Tag Archive for: Armenia

Ararat Week Day 4: Tirtad, Fanning the Flames

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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 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.

Cover: The Gate of Tirtad at Holy Etchmiadzin

Ararat Week Day 3 – Gregory, Catalyst

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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 3: Gregory: Gayané kindled Hripsimé’s spark, but still, a catalyst was necessary to get the Revolution burning. Gregory was that catalyst, bringing the message of Christianity to the pagan world. He was the son of a Parthenian nobleman, and while his biographical details are laced with tragedy, including assassination, rejection and executions, for our purposes, we remember that Gregory, brought up in a Christian family, arrives in Armenia toward the end of the 3rd century, preaching the Gospel. He entered the King’s service and accomplished his tasks conscientiously. However, when asked to make offerings to the pagan gods, he refused, professing his faith in the one God revealed through Jesus Christ.

The King, Dirtad, did not tolerate his insubordination, and viewed Christianity (represented by Gregory) as a threat to the stability of his kingdom. He sentenced Gregory to death in a deep pit at the base of Mt. Ararat along the path of the Arax river. In Armenian this place is call խոր վիրապ (khor-virab), which is a literal translation of the words “deep pit.”

Gregory stood his ground. He did not resist evil, as he was instructed by Christ. He knew that the ways of the world could be sweet, but temporary. He did not give up His commitment to the Truth of Jesus Christ.

In the world we are always given options between the light and dark. While khor-virab is a place, and still attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year, khor-virab is also a metaphor in Armodoxy. It is the deep abyss and its darkness that blinds us to beauty and God’s wonders. In that darkness we follow the illusion of worldly wealth and remain ignorant to the love and compassion of family and friends. Physical death is what Gregory faced. We face spiritual death every day, and deliverance from that pit is available as it was for Gregory.

Gregory stayed firm in his commitment to Christ. He entered the pit as a death sentence only to walk out of it 13 years later, when the King Dirtad, suffering from a grave illness required healing. Gregory was kept alive with his prayers, his pious spiritual practices and the offering of the king’s sister, Khosrovitoukhd, who would bring scraps of food to the dungeon-pit sustain him.

Upon the king’s healing and recovery, Dirtad declared Christianity as the state religion. The year was 301, thus Armenia became the first Christian nation on earth. St. Gregory is revered as the patron saint of the Armenian Church. He is known as the Second Illuminator of Armenia, for bringing the Light into the darkness. The title of First Illuminator belongs to the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew who brought the Light of Christ to Armenia in the fifth decade of the first century.

Saturday is the feast of St. Gregory the Illuminator’s deliverance from the pit. 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 great patriarch of the Armenian people, St. Gregory the Illuminator. 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.

Next Step 808 – What’s happening in Armenia

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The latest episode of the Next Step (#808) is out, with comments and thoughts about Church/State relations. Listen below:

Signed up for that!

Next Step #808 – November 15, 2025 – The delicate and not-so-delicate balance of the church-state relationship in Armenia. Fr. Vazken shares ideas on the situation that has too many people discussing and hashing out issues outside their range of influence. Detractions: a way of the covering up problems on the national level. Ararat was dismissed from the passport stamp. (Even in Soviet times, Ararat was prominent on the emblem. Learned: Purpose of all institutions is self-perpetuation. Learned: The reason for four walls in a church. Discovered: the reason for four corners of a church. The prefixes that need to be revisited by Christians, such as “Judio” defining Christian. “Pluribus” and a world with peace and harmony?  AI comes up with the new definition of “OG” when pertaining to Epostle and the teachings. Free speech and Skokie Illinois and the ACLU.  First stop for religious education.
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The Magic of Ararat

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Armodoxy for Today: The Magic of Ararat (Part 2 from yesterday)

If your passport was stamped in Armenia with the line-drawing depicting Mount Ararat, you have a collector’s item in your hand as the image has been removed from the official passport-control stamp. Thankfully, the government action can’t erase the meaning that so many have found in that majestic symbol of the Armenian nation. It dates back to the beginning of time. As the resting place of Noah’s Ark (Genesis 8) it’s the second birthplace of humanity and makes for a nice companion to the Garden of Eden, found just down the road (as outlined in Genesis 2:10).

Armenia is a small country at the crossroads of three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa. Every conqueror and would-be conqueror has invaded, raped and pillaged the land and people. And while, many of these people, their tribes and empires have been long forgotten, the small nation of Armenia sits below the watchful eye of Ararat.

Mount Ararat stands 17,000 feet high, with year-round snow caps, casting a shadow on Armenia – a shadow which has acted as an umbrella of hope for everyone it cradles. During the worst of times, it has been a symbol of hope with people casting their gaze at her majesty and dreaming of freedom, perhaps beyond the peaks, or hoping for life and a future.

As I mentioned yesterday, in part one of this message, if by chance the air is foggy or misty, or even a cloud hides the mountain, you’re never farther than a few feet from thousands of decorations, painting, drawings and logos with Ararat’s twin peaks. Coffee shops, souvenirs stores and just about any type of clothing accessory one can imagine has the Ararat mark on it, not to mention cigarettes, cognac and bottled water. Most homes have a picture or two of the sacred mountain hanging, even though they have a clear view of the real deal right outside their window. They have taken the image off of the passport, but the mountain is there. It is unavoidable.

Now the oddity in all of this is that Ararat Mountain is not in the borders of Armenia. Currently, that land is occupied and exists outside Armenia’s borders on international maps. Yet it is recognized as the Armenian mountain, and Armenia is identified by the shape, the stature and image of Ararat. It is connected to a people who do not live on its hallowed hills.

Ararat is a sacred mountain and exudes a mystique by its presence. It mystically ties every Armenian throughout the world to the land. It is magical in the sense that it is not supposed to be there, and it is. A look at its peaks takes the imagination over the top to dream of the impossible.

I started this message in Armodoxy yesterday, defining the word “virtual” as describing something that does not physically exist but is made by software to appear as if it does. Today, in the case of Ararat, it is more like magic, conjuring up images of a history and laying the hopes of tomorrow. They have taken the image off of the passport, but the mountain is there. It’s not going anywhere. It’s the magic of Ararat that asks us to believe.

God, you have created all things with wisdom. You have scattered the wonders of the world around the earth like the scatterings of stars. May the sacred Mt Ararat continue to inspire and allow us to dream of the days to comes. Amen.

Ararat Virtually Forever

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Armodoxy for Today: The Ararat Label

The term “virtual” has taken on some new meaning in the last few decades with the popularity of the internet. It is used to describe something that does not physically exist but is made by software to appears as if it does. That describes the way most Armenians understand Mount Ararat.

The mountain range is easily visible from the moment one arrives in Armenia at the Zvartnots Airport and shows itself especially nicely from the capital city of Yerevan. And if by chance the air is foggy or misty, and a cloud covering hides the mountain, Ararat is seen on logos of coffee shops, souvenirs and just about any type of clothing accessory one can imagine. Most homes have a picture of the twin-peaked mountain hanging somewhere in the house, even if they can see it from their window.

Ararat is the theme of songs, and poems. Even during the Soviet years (1920-1991) when nationalism was played down or discouraged with harsh punishment, Ararat was the theme of poem and prose. Armenia’s beloved poet, Yeghishé Charents wrote words that are recited and sung: “Travel the world and there is no white capped peak as beautiful as Ararat … it is the road to glory…

For Armenians, Mount Ararat is a national symbol. This feeling is strongly reinforced in the collective consciousness of the people that Armenians, me included, often forget that the mountain’s claim-to-fame on the international scene is thanks to a reference in the Book of Genesis chapter 8, as the resting place of Noah’s Ark.

A few years back, I was invited to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Nashville, Tennessee. It is considered a “mission parish” meaning that there is no permanent priest to pastor the small flock. A dear friend picked us up from the airport and on our way to the services we drove past an exit sign on the freeway boldly marked, “Ararat Cemetery next right.” A big smile came on my face. The sign, and the cemetery it pointed to, were indicators that there were Armenians in Tennessee. Any congregation that was running a cemetery must be ready to have graduated from mission parish status, I thought. Of course, I was operating on the notion that Ararat implied Armenian.

As we got closer to the cemetery, the sign read, “Ararat Baptist Cemetery.” It was, in fact, run by the local Baptist Church with absolutely no Armenian ties or overtones. The name pointed to the Biblical Mountain which is accepted by all of Christendom.

Much of what we believe, we are conditioned to believe. I’ve spent my entire life associating things labeled “Ararat” – from the local nursing home, to the bubbly water, from the restaurant to a type of slippers, to the cognac – with the Armenian nation. If we had not taken an extra step to take a closer look at the sign, I would have lived with the illusion of believing Tennessee had an Armenian cemetery. Issues of the faith are even more important than discovering what’s under a label. Whether a cemetery or an article of faith, take a moment to go beyond the label.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the magic that comes with Mount Ararat.

We pray from the Book of Hours, “Heavenly King, my soul is in Your care at all times and I trust in Your holy Cross. I have the multitude of saints as my intercessors before You. You are forbearing toward all, do not disregard those who rely on You, but protect them with peace by Your precious and Holy cross. Amen.

The Turn-it-off Solution

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Next Step with Fr. Vazken, The Turn-it-off Solution, #806 – September 21, 2025
Freedom, Independence and Speech in America on the anniversary of Armenian Independence. Step-by-step instructions on how to turn off what you reject. Checks and balances. Aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death, Palestinian death. Editorial perogative. Varakakhatch coming up: The Stones will speak, they did and do in Varak. Rallying around the Shnorhali formula of Unity in Essentials.
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Music to share: Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day
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Etchmiadzin, Altar of Light – Part 5 of 5

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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.

Cover: Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

When I started to cry for Artsakh | Interview with Gala Danilova

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Gala Danilova, a refugee from Artsakh (Nagorna-Karabakh) discusses the process of exile from their home, and how to balance the feelings of hatred and sorrow with the power of love. Interviewed March 31, 2025, Yerevan, Armenia by Fr. Vazken Movsesian The protest in Yerevan took place right after this interview. Camera, Edited and Produced by Gregory Beylerian

Pope Francis, Another Brother

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Armodoxy for Today: Another Brother, Pope Francis

This morning I woke up to the news of Pope Francis’ passing. Thoughts of him at Sunday’s Easter Mass quickly came to my mind. I heard about the Vatican Easter service on my car radio. I was on a long-drive home from the Coachella Valley, where I had celebrated the Easter Liturgy at the St. Garabed Armenian Church.

News of the Vatican service kept me focused on the day’s message of resurrection. The news item was clear that the Pope attended the Easter Mass though the celebrant was one of the Cardinals, the Pope’s representative. The Pope was struggling with health issues and even though his doctors recommended that he get plenty of rest, he did not want to (could not) stay away from the Easter Mass.

Following the service, from his wheelchair, he offered his Easter message. True and consistent to himself and his vows as a priest, he remembered the poor and the marginalized. For my ears, his call for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan was a call that only someone with true commitment and compassion for the cause of peace would dare to reiterate as often as he did.

And now, this morning I was hit by the reality that this voice for peace and compassion had gone silent.

He went out of this life the way he lived it, as an Apostle of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Resurrection. Neil Young has a line that I especially appreciate, “It’s better to burn out than it is to rust.” The Pope voice would never have rusted.

Back in 2016, Pope Francis visited Armenia in what was billed as “Pilgrimage to the First Christian Nation.” There was a small graphic-patch that was used as an icon on all the broadcasts, a drawing depicting the back of Pope Francis’ and Catholicos Karekin II’s heads. I’ve included it as the cover of today’s message. At the time, on my podcast I referred to their meeting as two brothers reuniting. St. Peter and St. Thaddeus, both lived and breathed with our Lord Jesus Christ. They both were witnesses to the Resurrection. Both of them carried the message of Resurrection to new lands, Peter to Rome and Thaddeus to Armenia. Two thousand years later, their successors, the Bishop of Rome and the Bishop of Ararat, had embraced as brothers.

Pope Francis’ legacy is a great one. He touched people on many levels as he did the soul of this priest. We will continue with more reflections in the days to come. Today, we join our voice with the millions throughout the world in praying for his soul but also praying for the echo of his voice in our world.

O Christ, Son of God, forbearing and compassionate, have mercy upon the soul of Your servant Francis. Be mindful of him on the great day of the coming of Your Kingdom. Number and glorify him in the company of your saints at Your right hand. For you are Lord and Creator of all, judge of the living and the dead. To you is befitting glory and honor. Amen

Kid’s Play: Threats and Safety

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Armodoxy for Today: Kid’s Play/Threats and Safety

Armenia is surrounded by hostile neighbors. One wonders, what is life like under the imminent danger of attack and war? We know that existential threats, that is the possibility of extinction of a country and people, is a 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 witnessed 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 playing with a drone, piloting it in and through the arms and legs of a 70 foot bronze statue of a horse with St. Vartan Mamikonian riding it. From the other side of the park, 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 looked almost as if it were choregraphed.

To borrow a phrase from Ian Anderson, “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 America today. Oh, yes, there was a time when carefree went hand-in-hand with youth, but those days are deposited in our memories and sometimes they are jarred from those forgotten spots by a scene from a movie or a shared story. 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 and trafficking are the counterparts to planned attack and war. One enemy is the known – we know his whereabout, we see him – while the other enemy is a random occurrence, with the variables of person, place and time unknown. Both elicit fear and pose a threat to life.

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. Have mercy on all your creatures. Amen.