This feast is dedicated to the Apparition of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. At noon on May 19, 351, a bright, luminous cross appeared over the skies of Jerusalem, centered over an area spanning from the Mount of Olives (where Christ was betrayed and arrested) to Golgotha (where Christ was crucified). Awestruck, the faithful of Jerusalem rush to church to give thanks and glorify the Lord. Bishop Cyril (later St. Cyril of Jerusalem) subsequently wrote a letter to Emperor Constantine of Byzantium wherein he describes the miraculous and beautiful scene. St. Cyril tells Constantine that the apparition is a true testimony of the orthodox faith of Christianity.

Further, St. Cyril exhorts the Emperor that the appearance is a sign for him to remain steadfast in his faith, and to stop defending the heretical movement of Arianism and its promulgators. The Armenian translation of the Bishop’s letter has been preserved by the Church, and is read each year on the Feast of the Apparition of the Holy Cross. The Armenian Church celebrates this feast 28 days following Easter Sunday.

The color “red” has been used throughout history to represent many things. One of the symbolic meanings is the blood of the martyrs who were sacrificed for Christ, His Holy Church, and their Christian faith. During the early years of Christianity, faithful followers of Jesus Christ were subjected to severe persecutions and torments. Many elected to die rather than betray their principles of life and faith, which the Incarnate God - Christ Jesus - had endowed to them and all of mankind. The psalmist writes, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the saints” (Psalms 116:15).

Today, martyrdom is far less often an occurrence in the lives of Christians, yet it does happen. However, the greater struggle is the one against sin, which we can see manifested in many ways throughout the world. The battle against wickedness and evil, which will be victorious in the end, is the current expression of the significance of Red Sunday. The Apostle Paul writes that Christ Himself endured such opposition, that we should not grow weary in our battle against wickedness. In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul says: “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” (Hebrews 12:4). We are to use the opportunity of Red Sunday to once again remind ourselves of Paul’s exhortation to remain steadfast in the Lord, and to continue our daily labors of goodness and righteousness.

The second Sunday following the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Sunday of the World Church. It commemorates the first Church of Jerusalem, established by Christ.

On the first day of the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus instructs two of the Apostles, Peter and John, to go into Jerusalem and meet a man, who would direct them to a house where Christ and His Apostles could celebrate the Passover Feast. Peter and John are led to the “Upper Room” of a house, where they make the necessary preparations for the meal.  Later that evening Christ and the Twelve Apostles sit together to eat supper.

Christ speaks to them and says, “I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.” And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”  (Lk 22:15-20)

This “Last Supper” was the event where Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which we celebrate every Sunday during the Divine Liturgy in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The Upper Room in Jerusalem is considered to be the first Church, as founded by Christ. 

The Sunday of the World Church is also called “Green” Sunday, which according to Archbishop Malachia Ormanian, is the popular name of the feast and is linked with the awakening of nature in the springtime.

This Sunday is called New Sunday because of three reasons.

Firstly, Easter means freedom and the new Sunday is a day of double freedom. God has set us free from sins, and however we are under the influence of passions. And when God does everything in a new way order to set us free from needs, it is called New Sunday.

This Sunday is called New Sunday also because of our resurrection. On the first Sunday Christ raised us from the dead thanks to His Soul and Power, and on the second Sunday he will raise us from the dead bodily, so that raising from the dead we will become immortal.

And finally, this Sunday is called New Sunday because we celebrate the feast of our soul saving in spiritual joy and fete.

The Saturday following the Holy Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Armenian Church commemorates the beheading of St. John the Baptist (also known as The Forerunner).

The writers of the Gospels, St. Matthew and St. Mark, have explained the history of beheading of St. John the Baptist, who had baptized Christ, and gave the good news of His Coming (Mt 14:1-12; St. Mk 6:14-29).

According to the Evangelists, King Herod arrests and imprisons St. John the Baptist as a result of John’s condemnation of the king’s marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod wants to put John to death, but fears the Jews, because they considered John to be a prophet. On Herod’s birthday, fascinated by the dancing of the daughter of Herodias, the king makes an oath to give her anything for which she asks. Following her unforgiving mother’s instructions, she asks for the head of St. John the Baptist on a platter. The king, realizing he has been fooled, grants the request.

St. John the Baptist is one of the greatest saints in the Armenian Church. We entreat his name as an intercessor during the divine services, generally following the name of St. Mary.

According to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator, brings the relics of St. John to Armenia from Caesarea, and buries them near the town of Moush, after which the famous Monastery of St. John the Baptist is built. Tradition also tells us that the head of St. John the Baptist is buried underneath the Holy Altar of the Gandzasar Monastery in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh).

St. John the Baptist remains as one of the most popular saints among the Armenian faithful.

The Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ or the Easter Feast is one of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church. The main origin of the feast is the following.

The king of Egypt didn’t agree to allow the Hebrews to travel into the desert to offer sacrifices to Lord the God, and the last punishment of God on the king of Egypt that should force the king to let the Hebrews out of the country was the death of every first-born son and every first-born of all cattle in Egypt. In order to save the Hebrews from that punishment the Lord spoke to Moses and by means of Moses ordered the Hebrews to kill a lamb and taking some of the blood and put it on the doorposts and above the doors of the houses. On the night when He would go through the land of Egypt to kill every first-born male, both human and animal, He would see the blood on the doors and would not let the Angel of Death enter the house. He would pass over and wouldn’t harm the Hebrews when punishing the Egyptians. Finally, after that punishment, the king allowed the Hebrews to leave the country, and the Hebrews left Egypt. So, mankind obtained life thanks to the Blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, in order to reach the Christians’ blessed land - the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Mystery of Easter is the mystery of Jesus Christ, His Salutary Holy Blood shed for mankind and His Rising from the dead for mankind. The Son of God should incarnate, be subjected to tortures, be crucified, buried and the third day raise from death (Ps 15:9-11, 29:4, 40:11-13, 117:16-17, Ho 6:2-3).

Following the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ His body was taken off the cross and placed into the tomb and the entrance to the tomb was closed by a large stone and the soldiers were ordered to control the entrance to the tomb. After three days the three women, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the Mother of James and Joseph, and the wife of Zebedee brought spices and perfumes to anoint the body of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away from the entrance to the tomb, so they went in but they didn’t the body of the Lord. They stood there puzzled about this, when suddenly two angels dressed in white appeared and said to them, “Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive? He is not here, ha has been raised” (Lk 24:5-6). The women returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven disciples and the rest. According to Peter more than 500 people saw Christ who had risen from the dead. So, this is the evangelical tiding of the fact of Easter or Holy Resurrection.

Resurrection of Christ became the basis of the Christian doctrine and faith. “If that is true, it means that Christ has been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe” (1 Co 15:13-14).

Christ rose from the dead, by means of His Death He destroyed Death and granted eternal life. “I am the Resurrection and I am the Life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn 11:25).

Christ died for the salvation of mankind and by His Blood took away the sin in the world, so that we should inherit eternal life.

On the day of the Easter feast people dye eggs red as a symbol of fruitful life, salvation and joy. St. Gregory of Datev considers the egg to be the symbol of the world, the shell of which is the sky, the membrane is the air, the white is the water and the yolk is the earth. Dyeing eggs red symbolizes the salvation of the world by means of Blood of Christ.

The Armenian Church celebrates the Easter Feast on the first Sunday following the full moon of the vernal equinox, with 35 days moveability, during the period from March 21 –April 26.

The Armenian Church traditionally celebrates evening Divine Liturgy on the evening prior to Jesus Christ’s Glorious Resurrection (Easter). Following the conclusion of the Liturgy, the assembled faithful take lit candles home, symbolizing the Light that Christ brought into the world. The Divine Liturgy celebrated on the eve is the start of the festive ceremonies.

On Sunday, the day of the feast, a morning service is conducted the Andastan Service is performed wherein the four corners of the world are blessed, afterwards the Divine Liturgy is celebrated. That day the faithful welcome each other on the occasion of the Glorious Resurrection of Christ conveying the great tiding:  “Christ is Risen from the dead” and receive the answer: “Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.”

Fifty-day period beginning from the Easter Feast – the Holy Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ - and lasting till Pentecost in the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church is called Hinounk or Hinants period. That period is dedicated to the mystery of Resurrection of the Lord, and that is why it is Dominical period.

The name “Hinounk” comes from the word hisuonk (fifty). The first forty days of the period are dedicated to the appearings of Rosen Christ: “For forty days after his death he appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that he was alive. They saw him, and he talked with them about the Kingdom of God” (Ac 1:3).

The last ten days of the Hinants period are dedicated to the Ascension of Christ.

Hianats period is concluded with the Feast of Ascension. According to the Church laws there are no fasting days during all fifty days of Hinants period, which means that all people can eat everything during that period.

Good Friday,is the day of commemoration of Christ’s tortures, Crucifixion, Death and Burial. The Service of the Crucifixion is conducted, following which, the Service of His Burial is held. It is during the Burial service that the symbolic Tomb of Christ, decorated with flowers and candles, is processed around the Church for the faithful to witness and participate.

Holy Thursday is dedicated to the Last Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ and symbolizes the establishment of the Sacrament of Communion. In the morning, Divine Liturgy is celebrated in our churches. Following the Evening Service, the Service of the Washing of the Feet is conducted. Christ, displaying true humility and humbleness, washed the feet of his disciples after the last Supper (Jn 13:1-16). Following His example, priests in the Armenian Church humble themselves and kneel down on the bema, in front of the Church altar, and wash the feet of 12 children or servants of the church, anointing their feet with blessed oil.

Holy Wednesday  anointing of Jesus Christ by a woman in Bethany and the Betrayal of Christ are commemorated.

In the Gospel of St. Matthew, we learn that while Jesus was dining with his Apostles, a woman came in with an alabaster jar filled with valuable perfume. She opened the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head. The disciples witnessing this act become upset, as the perfume could have been sold and the proceeds could have been given to the poor. Jesus hearing their displeasure said, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for me. For you always have the poor with you; but me you do not always have me.”  The woman’s actions foreshadowed His preparation for burial. “For in that she has poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial,” said Christ (Mt 26:6-13).

The Gospel reading on Holy Wednesday exhorts us not to abuse the love and promise of God, and by remembering His tortures and death for the sake of mankind, to never deviate from the correct path which is to worship and give glory to Him alone.

On April 7, the Armenian Church celebrates one of her greatest feasts - the Annunciation to St. Mary. In the Gospel of Luke we learn that the Angel Gabriel brings the good news to the Virgin about the birth of the Savior (Lk 1:26-38).

According to Holy Tradition and the Evangelist, the Angel Gabriel appears to St. Mary while reading a passage from the prophecy of Isaiah, in which it is written about the birth of the Emmanuel from a Virgin. The Angel greets Mary, telling her, “Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His Name JESUS.”

The Angel Gabriel further explains to Mary, “The Holy Sprit shall come upon you, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that which is Holy which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.” St. Mary could foresee the torments and sufferings that she would endure. However, by giving mankind an excellent example of obedience to the Divine Will, she said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Beginning from the moment when the Holy Virgin expressed these words, she was with child.

This Gospel story is one expression of why the Armenian Church accords high honor to motherhood, and appreciates the role of women in family life, and the lives of mankind.

Upon the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is proclaimed as a day of “Blessing of Motherhood and Beauty”. On that day, a special blessing service is conducted in the Armenian Churches.

The Gospel readings tell us about the story of the “cursed fig tree.” On his way back to Jerusalem Jesus was hungry. He saw a fig tree by the side of the road and went to it, but found nothing on it except leaves. So He said to the tree, “You will never again bear fruit!” At once the fig tree dried up. The disciples saw this and were astounded. “How did the fig tree dry up so quickly?” they asked. Jesus answered, “If you believe you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Mt 21:22). According to the historian Stepannos of Syounie, living in the 7th century, the fig tree “is the circumcised people to whom hungry Jesus came and found no fruit on it, but only seeming life, so as the result of His coming the tree dried up.”

One week before the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Armenian Church celebrates the Feast of Palm Sunday, celebrating the Triumphant Entry of Christ into Jerusalem.

Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding atop a donkey and the people gather to meet Him with reverence, thus fulfilling the words of the prophet from the Old Testament.
The Gospel of St. Matthew, in relating the story, refers to the prophecy, “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled, that which was spoken by the prophet, saying “Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you! He is humble and sitting on an ass, and a colt, the foal of an ass.” (Mt 21:4-5).

On His arrival, a large crowd of people gathers to greet Him, and spread their cloaks on the road before Him, while others cut branches from palm trees and place them on the path. The crowd exclaims: “Hosanna!  Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the Name of the Lord” (Jn 12:13).

On Palm Sunday, churches are decorated with branches from willow trees and palm trees.  Following a solemn morning service, the blessed branches are distributed to the faithful. This passage from the Gospels reminds each of us about the Coming of Christ, and teaches us to live in a manner that can make us worthy to stand before the Lord and exclaim: “Hosanna (Praise God)! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

On the 41st day of the period of Great Lent, the Armenian Church commemorates Lazarus being raised from the dead. 

The Gospel according to St. John (Jn 11:11-46) relates the story. Lazarus was from a family loved by Jesus Christ. He was the brother of Mary and Martha, who often received Jesus. Lazarus dies after succumbing to an illness. Upon hearing that His friend has died, Christ goes to visit the family, and says to Martha, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies…” Christ asks Martha if she believes this, to which she replies, “Yes, Lord.  I do believe that you are the Messiah, who was to come into the world.” Christ, standing before the grave, commands Lazarus to come forth, and he appears, being restored to life. By doing so, Christ proves that He is, in fact “Life and Resurrection”.

The Gospel story telling about the raising of Lazarus contains the passage: “Jesus wept.” The Jews, seeing Jesus expressing grief, said: “See how much he loved him!”
The raising of Lazarus is an example of the coming resurrection of all those who have fallen asleep in Christ. The weeping of Jesus demonstrates His great love towards mankind.

The Sixth Sunday of Great Lent is called the Sunday of Advent. This Sunday teaches us about the first Advent of Christ – His Incarnation: His Holy Birth when God became Man. This proved the Truth found in the Scriptures that by the coming of the Savior, a second chance was given to mankind to be guided on the path leading towards salvation.

This Sunday also symbolizes the Second Advent. In the Gospels and Apostolic Letters there are many references dedicated to the Second Advent, where our Lord warns us about His return. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Christ says, “…Watch out and do not let anyone fool you. Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, “I am the Messiah!” and they will fool many people. You are going to hear the noise of battles close by and the news of battles far away… Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be famines and earthquakes everywhere… And you will be hated by all nations for my Name’s sake… Many false prophets will appear and fool many people. Such will be the spread of evil that many people’s love will grow cold. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved” (Mt 24:4-13).

The message of this Sunday is a call for endurance, piety and modesty. Through these we can patiently wait for the Glorious Resurrection of Christ, the purification of our souls and the triumph of the True Faith. All Christian Churches celebrate the feast of the Sunday of Advent.

This feast is the first one among the three commemoration days dedicated to the memory of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the first Catholicos of All Armenians. According to the Armenian Church Calendar, it is celebrated on the eve of the Fifth Sunday during the period of Great Lent. The feast is dedicated to the torments which St. Gregory suffered during his imprisonment.

According to historical sources, St. Gregory the Illuminator was the son of Anak Partev, a knight and nobleman, who killed the Armenian King Khosrov Arshakouni. In retaliation, Anak is executed by the Armenians. His son, Gregory, lived and studied in Caesarea, and was brought up as a pious Christian. Gregory returns to Armenia as an adult and becomes a member of the royal court. King Tiridates (Trdat), the son of King Khosrov and heir to the throne, appoints Gregory as the Chancellor of the Armenian Kingdom. Tiridates, learning that Gregory is a Christian and the son of Anak, subjects him to severe tortures and commits Gregory to death, by imprisoning him in a deep underground pit.

In 301 A.D., after spending 13 years in the pit, St. Gregory the Illuminator is freed from the dungeon and emerges to spread the Light of Christ in Armenia. He thus becomes the first pontiff of the Armenian Church, baptizes the royal family, and evangelizes the whole of the Armenian Nation. Armenia becomes the first nation in the world to officially proclaim Christianity as her state religion.

St. Gregory the Illuminator is recognized by all of Christendom as a Saint, and he is commemorated in all traditional Christian Churches.