Tag Archive for: Orthodox

Deck Chairs

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Armodoxy for Today: The Deck Chairs

On Sunday, the Eastern Orthodox Church, e.g. the Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Georgian churches, celebrated Easter. These are the churches that adhere to the canons of what is traditionally referred to as the seven ecumenical councils. The Armenian Church has celebrated Easter with the Western world since 1923.

The date of Easter is calculated as being on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. March 21 is the date of the equinox, giving you an idea of the range in which Easter can fall. The calculation formula for the Eastern Orthodox Easter date includes the Jewish Passover feast date. The Armenian Church chose to see the Resurrection – the Easter feast – as something separate from the Old covenant and opted for the Western date.

Every four or five years, the dates coincide, and the world celebrates Easter on the same date. On the other years, Easter is either one, three or five weeks apart.

There are those who contend that there should be a unity in celebrating Easter in the Christian world. There are others who argue the validity of one date over the other.

Armodoxy looks at the message of Easter – the power to Resurrection over Crucifixion – as the defining force of Easter. For Christians, every day must be celebrated as Easter as a Resurrection. Christos Anesti, Christos haryav, Christ has risen, is the greeting that is valid every day of our life as a Christian.

There is an expression that is worth remembering: “Arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” When the Titanic was sinking, it was futile to arrange the deck chairs. With wars, genocide, intolerance, hatred hitting us from all sides, it’s important to keep the message of the day in focus and prioritized.

We pray, Lord, you conquered death through Your Resurrection. Evil lost its hold and was destroyed in the presence of Good. Keep your Resurrection ever before my eyes as the power that overcomes hopelessness and is the generation of Life. Keep me focused on the Empty Tomb that is found every day that I choose to live, hope, and love. Amen.

Cover Photo: Envato Elements

Want More? Try this week’s Next Step “War Protest: Opportunity Eclipsed” 

Deciphering the Hymn

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Armodoxy for Today: Deciphering the Hymn

The Theology of the Armenian Apostolic, and therefore Orthodox, Church is embedded in its hymns. The hymn, referred to as Sharagan, holds a wealth of ancient wisdom that is a treasury preserved for us from the time of Christ. Over a thousand hymns are compiled into a book called the Sharagnots, which describes the fellowship between God and His creation.

Access to the Sharagnots is complicated by the language in which the hymns are written, and while there are translations from the Classical Armenian to the colloquial language and even to non-Armenian languages, the mystical flavor of the Church is tied in with the melodies of the chants as well as the sacred environment where they have taken form. Inside of a monastery or a church, within the incense filled space and candle-smoked walls, the words of the shargans dance to the rhythms of monastics vocal cords and theology is deciphered and delivered holistically.

The last sharagan was written in 2015, at the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian Genocide. On April 24, 2015, the martyrs of the Genocide were canonized and are referred to as a Saints.

The translation of the Sharagan, opens a window into the understanding of the martyrs as saints.

“Astonished and appalled were the heavenly armies and with terror were petrified,” begins the sharagan, and continues to describe the desecration of God’s holiness by using the unique and singular pointer of Eden to Armenia.

“The nations upon seeing the ancient Eden, changed into the scene and arena of fire, blazing like Hell, of the passion of Cain, and the new sacrifice of this new Abel, whose blood speaks forever.

The Sharagan ends with the question posed earlier by the Psalmist and be humankind for millennia, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true! How long will it be until You judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”

Let us pray, Lord our God, allow me to celebrate the Mystery of Life, with my soul, my voice, and all my senses. Help me as I accept Your invitation to follow with my heart and accordingly decipher the instruction of Love. Amen.