Tag Archive for: Hripsime

Hripsimé, the spark (1/5)

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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 1, Hripsimé. “The longest journey begins with a single step,” said Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu and I would imagine every culture has some parallel statement that expresses the  sentiment that the biggest and most complicated tasks begin with an initial spark. Hripsime is the spark that ignited the Christian revolution in Armenia in the early 4th century.

Hripsimé was a young girl, we are told, of remarkable beauty. In the late 3rd century, she entered a Roman convent, dedicating her life to Jesus Christ. Her beauty caught the eye of the Roman emperor Diocletian and he was determined to marry her. Hripsime and the other sister fled Rome to escape his hounding, and after some time ended up settling in the town of Vagharshapat, Armenia.

Emperor Diocletian sends word to the Armenian King Tirtad to have her captured and returned to Rome. What happens next seems almost too predictable, Tirtad is taken by Hripsimés beauty and wants her for himself. He offered her his kingdom if she would be his queen, but she refused to marry him, a pagan, and give up her Lord Jesus Christ.

Hripsimé refusal, and her faithfulness to Jesus Christ was the first step on the road to the Christianization of Armenia. Her short answer “No,” was a tiny little step that had huge repercussions. But at the time she refused the king, the only thing that was certain for her was, at the least, persecution, at the most, death.

Rev. Martin Luther King once said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Hripsimé took that first step uncertain of where it would lead. Most definitely she did not know, nor did it cross her mind, that this “No” to the king would be the spark to the conversion of Armenia to Christianity. The only certainty she had was that her action, or non-action, was in line with her core beliefs as a Christian.

Hripsimé is a saint whose story inspires us to do that which is right. Hripsimé knew well the parable of the “10 Maidens” (Matthew 25) and as a Christian she had heard the words of Jesus, who said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36) “Queen Hripsimé” was guaranteed a beautiful and pleasant life, “Sister Hripsimé” was marked to death. But her strength came from Jesus Christ, in his words, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

Hripsimé followed her heart. It was the place of her treasure. She teaches us to walk in faith and do that which is right. The wealth and beauty of this world … that’s tomorrow: Gayane.

Today is the feast of St. Hripsimé. 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 holy martyr St. Hripsimé. 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 photo: Grave of St. Hripsime, by Luna & Gregory Beylerian, 2023

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.

 

Gayané, Kindling

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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 2 – Gayané: If Hripsimé was the spark of the Christian revolution in Armenia, Gayané was the kindling. Gayané was the head of the convent, what might be commonly referred to as a Mother Superior. When Hripsimé ran from Emperor Diocletian it was into the embrace of Gayané. She could not have had a better ally. Gayané was a woman of principle and high morals and for this reason she was charged with the leadership of the sisterhood.

It is important to remember that the Church, at this point, is still functioning underground. That means, the gatherings of the community were secretive. There were pockets of Christians throughout the Empire, but for the most part they were discriminated against, and were dispensable. Furthermore, the Bible had not yet been compiled, but there were scriptures – mostly Psalms and Proverbs – that were read among the believers, and of course, St. Paul’s letters had risen to the status of “epistle,” meaning that they were general letters to the community.

Gayané knew Jesus Christ from the Holy Tradition handed down to her by the Holy Church.  She did not read the words of Christ but heard his voice, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

Gayané had picked up her cross in the vows she had taken to serve God by serving others. When the King realized that Hripsimé was not budging from her stance, he approached Gayané, as the head of the sisterhood, to persuade Hripsimé to give into his desire. Just the opposite, Gayané insisted that Hripsimé not trade the pleasures of this world with the rewards of eternity. And so it was they escaped, but at the cost of their mortal existence.

The king’s muscle was exerted on these young girls in an unbelievably disgusting manner. The details of the torturous death they succumbed to would be called crimes against humanity today. Gayané was just the right kindling to Hripsimé’s spark. They played as a team as this Revolution began in Armenia. Gayané brought stability to the team by standing firm to her faith and being a pillar of strength to the young Hripsimé. Each of the characters we meet this week, come to us from over 1700 years ago, but their stories connect to our lives today. The struggles we go through every day, perhaps not as dramatic, still shake us to the core. These characters inspire us to live with hope and overcome the worst of the worst. In their inspiration today, we understand that these stories are timeless.

Every revolution needs a leader, and he was on the horizon. Tomorrow: Gregory the Parthinian, who would come to be known as the Illuminator.

Today is the feast of St. Gayané. 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 holy martyr St. Gayané. 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.