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GREEN SUNDAY

Posted in the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC), Uncategorized, tagged , on April 11, 2013|

Easter Sunday is followed by a period of fifty days (Hisnag) during which there are no fasting days and no saints’ days. This period from the Resurrection to Pentecost (Hokekaloost) is dedicated to the glorification of the Resurrections. Each of the seven Sundays of Hisnag has a special name. Last Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, was New Sunday.

This Sunday, April 14, is Green Sunday (Ganach Giragi), also called Sunday of the World Church (Ashkharhamadoor). Green Sunday most probably originates from an ancient folk holiday celebrating spring. Our forefathers, seeing mother earth bloom after long winter months, glorified the Creator with an act of thanksgiving and celebrated by decorating the church and themselves with greenery. The reawakening of nature is symbolic of the Resurrection. Green is the color of life, freshness, and promise. After a barren winter we are filled with hope, life, and love

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THIS SUNDAY IS GREEN SUNDAY

Posted in Uncategorized on April 21, 2012|

  Easter Sunday is followed by a period of fifty days (Hinants) during which there are no fasting days and no saints days. This period from the Resurrection to Pentecost (Hokekaloost) is dedicated to the glorification of the Resurrections. Each of the seven Sundays of Hinants has a special name. Last Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, was “New Sunday.”
      This Sunday, April 22, is “Green Sunday” (Ganach Giragi), also known as Sunday of the World Church (Ashkharhamadoor). The concept of Green Sunday most probably comes from an ancient folk holiday celebrating spring. Our forefathers, seeing mother earth bloom after long winter months, glorified the Creator with an act of thanksgiving and celebrated by decorating the church and themselves with greenery. The reawakening of nature is also symbolic of the Resurrection. Green is the color of life, freshness and promise. After a barren winter we are filled with hope, life, and love. 
     Green Sunday is also an appropriate time for us to remember our obligations to be good stewards of the earth and the gifts that have been given to us by God. With this in mind, 19 years ago, on May 12, 1993, the Clergy Conference at the National Representative Assembly [Armenian Prelacy] that took place at Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland, issued a strong statement on the environment and recommended that every year, “Green Sunday, the second Sunday following Easter, be declared a day when all the members of the Church observe the sanctity of God’s creation and the purity of the environment.”

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PALM SUNDAY

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged on March 31, 2012|

       This Sunday, April 1, is Palm Sunday commemorating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and the beginning of Holy Week. The Church is joyful after forty days of repentance. Christ is coming into the city of Jerusalem. He is coming in the name of the Lord in fulfillment of the prophecy (Zechariah 9:9-16), in the imagewords of the Introit of Palm Sunday, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and adorn your bridal chamber, O Sion, for behold your King Christ, seated on the new colt, shows meekness and comes to enter into your chamber. … Cry aloud, Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, who has great mercy.”

KING, YOU CAME TO THIS WORLD
By Catholicos Sahag Bartev 

 

King, you came to this world
By way of the city of Jerusalem,
Riding the ordinary donkey, close to the soil,
and called the pagans to reverence.

 

The old with branches of the olive,
The young with branches of palm, came.
And flock by flock, choruses sang:
Hosanna, blessed is your coming, Lord!

 

All of the kingdoms of Zion rejoiced.
All of the holy churches were enthralled.
With elation they welcomed the blessings
of your coming, savior of this world.

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FOUR CANDLES

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on March 10, 2012|

By Author Unknown

The Four Candles burned slowly. Their ambiance was so soft you could hear them speak…

The first candle said, “I Am Peace but these days nobody wants to keep me lit.”

Then Peace’s flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

The second candle said, “I Am Faith but these days I am no longer indispensable.”

Then Faith’s flame slowly diminished and went out completely.

Sadly the third candle spoke, “I Am Love and I haven’t the strength to stay lit any longer. People put me aside and don’t understand my importance. They even forget to love those who are nearest to them.”
And waiting no longer Love’s flame went out completely.

Suddenly a child entered the room and saw the three candles no longer burning.
The child began to cry, “Why are you not burning? You are supposed to stay lit until the end.”

Then the Fourth Candle spoke gently to the little boy, “Don’t be afraid for I Am Hope and while I still burn, we can re-light the other candles.”

With Shining eyes the child took the Candle of Hope and lit the other three candles.
Never let the Flame of Hope go out of your life.

With Hope no matter how bad things look and are…Peace, Faith and Love can Shine Brightly in our lives.

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