The Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ is one of the five main “Tabernacle” feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church. It commemorates the transformation or the “transfiguration” that came over Jesus while He was praying.  Christ’s face shone like the sun and his clothes became a radiant and gleaming white. The Apostles Peter, James and John witnessed that event which occurred on a high mountain named Tabor.

Evangelists St. Matthew, St. Mark and St. Luke testify about the transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospels (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-12, Luke 9:28-36).
“... As they looked on, a change came over Jesus: his face was shining like the sun and his clothes were dazzling white. Then the three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.  So Peter spoke up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how good it is that we are here!  If you wish I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”  While he was talking, a shining cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my own dear Son, with whom I am pleased – listen to him!” When the disciples heard the voice, they were so terrified that they threw themselves face downward on the ground. Jesus came to them and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid!” So they looked up and saw no one there but Jesus. (Matthew 17:2-8)

In the Armenian Church, the Feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated 98 days following Easter.  The Feast also is known by the common name of “Vardakas”. This day is associated with an old Armenian tradition of pouring water on one another. Some sources attribute the tradition as a remnant of an Armenian pre-Christian celebration.  The Monday following the Feast is a Memorial Day.

Tabernacle of the Old Testament is the most sacred sanctity of the Old Testament, where the board of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s ornament crosier and the golden urn full of manna were kept. Christian Church is considered to be the prototype of the New Testament - that is - the Church of Christ. So, this feast has been included in the calendar to symbolize the mystery of eternity of the Church.

This is the Sunday preceding the week prior to the fasting period preceding the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ’s Transfiguration called in the Armenian Apostolic Church Fast of Transfiguration lasting from Monday to Friday. Saturday, the last day of the fasting period, is the eve of the feast, which means that that day people can eat fish and dairy products.

Twelve Apostles elected by Our Lord Jesus Christ, were Christ’s disciples and first preachers of His doctrine, as well as the Incarnate Christ’s witnesses.
“Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to drive out devil spirits and to heal every disease and every sickness.” (The Gospel according to Matthew 10:1).

These were the names of the twelve Apostles Simeon (called Peter), Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon the Patriot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. Later instead of Judas Iscariot Apostle Matthias was chosen, who was added to the group of eleven apostles.

Remaining faithful to Incarnate Christ’s last message the apostles went to all peoples everywhere and preached and taught the Commandments of Jesus, baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, thus becoming the founders of the Christ’s Church. One of the greatest preachers of Christ’s commandments is Apostle Paul, who is recognized by the Christian Church as the thirteenth Apostle.

The section of the Bible called “The Acts of the Apostles” is dedicated to the apostles’ activity. And there are references on Apostle Paul’s preaching, his person and his activity in his 14 letters addressed to the church communities, established by himself, and individual Christians.

Prophet Elisha has lived in the IX century B.C. He was the disciple of the Prophet Elisha. 13 wonders are ascribed to the prophet Elisha and about those wonders it is told in the First and Second Books of the Holy Bible. Prophet Elisha has continued to work wonders even after his death. It is told in the Old Testament that a year after the prophet’s death the corpse of a dead man was thrown into Elisha’s tomb. As soon as the body came into contact with Elisha’s bones the man came back to life and stood up.

Zechariah is one of the twelve prophets of the Old Testament, and his book consisting of 12 chapters, is the largest among the books of the prophets. It is also called the “Book of Hope” and through it we learn of God’s Kingdom in Israel by means of the rebuilding of Solomon’s Temple.

Prophecies from Zechariah date back to approximately 518 B.C., when Zerubbabel and Joshua were rebuilding the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem. It is there that Zechariah, as the prophet of the Lord, begins his mission among the Jews and actively supports the rebuilding of the Temple.

His prophecies are valuable not only for his visions, but also for his foretelling about the arrival of a Messiah – the Christ (Zechariah 9:9-10; 11:12-13; 12:10; 13:7; etc.).  Zechariah has predicted the coming of Jesus Christ, His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, His crucifixion, His being pierced with a lance, His betrayal for thirty silver coins, etc. The Evangelists, writing about the events in the life of Christ, have often referred to the prophecies of Zechariah. According to St. Matthew the Evangelist, Zechariah the Prophet was murdered “between the Temple and the altar” (Matthew 23:35).

Zechariah’s teachings on behavior and spirit are vivid messages addressed to us all.  According to them, neither effort nor means shall be spared for the construction or rebuilding of houses of prayer. For he writes that it is the temple that testifies for hope and faith, and the temple that guarantees national unity and perseverance.

St. Kalistratos was from the city of Chalcedon in Asia Minor.  At the end of the third century, he was a captain serving in the Army of the Emperor Diocletian, who persecuted Christians.  Kalistratos is imprisoned when he is found to be a Christian.  He is placed in a sack and thrown into the sea. Through a Divine miracle, the captain is saved from death.  Witnessing that their captain has been saved, 49 of his friends immediately convert to Christianity.  Together, all 50 Christians are once again thrown to the sea, but once again God’s miraculous power saves them.  They are finally pulled from the water and beheaded, thus meeting their deaths as martyrs.

Lukianos (Lucianus) the Priest, born in Samosata, is known as an eminent preacher of Christianity.  He has been considered the head of the Antiochian School of Theology.  Following his arrest, torture and lengthy imprisonment in the city of Nicomedia, he is martyred in 312 A.D. The edited version of the New Testament’s translation into Greek is ascribed to Lukianos, and is used through the present.  St. John Chrysostom highly regarded him and his work.

According to tradition, while en route to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage, two Greek princes come across a chest that once belonged to St. Mary. In Galilee, they see a large crowd gathered in front of a Jewish woman’s house. They inquire and find that the sick are being healed due to the inexplicable power of the chest. The princes bring the box to Constantinople and present it to the Patriarch, who places it in the Church of St. Mary.  The Patriarch then establishes the Feast of the Discovery of St. Mary’s Box.

The Armenian Church celebrates this feast upon the order of the Catholicos Simeon from Yerevan, who accepted this tradition from the Greek Orthodox Church in the late 18th century.

In 287 A.D. Tiridates (Trdat), from the royal house of Arshakouni, assumes the throne which once belonged to his father and becomes Tiridates III, King of Armenia.  His name is inextricably linked with the Patron Saint of the Armenian Church, St. Gregory the Illuminator.  In 301 A.D. the king releases the Christian Gregory from imprisonment and proclaims Christianity to be the State Religion of Armenia.  In doing so, the king becomes the greatest advocate of spreading Christianity throughout the country.

The names of Queen Ashkhen and the King’s sister, Khosrovidoukht are closely related to the Great Conversion of Armenia as well.  Princess Khosrovidoukht’s vision of a cure for the King’s incurable illness causes St. Gregory the Illuminator to be liberated from the dungeon of the deep pit.  Gregory then is free to begin the process of spreading the light of Christianity, which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

According to Greek historian Agathangelos, the King, the Queen and the Princess meet St. Gregory upon his return from Caesarea, to where he had traveled to receive episcopal ordination.  Following a period of fasting and preparation, Gregory baptizes the three of them.  They are followed by the baptism of the royal court and the nobles of Armenia.  Through the baptism by Gregory, Tiridates becomes the first king in the world to rule over a Christian country.  History also reveals that Tiridates, Ashkhen and Khosrovidoukht personally participate in the construction of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.  The stones they used to build the cathedral were brought to Vagharshapat from the slopes of Biblical Mount Ararat.