The Apparition of the Holy Cross

The Apparition of the Holy Cross is the first feast dedicated to the Holy Cross in the Armenian liturgical calendar. It is celebrated in remembrance of the appearance of the sign of the cross over the city of Jerusalem in 351 that remained in the sky for several hours.

The apparition extended from Golgotha to the Mount of Olives (about two miles), and was brighter than the sun and was seen by everyone in Jerusalem. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cyril, used this occasion to remind Emperor Constantius of Byzantium of his father's (Constantine the Great) orthodox faith. Cyril said the Apparition was further reason to return to orthodoxy. Traditionally, the Armenian translation of Cyril's message is read on this feast day during the Antasdan prior to the Gospel lection. This event is celebrated by the Armenian and Greek churches. The Greeks observe it on the fixed date of May 7, while the Armenian date is movable depending on the date of Easter. It is celebrated on the fifth Sunday of Easter, which is the fourth Sunday after Easter.

Cyril is a revered Doctor of the Church and he is remembered in the Armenian Church's liturgical calendar. Here is a short excerpt from Cyril's letter about the apparition: "In those holy days of the Easter season, on 7 May at about the third hour, a huge cross made of light appeared in the sky above holy Golgotha extending as far as the holy Mount of Olives. It was not revealed to one or two people alone, but it appeared unmistakably to everyone in the city. It was not as if one might conclude that one had suffered a momentary optical illusion; it was visible to the human eye above the earth for several hours. The flashes it emitted outshone the rays of the sun, which would have outshone and obscured it themselves if it had not presented the watchers with a more powerful illumination than the sun. It prompted the whole populace at once to run together into the holy church, overcome both with fear and joy at the divine vision. Young and old, men and women of every age, even young girls confined to their rooms at home, natives and foreigners, Christians and pagans visiting from abroad, all together as if with a single voice raised a hymn of praise to God's Only-Begotten Son the wonder-worker. They had the evidence of their own senses that the holy faith of Christians is not based on the persuasive arguments of philosophy but on the revelation of the Spirit and power; it is not proclaimed by mere human beings but testified from heaven by God Himself."

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Triple Holiday Commemorated at St. Mary

It has become a traditional at St. Mary to commemorate the Triple Holiday every May. This year commemoration took place on May 12. The Triple Holiday is commemorated in Artsakh to celebrate three very important events, all of which took place on May 9: the anniversary of victory in the WWII, the liberation of Shoushi and the anniversary of the establishment of the Artsakh Defense Army.

The Badarak was celebrated by a guest clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Rev. Fr. Gabriel Vardanyan. Present were the Embassy staff, NKR representative Mr. Robert Avetisyan. A special hokehankist service was offered for the souls of all who gave their lives for the liberation of Artsakh. The memorial reception in the church hall was hosted by NKR office in the US and St. Mary Parish Council. During the hokehankist the community also prayed for the soul of long time parishioner Mr. Edward Onanian on the occasioin of his 40 day passing.  

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14Տօնակատարութեան կէսին Յիսուս տաճար ելաւ եւ ուսուցանում էր։ 15Հրեաները զարմանում էին ու ասում. «Սա ինչպէ՞ս գիտէ Գըրուածքները, քանի որ բնաւ չի սովորել»։ 16Յիսուս նրանց պատասխան տուեց ու ասաց. «Իմ ուսուցումն իմը չէ, այլ՝ նրանը, ով ինձ ու¬ղարկեց։ 17Եթէ մէկը ուզում է նրա կամքը կատարել, կ՚իմանայ այս ուսուցման մասին, թէ Աստծո՞ւց է արդեօք, թէ՞ ես ինքս ինձնից եմ խօսում։ 18Ով ինքն իրենից է խօսում, իր համար է փառք փնտռում, իսկ ով փնտռում է նրա՛ փառքը, ով իրեն ուղարկել է, նա ճշմարիտ է, եւ նրա մէջ սուտ բան չկայ։ 19Օրէնքը ձեզ Մովսէսը չտուե՞ց, բայց ձեզնից ոչ ոք Օրէնքը չի կատարում։ 20Ինչո՞ւ էք ուզում ինձ սպանել»։ Ժողովուրդը պատասխան տուեց ու ասաց. «Քո մէջ դեւ կայ, ո՞վ է ուզում քեզ սպանել»։ 21Յիսուս պատասխան տուեց նրանց ու ասաց. «Մի գործ արեցի, եւ ամէնքդ զարմացել էք։ 22Մովսէսը դրա համար ձեզ տուեց թլփատութիւնը (թէեւ այդ ոչ թէ Մովսէսից էր, այլ՝ հայրերից)։ 23Եւ շաբաթ օրով մարդ էք թլփատում։ Իսկ արդ, եթէ մարդը շաբաթ օրով թլփատւում է, որպէսզի Մովսէսի Օրէնքը չըխախտուի, իմ վրա՞յ էք բարկացած, որ շաբաթ օրով մի ամբողջ մարդ բժշկեցի։

(Յովհ. 7:14-23)

About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. The Jews marveled at it, saying, "How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?" So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me; if any man's will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?" The people answered, "You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?" Jesus answered them, "I did one deed, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man upon the sabbath. If on the sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the sabbath I made a man's whole body well?"

(John 7:14-23)

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