Walk into an Armenian Church and you’re sure to be overwhelmed all the symbols. God is a mystery. Jesus Christ gives us a glimpse into that mystery with his life and teaching. We can all agree that if God could be explained with words, He no longer is God, that is, by virtue of definition, God is greater than and beyond our thoughts and words.
The greatest symbol within the Armenian Church is that of the Cross. It is an instrument of torture and death, yet we exalt it. We bless people and objects by the “sign of the Cross.” We wear crosses ornamentally, on necklaces, rings, earrings, tattoos, and embossed on clothing. If you were to imagine someone wearing today’s devise of torture and murder, such as a hypodermic needle for the lethal injections, or an electric chair, we would then understand St. Paul’s words, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing…´(I Corinthians 1:18) Yes, it would truly be humorous, it would be foolishness to praise a gas chamber.
And here is where the switch comes. Through the salvific act of Crucifixion and Resurrection, Jesus transformed the instrument of torture and death, the Cross, into a symbol of victory.
“In the world you will have tribulation;” says Jesus. Yes, you will have difficulties, suffering and yes, crosses to overcome. “But be of good cheer,” Jesus continues, “I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) Indeed, the victory over the Cross transformed the symbol into one of triumph.
We pray today, a prayer from 8th century by Sahak Tzoroportsi, “May your Cross be our refuge with its blazing brilliance. That which is named the tree of life destroyed the enemy and dissolved our death sentence, for the salvation of the universe. Amen.”
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Cross-677.jpg11251125Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-09-09 00:10:222026-09-08 13:29:50Changing the Cross
You made it! Fifty Days since Poon Paregentan: 40 days of Lent and today the Easter Message comes to you: Christ has Risen! Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ
A Reading of the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 28
To which we can only add: Amen!
Քրիստոս յարեաւ ի Մեռելոց. Օրհնեալ է յարութիւնն Քրիստոսի:
Cover: “Rise” by Gregory Beylerian
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Armodoxy for Today: Do you believe this? – Lazarus Saturday
The Lenten season is over, and now begins the holiest of all days and journeys, as we prepare to greet the Empty Tomb, that is Easter Sunday. This preparation is an actual walk with Christ, walking with him as he enters the holy city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, through his passion, through His crucifixion, even His burial, and ultimately finding ourselves at the Resurrection as a witness to life beyond the grave.
Welcome to Holy Week.
The first day of Holy Week is called Lazarus Saturday. The story comes to us from the Gospel of Saint John chapter 11, where we learn of the death of Jesus’ close friend Lazarus. When Jesus arrives at his friend’s home, Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, turn to Jesus and say, If you had been here, our brother would not have died, an acknowledgment of Jesus’s Lordship and power even over death. Jesus turns to them and says, Your brother will rise again. Martha agrees and says, I know he will rise in the resurrection of the last day. But Jesus says to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Having proclaimed this truth, Jesus turns to Martha and says, Do you believe this?
I invite you to read the entire story of Lazarus resurrection (John 11). For today, I’d like to focus on the words that Jesus speaks to the sisters, Do you believe this? Because it is the same question that he asks us. We can recognize Jesus at many levels. We can even proclaim His Lordship. We can call him the Son of God, the question that he asks to the sisters he asks now of us, Do you believe this? Do you believe that I am the resurrection and the life. Do you believe that I am love incarnate? If you believe that, then you must believe that love is the resurrection and the life. You must believe that it is love that prevents any of us from dying, that love is the one factor that allows us to live forever.
As we begin this Holy Week, ask yourself this very personal question: Do I believe this? The road in front of us is a tough one. We’re going to go all the way to the cross and then to the tomb. Love is the one thing that cannot be killed. It is the resurrection and the life. It’s only with this commitment and with this confession on our part that the rest of the week will make any sense that the rest of the week will rise from the pages of history and become a living testament to what faith means today in our lives, how that faith will actually allow us to be participants in the Resurrection.
We pray, Lord Jesus Christ, who are Resurrection and the Life, fill my heart with your Love so I may forgive my enemies and care for others, and share that Love in my life. I await the travel before me, to accompany you to the Cross. Amen.
Cover photo: 2023 Luna & Gregory Beylerian, St. Gregory Armenian Cathedral, Narthex, Yerevan, Armenia
The Universe is an ordered system of bodies, forces and interactions. The Armenian Church organizes its liturgies and events according to a calendar. The post-Theophany period counts of 40 days to the event of “Dyaruntarch” or the Presentation, described in Luke chapter 2. It may seem a bit odd and backward, but during this post Theophany period, the events leading up to the Theophany are examine in Holy Scripture.
Often the Nativity of Christ, commonly referred to as Christmas, is considered as the first of all celebrations of Jesus Christ’s life. In fact, the Nativity, as well as every other celebration, is defined by the Resurrection, that is, the Easter celebration. In Jesus’ resurrection, death was conquered. “Christ has risen from the grave” was the first “gospel” of the Christian Church. Gospel means, the “Good News.” You might imagine that after the Resurrection, the early Christian community was completely baffled and in shock. They had witnessed the violent death of Jesus, an execution so heinously delivered that nobody would have believed that anyone could have possibly survived that death. And there was no reason to even consider Jesus’ survival because they removed his breathless body from the Cross and placed his body in a tomb. Resurrection was not even considered. But early that morning, Holy Scripture tells us, the visitors to the grave were surprised to find Jesus’ tomb empty.
The Christian Community, which became the Church, was defined by the Resurrection of Christ. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16) finds its meaning because of the Crucifixion and Resurrection. It was because of the Resurrection that people began to inquire about Jesus and his history, that is, who is he? Where did he come from? Who are his parents? And so on…
The Gospel narratives were written to share the Good News. The Good News was contained in the person of Jesus Christ. The Nativity narratives in St. Matthew and St. Luke’s Gospels were presented to answers questions people had about Jesus’ background: What were the circumstances surrounding his birth? Where was he from? What was the connection with Joseph the Carpenter?
As you recall, in preparation for the Theophany (the Advent period we just concluded) we focused on our spiritual growth to accept the power of the Theophany. Now, we too, like the early Christians, will look a back at the stories that come from Jesus’ childhood. For this reason, the Armenian Church assigns the Nativity narratives to the days following Theophany. The stories we are all familiar with peripherally, will be the focus of our next journey on the road to the Presentation or Diaruntarch.
Let us pray, Lord Jesus Christ, we are in the joy celebrating your Nativity and Revelation. We stand in awe of your presence in our life. Open our hearts and our minds to all that is You, as we begin in our Scriptural study of the Nativity narratives. May your holy name be glorified today and always. Amen.
https://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Forward-to-go-back.jpg495510Vazken Movsesianhttps://epostle.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/final_logo_large_for_epostle_web-300x189.pngVazken Movsesian2026-01-07 00:01:452026-01-06 18:43:39Post-Theophany: Fast Forward to the Background
On this Friday, with thoughts of the Holy Cross, we go back to the original day of the Cross, the day of Crucifixion, on a day that has now been designated as “Good Friday.” On that day, an innocent man was condemned to death. He was beaten and flogged for spreading a message of love. He was mocked and humiliated on made-up political charges. Standing at the foot of the Cross were only five or six of his followers, in stark contrast to the thousands who ushered him into Jerusalem only four days earlier (on Palm Sunday).
If you were one of those people standing at the foot of the Cross, or if you heard this story up and only to this point, you would hardly believe this to be a Good Friday. The horrifying torture and death of Jesus Christ was anything but a good event.
Then came Sunday. On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ tomb was empty! He has Risen! The first gospel – good news – is what changed an evil and “Bad” Friday into Good Friday! By his glorious Resurrection, Jesus made the instrument of torture and death, into a symbol of victory and goodness. He taught us that the cross – our trials and tribulations – are not to be avoided but must be embraced. And herein we learn the lesson that Resurrection can only follow Crucifixion.
Today we pray the Armenian Church’s prayer (from the Book of Hours): By this Holy Cross let us ask the Lord, that through it He would save us from sin and sustain us by His goodness; Keep us in peace, Christ our God, under the protection of your Holy and venerable Cross. Save us from visible and invisible enemies. Make us worthy to thankfully glorify you with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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The Gospel tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples on several occasions after the Resurrection. During that first week, every time he appeared to the disciples, Thomas, who was called the Twin was not present. In fact, Thomas doubted the others had seen the Resurrected Lord, hence he is referred to as Doubting Thomas. He said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas was eclipsed from the bearer of Light as a follower of Jesus, to the darkness of disbelief.
We read in John, chapter 21:
And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The eclipse is over! Thomas’ proclamation was complete and total: “My Lord and my God!” And note that he did not put his fingers on the marks of the nail. Thomas was transformed from unbelieving to believing.
Most Christians come to Christ without seeing the physical Jesus, but they come to believe because they have seen his works – the love in the world.
Let us pray, Almighty and ever living God, who strengthen your apostle Thomas with sure and certain faith in Your Son’s Resurrection: Grant us so perfectly and without doubt to believe in Jesus Christ, our Lord and our God, that our faith may never be found wanting in Your sight; through Him who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
In the days following the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to many different people. For the most part they were his followers who saw him, and non-believers greeted the news with skepticism, neither believing the Resurrection nor the idea that there was life beyond the grave.
Much hasn’t changed in the two millennia since the Resurrection.
A week ago I came across a short parable which I’d like to share with you. I found a few different versions of the parable, a couple of the earlier drafts are by Henri J.W. Nouwen, Pablo Molinero and this particular version I found on Juli Conard’s blog.
The Parable of the Twins
In a mother’s womb were two babies. As the twins developed, their awareness grew and they laughed for joy, “Isn’t it great to be alive?”
The first baby asked the other: “Do you believe in life after delivery?”
The second baby replied, “Why, of course. There has to be something after delivery. Maybe we are here to prepare ourselves for what we will be later.”
“Nonsense,” said the first. “There is no life after delivery. What would that life be?”
“I don’t know, but there might be more light than here. Maybe we will walk with our legs and eat with our mouths.”
The doubting baby laughed. “This is absurd! Walking is impossible. And eating with our mouths? Ridiculous. The umbilical cord supplies nutrition. Life after delivery is impossible; the umbilical cord is too short.”
The second baby held his ground. “I think there is something and maybe it’s different than it is here.”
The first baby replied, “No one has ever come back from there. Delivery is the end of life, and in the after-delivery it is nothing but darkness and anxiety and it takes us nowhere.”
“Well, I don’t know,” said the twin, “but certainly we will see mother and she will take care of us.”
“Mother?” The first baby laughed. “You believe in mother? Where is she now?”
The second baby calmly and patiently tried to explain. “She is all around us. It is in her that we live. Without her, there would not be this world that we know.”
“Ha. I don’t see her, so it’s only logical that she doesn’t exist.”
To which the other replied, “Sometimes when you’re in silence you can hear her, you can perceive her. I believe there is a reality after delivery and we are here to prepare ourselves for that reality when it comes….”
As the weeks stretched into months the twins noticed how much each was changing.
“What do you think all this change means?” asked the first baby.
“It means that our stay in this world is drawing to an end,” said the second.
“But I don’t want to go,” said the first “I want to stay right here always.”
“We have no choice,” said the second, “but maybe there is life after birth!”
“But how can it be?” responded the one. “We will shed our life cord, and how is life possible without it? Besides, we have seen evidence that others were here before us and none of them have returned to tell us that there is life after birth.”
And so, the one fell into deep despair saying, “If conception ends with birth, what is the purpose of life in the womb? It is meaningless! Maybe there is no mother at all.”
“But there has to be,” protested the second baby. “How else did we get here? How do we remain alive?”
“Have you ever seen our mother?” said the one. “Maybe she lives in our minds. Maybe we made her up because the idea made us feel good.”
Thus, while one raved and despaired, the other resigned himself to birth. He placed his trust in the mother.
Hours passed into days and days fell into weeks, and it came time. And both knew that their birth was at hand. And both feared what they did not know.
And as the one was the first to be conceived, so he was the first to be born. The other followed after. And they cried as they were born out into the light. They coughed up fluid, and they gasped the dry air; and when they were sure that they had been born, they opened up their eyes and they found themselves cradled in the warm love of the mother. They lay open-mouthed, awestruck at the beauty of the mother whom they had never seen before.”
“At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.” With these words the Evangelist John records in his Gospel (19:41) an obscure description of where Jesus was laid to rest. In the 1970s rock-opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber give a node and notice to the site by naming the final musical piece of the opera, “John Nineteen Forty-one.”
The grave site is as obscure as the Armenian Church I speak about on these broadcasts, the same Armenian Church which sits on the site and celebrates the Liturgy at this Tomb which was blasted open by the Resurrected Lord Jesus. The obscurity of the grave was overshadowed by the news – the Good News, that is the Gospel of the Resurrection.
This weekend, Pope Francis of Blessed Memory was laid to rest. He had asked that his remains not be interred at the St. Peter Basilica as many popes before him. Rather, he requested to find a resting spot at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where one of his favorite icons, the icon of Mary Salus Popoli Romani had inspired him and became a site for the growth of his own prayer life. Hardly an obscure location, but in the context of the Basilica of St. Peter in the history of the papacy, Pope Francis’ choice reflected the humility that the was a hallmark of his life.
The Armenian Church, as the ancient witness to Jesus Christ and therefore to the Resurrection, has often been designated to obscure corners and areas of the world and community, but the power of the Resurrection is always overshadowing and lifts this small Church to shine its Light, whether from Holy Etchmiadzin or the local parish. Pope Francis left this earth as the Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, and today, the Basilica of St. Mary Major turns into a Shrine of Light to those who cherished the Christ-like humility of this Servant of God.
May the seal of our Lord Jesus Christ be immovable from the tomb of your servant Francis, until the coming of Christ, who will come and once again renew in the glory of the Father and the Holy Spirit. May his memory be for us a renewal of our vows of kindness, understanding and humility. Amen.
Cover: Gregory Beylerian 2014
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Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb… [They both entered the tomb and saw] thelinen cloths lying there,and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself…. as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Vartabed!” (which is to say, Teacher).
Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yetascended to My Father; but go toMy brethren and say to them,‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and toMy God and your God.’ ”
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
Scriptural excerpts from the New King James Version
Music: The Way, Armenian Sacred Music, Hover Chamber Choir of Armenia 2005
Cover: Rise! by Gregory Beylerian available at Shop – epostle
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Armodoxy for Today: Holy Saturday – Before the Dawn
This Easter Eve we find ourselves in a rather awkward position. We have been through the Lenten journey and walked together during this Holy Week, but today, we find it difficult to really make sense of what we witnessed. Yesterday, we stood at the foot of the Cross of Christ, looking up at our Savior, looking up at a seemingly helpless god, a god who is unable to help himself and protect himself from the perils of humankind.
While Jesus was betrayed and sentenced to death, you and I – all of us – were betrayed to darkness, which is a much a bigger condemnation than death itself. Darkness is our first fear. A room without lights is scary at any age. Darkness holds the unknown. Each step we take in darkness needs to be measured. Imagine a life without Christ – a life without light, a life without love? Imagine a life with no purpose and no meaning. Darkness.
But today, off in the distance, we see light. We see a glimmer of hope, after all, we are children of history, we know how this story is going to end. Unlike the disciples, who were confused and didn’t know what to believe, we have the advantage of knowing that after crucifixion, something incredible will happen, Jesus will resurrect.
Easter Eve is a reminder that it’s always darkest before the dawn.
So off in the distance we see that light, that light of resurrection. In fact, Scripture tells us that before the dawn of the first day, before that Easter morning, the women went to the grave and found it empty. Plant your feet firm in this dawn, on this Easter Eve, you are at the grave. Easter has not come yet, but we know that there’s something great. We know that the journey that we took together over the last seven weeks is about to unfold – not end, but unfold into something greater, which we call life. We are about to confront life, as Christians, as witnesses to the resurrection, as witnesses to the power of love over hate, to the power of light over darkness, to the power of good over evil, to life over death.
All four Evangelists record the details of the first encounter with the Resurrected Lord. It was a small group of women, who had gone to with the intention of anointing Jesus’ Body that first received the news of the Resurrection. Today, you have arrived at the Grave before the dawn. Your anticipation will not be disappointed.
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