The Lectionary of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church was published in English for the first time in 2021. The monumental volume, compiled and prepared for publication by Fr. Arshen Aivazian, it is now available in a digital format.
“The Lectionary contains select passages from the Old and New Testaments for each day of the liturgical year; as such, it was one of the first liturgical books formed in the history of Christian worship,” explains Fr. Aivazian. “The Armenian Lectionary was based on the original lectionary of the Church of Jerusalem, the early edition that served as the prototype for all other lectionaries that are presently in use.”
“In the Armenian Church dioceses of the United States, in the absence of an authorized version of the Lectionary, the traditional content and structure of the Lectionary faced new challenges,” Fr. Aivazian continued. “But now, with the availability of the Lectionary in English, both in print and in digital versions, all churches can use the same text of the historical Lectionary, and re-establish the uniformity of Holy Scripture readings in the Church, a vital expression of the unity of the church in her celebrations of liturgical worship.”
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In addition to the daily scripture readings, The Lectionary contains 11 prayers, homilies and treatises by Church Fathers. They are included in both the print and digital versions in their entirety in English and the Armenian vernacular.
The newly-released digital version carries the imprimatur of Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church. Many parishes have acquired the print edition and are already using the Lectionary in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and other liturgical celebrations. (A limited number of the print edition is still available through St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.)
Now that the Lectionary is in a modern digital format, this essential volume will be easily obtainable by clergy, deacons, lectors, altar servers, choir members, and all the faithful of the Armenian Church. The digital version may be downloaded to any desktop or laptop computer, iPad, iPhone, or Android device.
Search for it online under the title Lectionary of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, or under its ISBN number (ISBN 9798350903744). It is available from popular online booksellers.
The digital version of the Lectionary is sponsored by Dr. Richard Mikaelian of New York City in memory of his parents Tony and Elizabeth Mikaelian and brother Gregory Mikaelian.
Above: Fr. Arshen Aivazian with the printed volume of The Lectionary of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. The monumental volume is now available in digital format.
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