred, intolerance all around us, the Armenian story of Etchmiadzin gives the world a spark of hope, kindled by strength, fanned by difficulties, but grounded and lit in Jesus Christ.

This Sunday is the feast of Holy Etchmiadzin. Let us pray, O Lord, Jesus Christ, you touched us with the humblest of your messengers, a young girl who said, “No” to the great and powerful. In returned a nation and people discovered the True Light. You came into darkness, into the lives of people who weaved a tapestry of love, compassion, tolerance, patience, healing and resurrection. May we be a reflection of that Light, in all that we do. Guide us, O Lord, in the paths that promote love, compassion, tolerance and healing, so that we may be worthy of the blessing of the Peacemaker. In all things we thank and glorify you, along with the Father and Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Tirtad, Fanning the Fire

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Day 4: In sharing the story of the great Revolution that brought Christianity to Armenia, we have used the metaphor of a fire that burnt away the pain and despair of the pagan world. Hripsimé was the spark, kindled by Gayané and Gregory the Illuminator was the necessary catalyst that made the fire glow. To all of the elements, we add one more, the air, or more concisely, the fanning of the flames, to make the fire grow!

Tirtad was the power in the kingdom of Armenia. As king, he was the sovereign over the land and ruled as absolute law. Royalty was revered and enjoyed respect from the citizens, albeit insincere, nevertheless, enough to keep the players in check. And so, he was feared by the common man.

In a story such as the conversion of Armenia, it is often easy to lose true heroes to their villainous personality. Tirtad, who ordered the conversion of Armenia to Christianity, was the same king who killed Hripsimé, Gayané and their companions. He ordered worship of pagan gods and goddesses and had no patience for disobedience. If we become overwhelmed with all the negative attributes of his person we can forget that this antagonist fanned the fire. The more Tirtad opposed, the stronger Gregory became.

We have heard adages about attitude, to remain positive in the face of adversity. We’ve heard expressions of making lemonade when given lemons, but to see it played out in a story such as this we realize it’s more than having a refreshing drink, but a means of survival, literally. Popular psychology calls this attitude adjustment, we in the Church refer to it as discipline, as having faith in God. Gregory’s sentence was capital punishment; Tirtad threw him into the pit to finish him off. Gregory didn’t fight the King, instead through a system of non-violent resistance, he overcame all the odds. He was disciplined. He used the tools given to him by God, prayer, meditation, fasting, staying focused and seeing God in the face of his adversaries, including Tirtad.

Our takeaway is to view attitude adjustments in terms of the tools given to us, such as prayer, meditation, fasting, staying focused and seeing God in the face of everyone. St. Gregory teaches us this lesson in response to the evil imposed on him by the King.

King Tirtad succumbed to a grave illness because of the horrors he imposed on the innocent sisters of the Gayané and Hripsimé. He was cured by the Illuminator, leading to the conversion of the nation. Plainly, Tirtad, the antagonist, is necessary for the story. He fanned the flames for the Christian Revolution to explode in Armenia. He is crowned a saint in the Armenian Church.

Let us pray, Christ our God, you crown your saints with triumph and do the will of all who love you, looking after your creatures with love and kindness. Hear us from your holy and heavenly realm by the intercession of the Holy Mother of God and by the prayers of all your saints, especially the King of Armenia who converted the nation to Christianity, St. Tirdat. Hear us Lord and show us your mercy. Forgive, redeem and pardon our sins. Make us worthy thankfully to glorify you with the Father and with the Holy Spirit. Now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.