Muiron Blessed

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 17^th century. St. Helena, the Mother of Emperor Constantine (4^th 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.