Tag Archive for: Chrism

The Chrism

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Armodoxy for Today: The Chrism

Chrism is a special oil used for anointing. The word Christ comes from the Chrism. Christ means “the anointed one.” Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is Jesus, the anointed one.

Chrism is sometimes referred to as myrrh (as in one of the gifts brought to Baby Jesus by the Wise Men) or in our case, in the Armenian Church, we call it Holy Muiron. It is used in the traditional churches, such as in the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches, to anoint, that is, to seal, much like the “Amen” that finishes our prayers. With it, faith is sealed. While the preparation of Holy Murion differs among the churches, the Armenian Church’s use of symbolism is as unique as is the fact that the Muiron from previous blessings, from the time of Christ, is added to the new batch, thus tying the present community to the eternal group of believers proclaiming a unifying message of love and peace for humankind. At Jesus’ birth, the angels proclaimed, “Peace on Earth and goodwill toward one another” and with each anointing we seal and say Amen to those words as our direction in Faith.

The make up of Muiron is olive oil, balsam and the essence of fragrant flowers, each of which has special meaning and purpose as we will learn.

Muiron is used to consecrate people, objects and sacred spaces. Each of these consecrations is the responsibility of different orders within the Church. For instance a priest may consecrate one who is baptized. A Bishop may consecrate priests for service within the Church and may consecrate buildings and objects for service within the Church. And the Chief Bishop, or Catholicos, has the authority to bless the Holy Muiron as well as consecrate bishops for service within the Church.

The Muiron is consecrated every seven years. Seven is a mystical number within Armodoxy. In the Armenian alphabet the seventh letter “eh” which is the present tense of the verb “to be.” It is the name of God, “He is” who exists in the eternal present. The Catholicos, on being elected and consecrated, may decide to bless Muiron on the first year of his pontificate after which the clock counts up, seven years to the next blessing.

God speaks to us through the Sacraments and especially through the Holy Muiron. He is speaking to you today, and He always has. It is up to us listen, hear, and make the choice to follow or act. The beginning of that action is with an affirmation – and Amen – an anointing.

Tomorrow, we’ll listen and hear how he speaks to us through the Muiron.

Let us pray, Lord our God, according to Your Good Will, fill my heart with Your peace. Cleanse me from all blemishes, guile and hypocrisy, malice and the remembrance of evil. Amen.

The Spirit of Muiron

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Armodoxy for Today: The Spirit of Muiron

And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Matthew 26)

This short episode which is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John displays a side of Jesus which is often not discussed. Jesus puts his concern for the poor “on hold” for this brief moment as a costly oil shared with him.

Every seven years the Armenian Church takes a break from all the difficulties it faces and the cares of world and focuses on the preparation of the Holy Muiron – the Holy Chrism. From the time of Christ, this holy oil comes to us and its preparation involves the collecting the essence of fragrant flowers, a 40 day processing with the prayers, and spiritual vibrations, a most spiritually profound and inspiring services presided by the Catholicos and attended by thousands of clergy and pilgrims from throughout the world and blessing it with the lance that pierced Jesus’ side on the Cross, and with the Holy Relic of St. Gregory. Every seven years the Muiron is renewed, adding the prayers and history of the centuries past to the present mix.

Join me during the next few weeks, as I give you a very special Armodox view of the Holy Muiron. Through these daily messages we will explore together the preparation process, the prayers, the hymns, the purpose of Muiron, the presence of the Holy Spirit in this ancient tradition, and why it is essential to take a break from the difficulties of the day to bring this holy anointing into our lives. This is Armodoxy for Today… The Holy Muiron from the time of Christ to Today.

O Christ, anoint my soul with your love, anoint my ears with your voice and anoint my eyes with your light as I prepare to learn and grow in the sacred tradition of Holy Muiron. Have mercy on me. Amen.

 

Oil to Prayer, Miuron

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Armodoxy for Today: Oil to Prayer

One of the sacred traditions of the Armenian Church is the preparation and blessing of the Holy Miuron (Chrism). It is done with much fanfare and grandeur, once every seven years. Holy Miuron was scheduled to be blessed this year, 2023, on October 1.

The process of blessing begins forty days earlier. That special ceremony took place presided by His Holiness, Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The base of the Miuron is olive oil and the essence of 40 different fragrant flowers. Just as this, the mixture, was absorbing the prayers, hymns, incense and the energy of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of the Armenian Church, the Azeris fired on the innocent civilians of Artsakh, prompting the Blessing of Muiron to be postponed.

At the blessing of Holy Miuron, the holy relics of the saints are brought out of their sacred spaces within monasteries, to the altar table of Holy Etchmiadzin, along with the sacred Geghard, the Holy Lance that pierced the side of Our Lord Jesus on the Cross (John 19). The Holy Miuron is mystical and powerful. It unites us to Christ and the History of the Holy Church. It is used to christen individuals into the Church, to consecrate clergy and buildings into the sacred service of the Holy Church. It is the life blood of the Church.

This year, the body of Armenian Church, took a major hit. A large portion of that body, namely Artsakh, was cut off of the Body. Understandably, the life blood, the Holy Miuron, would need to strengthen. With the postponement of this year’s blessing, His Holiness, the Catholicos, has ordered the holy relics of the saints and the Holy Geghard to be brought to Etchmiadzin’s Holy Altar during this most difficult time, to console the people with a special blessing.

This Sunday, October 1, has been designated at an International Day of Prayer for Artsakh and the Artsakh Armenians who now seek refuge as their land is occupied and they are exiled from their homes. A Day of Prayer is a call to the children of the Church to focus on God as their only hope. This is our opportunity to return to our roots and understand the true power of God to work His miracles through each of us.

We at Epostle.net will be simulcasting the ancient Armenian Divine Liturgy from the St. Leon Ghevondyants Armenian Cathedral with English commentary. Please join us for a live stream at 10:30AM Pacific Daylight Time, on October 1, that’s Coordinated Universal Time -7 at Epostle.net.

Today we conclude with Psalm 23: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

The Miuron (Chrism) Dare

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Next Step #380: After the GOP debate, there’s no dare to consecrate Holy Miuron. Fr. Vazken goes through the mechanics and rich symbolism of blessing the Holy Miuron – done once every 7 years in Holy Etchmiadzin – flowers, spices and oils – the binding power of the Holy Spirit. And a special Armodox addition – the alabaster box held by St. Bartholomew.
Links:
Kantara “Spirits in the morning”
Etchmiadzin: http://www.armenianchurch.org/
Preparation of the Holy Miuron
Republican Debate
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