The Armenian Church lays special emphasis on the season of Great Lent as a “school” for personal spirituality. The faithful are guided on a kind of “pilgrimage of the soul,” with each Sunday of Lent dedicated to a story from Scripture, based in a parable of Jesus, or in prophecies concerning him.
Throughout history, Armenian Christians have considered the home to be a sacred place: the tranquil sanctuary of the family, where habits of virtue, pious traditions, and life-affirming customs are passed from one generation to another. Under one roof, members of a household achieve a unity of spirit and assume responsibility for the larger life of the community. They break bread and share life’s joys and sorrows.
One of the wonderful things about the Christmas season is the way it re-introduces us to such interesting people. And it’s not limited to friends and family: some of the most memorable re-introductions come from the surrounding culture. Who can suppress a warm smile at their first yearly sighting of Santa, Rudolph, and the elves? Or at the Grinch, and the whole Peanuts gang?
“Be patient; keep your heart stable. For the Lord is coming, and he is at hand.” (Epistle of St. James 5:8)
Most Christian churches lead up to Christmas with a period called Advent. Advent means “coming,” and refers to the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
In Armenian we call this lead-up period Hisnag—from the word for “fifty”—referring to the 50-day period of preparation anticipating the Nativity and Theophany of Christ (celebrated on January 6 in the Armenian Church).
This week the world passed a milestone in the history of Christian spirituality: the 500th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation—traditionally pegged to October 31, 1517. On that date, Martin Luther is said to have posted his “Ninety-Five Theses” on the door of a Wittenberg cathedral, criticizing the Roman Catholic clergy for the practice of selling indulgences.
