Unlocking The Mysterıes Of The Church Calendar

By Florence Avakian

The activities of many people are guided, and even directed, by their adherence to their calendars. But calendars around the world are different. The Armenian Church calendar is one of these unique calendars with mystery and hidden meanings. On Thursday evening, February 13, the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center of Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), used pictorial slides to reveal the fascinating clues that decipher the ancient, complicated Armenian calendar.

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Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

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Contact: Chris Zakian 

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Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net

March 12, 2014

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Unlocking The Mysterıes Of The Church Calendar

By Florence Avakian

The activities of many people are guided, and even directed, by their adherence to their calendars. But calendars around the world are different. The Armenian Church calendar is one of these unique calendars with mystery and hidden meanings.

On Thursday evening, February 13, the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center of Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), used pictorial slides to reveal the fascinating clues that decipher the ancient, complicated Armenian calendar.

Fr. Findikyan, who is also professor of Liturgical Studies at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary and a visiting professor at Notre Dame University, began by explaining that Armenians always had to "balance conflicting calendars."

He noted that February 14—celebrated in America as St. Valentine's Day—has complex meanings for the Armenian Church. It is the same day as "diantarach" which marks Christ's presentation to the Hebrew Temple 40 days after his birth. For Armenians, it involves lighting a fire after prayer services, walking around the fire, and blessing the four corners of the world. For a Jewish family of the 1st century A.D.—such as Joseph and Mary—it meant taking your newborn son (in this case, Jesus) to the holy Temple.

Calendar as Christology

"Why did the Armenian Church develop and maintain a separate calendar?" he asked.

The answer seems to be: To mark important chronological milestones. "We today are separated from the natural cycles; but in ancient times, people were not. The calendar is a marker of ideology, of value, and of meanings. For Armenians, it's a theology, a Christology, an expression of our most cherished beliefs in Christ."

The Roman calendar, he related, begins with Monday. For Armenians, it starts with Sunday, the Lord's Day: "the center of gravity of all time, the manifestation of Christ himself over evil, and the day of renewal and light."

Sunday "is also the feast day of Mary, the Mother-of-God, because Jesus is both human and divine." The Armenian calendar also includes saints' days and fasting days (penitential days), he disclosed. Sundays "are never days of fasting, or days of penance. All these days are different from each other."

Lessons for Living Christ's Gospel

Fr. Daniel offered a further question: "How can the church's calendar help one to live the Gospel of Christ?"

First, he advised, parishioners should "synchronize" their daily lives with the Armenian Church calendar. Second, they should read the Biblical passages appointed for each day.

Third, he urged people to discover the approximately 1,200 poetic hymns (sharagans) of the church—translations for which can be accessed at the St. Nersess Seminary website, www.stnersess.edu.

Finally, he said, we must "delve beneath the surface. God is always with us. And the Armenian Church shows us a path to Him."

"We are not reaching out to a God far away. He has to come to us, which we celebrate together through communion," said Fr. Daniel in conclusion.

An enthusiastic question and answer period followed the lecture, which continued during the wine and cheese reception.

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