Armodoxy for Today: Holy Thursday – Darkness

Holy Thursday is remembered as the night that after Jesus broke bread with his disciples at the Last Supper, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, was betrayed by Judas, arrested, tried, tortured, mocked and humiliated and sentenced to death.

In the Armenian Church, the evening is marked with the service called “Khavarum” (=darkness) during which the Passion narrative from the perspective of the Four Evangelists – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, is read aloud in church. Following the story the evening unfolds portraying God who has humbled himself to understand His creation, and now we the created, have an opportunity to understand our God, our Creator.

Seven different passages from the Gospels are read during the evening, intertwined with the singing of a sharagan (hymn) called “Aysor Anjar” written by St. Nersess Shnorhali, the 12^th century Armenian Church theologian and Catholicos. Alphabetically arranged according to each letter of 36 letters of the Armenian alphabet, the hymn follows the Passion of Christ by juxtaposing ideas and events that stimulate wonder, ponderings and mediation on the events of this night.

As the evening progresses, one by one, the candles in the church are extinguished until the congregation is left in complete darkness, hence the name Khavarum. As the narrative and the Passion plays out, the Light of the World, Christ, is betrayed and executed. In the darkness, you contemplate what the world would be like, without Christ in our midst.

When we began this Holy Week I asked you to walk with Jesus to the Cross. Tonight is the night of light and darkness. Somewhere in the shadows of the night you actually see darkness. It is not emptiness, but a darkness that begs to be lit. You are in the courtyard now. The trial is taking place insider. Peter is about to deny Christ. You hear the moans and cries of your Savior, you notice the indifference of the people, you hear the lies of religious establishment and in between, you ask yourself where and how you stand.  Who is Jesus? Who is he to you?