Merry Armenian Christmas — Orthodox Christmas

Armenia

Armenians celebrate Christmas (surb tsnunt, Սուրբ Ծնունդ, meaning “saint birth”) on January 6 as a public holiday in Armenia. It also coincides with the Epiphany. Traditionally, Armenians fast during the week leading up to Christmas. Devout Armenians may even refrain from food for the three days leading up to the Christmas Eve, in order to receive the Eucharist on a “pure” stomach. Christmas Eve is particularly rich in traditions. Families gather for the Christmas Eve dinner (khetum, Խթում), which generally consists of: rice, fish, nevik (նուիկ, a vegetable dish of green chard and chick peas), and yogurt/wheat soup (tanabur, թանապուր). Dessert includes dried fruits and nuts, including rojik, which consists of whole shelled walnuts threaded on a string and encased in grape jelly, bastukh (a paper-like confection of grape jelly, cornstarch, and flour), etc. This lighter menu is designed to ease the stomach off the week-long fast and prepare it for the rather more substantial Christmas Day dinner. Children take presents of fruits, nuts, and other candies to older relatives.

It is frequently asked as to why Armenians do not celebrate Christmas on December 25 with the rest of the world. Obviously, the exact date of Christ’s birth has not been historically established—it is not recorded in the Gospels. However, historically, all Christian churches celebrated Christ’s birth on January 6 until the fourth century. According to Roman Catholic sources, the date was changed from January 6 to December 25 in order to override a pagan feast dedicated to the birth of the Sun which was celebrated on December 25. At the time Christians used to continue their observance of these pagan festivities. In order to undermine and subdue this pagan practice, the church hierarchy designated December 25 as the official date of Christmas and January 6 as the feast of Epiphany. However, Armenia was not affected by this change for the simple fact that there were no such pagan practices in Armenia, on that date, and the fact that the Armenian Church was not a satellite of the Roman Church. Thus, remaining faithful to the traditions of their forefathers, Armenians have continued to celebrate Christmas on January 6 until today.^[42]

In addition to the Christmas tree (tonatsar, Տօնածառ), Armenians (particularly in the Middle East) also erect the Nativity scene. Christmas in the Armenian tradition is a purely religious affair. Santa Claus does not visit the nice Armenian children on Christmas, but rather on New Year’s Eve. The idea of Santa Claus existed before the Soviet Union and he was named kaghand papik (Կաղանդ Պապիկ), but the Soviet Union had a great impact even on Santa Claus. Now he goes by the more secular name of Grandfather Winter (dzmerr papik, Ձմեռ Պապիկ).

CREDITS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_worldwide

You Know The Feeling Of What Is Meant To Be & What Isn’t Meant To Be?

Have you ever had the feeling of something that isn’t right to do and go at split moment and sometimes you have this feeling that it is meant to be? Have you been in a situation where you had the feeling where something is meant to be or not meant to be? Last night was a prime example of all this. A few friends and I were gone out and we decided to go to this place a little bit out of our ways and it would take a little more time to get there, then the usual spots we go to for hanging out and have a great time, and then all the carpooling and who is picking up who and how all this is going to be arranging a meet up, didn’t go as smooth as we thought, but then afterwards we all met up at the same place, and decided to go somewhere else. I was thinking in my mind that something prevented us from going and plus the weather was bad with the snow and freezing conditions which made us think twice about going there. I think God protected us from harms way and he made us stay put and be more local. Toronto is such a huge city and it does take a while to get to places, but then again were all thankful that we were all together in one spot in the end and thank goodness for cell phones and communication and critical thinking about what to do at a certain moment. Plus Parking was the other issue in the areas that we were supposed to go to which is a hassle sometimes. That’s why I don’t go to places, that don’t have decent parking. I like to think logically and think about where I go before I go to it and I do extensive research about the parking issue and where it is when I haven’t gone there before. I like to research a lot before I go, so as I am prepared. In the end everything worked out for the better, all of us were safe and sound and everybody went home safely. The place we were going to go to was just not meant to be and I believe that we were saved in a huge way. Something bad could have happened on the road as it was our first real taste of winter and what’s to come, so it really was something out of the ordinary. I truly believe in what is meant to be and what isn’t and last night really sealed the deal. It was quite an adventure, but ended up to be a peaceful, yet beautiful night spent with our loved ones(friends), and woke up this morning feeling great. I truly believe no matter where you go, and no matter what happens, sticking together, and figuring out a game plan and figuring out what to do is something very nice, and deciding as a group and giving ideas is very nice. I love my friends a lot and they mean the world to me. It was a lovely night and I will never forget the experience last night. It was something that really made us think in the end, and I told the group, God is here, God is protecting us. Wish you all the best everyone.

What A Great Bible Study Session Tonight – The Priest Chose Me To Write Next Week’s Prayer

Every Thursday nights at 9pm, I go to a bible study, and it started last week again. My priest is a follower of my blog and he announced to everyone that he really enjoys reading my blogs and he introduced me to others who do not really know of me and he used to do bible studies for quite a while. Just the last 2 years, another priest conducted the bible studies. He announced to everyone that I am a lovely writer and that he chose me to say next weeks closing prayer along with the Our Father in Armenian called Hayr Mer – HAI-R MER — It made my whole week when he said that. He has always grown fond of me and I will never forget a time 4 years ago when we were in Bible study, he said something to everyone about me, and again he put me out there and we had about 45 people attend the bible study that one time. It was such a great thing, and he said to others that I am a great writer again and I used to write so many articles to the Armenian newsletter and newspaper and among articles around the church and when we did retreats outside of town. He introduced me to everyone and some people had no idea who were writing those articles and then when people found out who I was, they all approached me after bible study and they said, we finally meet the mastermind behind all your writings you submit to the church and the community center. I will never forget what they said to me. It was so beautiful. It made me feel very nice.

Again like tonight, My priest found out from my blog from someone in the community and he began to follow it, and so now this is the second week he has mentioned me and put me on the spot with everyone and he outright said to others, she is one of the best writers. Again, I said Father Reverend, thank you so much. Hes a very kind and very nice person who raises everyone’s spirits and hes such a lovely priest and I appreciate him. He said, everyone who writes has different ways of writing and nobody is exactly the same. So I am looking forward for next week. I have to think of a prayer to write until next week, but I think I can write it within the next couple of days when I have my mind set on it. The priest always depends on me and he knows I follow through with it. Thank you very much. I look forward to next week. I am committed to bible study and I will not miss a day.

I wish you all the best.

When You Have Faith, Everything Else Falls Into Place

In the past blogs I have wrote about my trouble sleeping and about how some things are keeping me up at nights, I finally had the courage to write about my sleeping problems and after writing about them and sharing out my heart and what is on my mind with the world, I finally feel so much better having done that. I have that faith and courage to share my thoughts and words with the world and finally things are coming to place with that. I am a person now who is not afraid to express myself and share my feelings with people. I am a very open minded person and I love to share my life, because blogging is all about that right?

Well, I have all the faith in the world and finally things have fallen into place where I want it to be. With faith, perseverance and courage you can get through anything and everything your hearts desire. these naps I take and the sleep I have been getting lately has taken out all that negative energy out of me and I am finally feeling refreshed and feeling so much better. I feel so alert and rested. I still need to get more sleep, but slowly but surely I will be on my road to recovery from sleep deprivation and I will be on my way to my goals and dreams. Looking for my significant other and finding Mr. Right and be in a relationship will also get me on the road to recovery too as I have never had a relationship and I don’t know how it feels like to be in one. I want to get married one day, have my own family and enjoy life more. I believe and have faith that those days are coming soon and I just feel it.

When you have faith, everything else will come in place. You just have to see past the negativity that takes over your life and start going through the path of positivity and happy trails. faith, happiness and positivity come hand in hand. You can make a difference in your life and those around you. Scrap negativity today, to prepare and look forward to bigger and better things in life for the present and the future for all the tomorrow’s.

 

 

Once A Year Church Goers On Easter, An Issue That Has Hit Close To My Heart

I attended Church for the Easter Celebrations and to Thank Jesus for sacrificing his life for us, and I was reflecting, praying and giving thanks to God and Jesus for giving me an incredible and loving family, friends, and supporters as well as everything I have. I feel it is very important to me to attend church more often and to be in one roof with uniting with the community to be God’s house. I believe that a church is not a church until there are so many people in it. Or else It will just be a building. That’s what it is when people don’t fill it. What really hit close to my heart was that there were people I had seen at church today that only come once a year and don’t even bother to take 1-3 hours of their lives on Sundays or as much as they are able to attend during the year to get into God’s house and to pray and to reflect.

I know some people will debate with me to tell me that it doesn’t matter where you are, you can always pray to God. Yes I agree with people who think that way, and it doesn’t matter if you go to church or not as long as your a great christian and try to live life clean and happy, I agree as well, but let me tell you something, Going to Church is so much more different, and its good to take Sunday’s and spend it with family, getting dressed, going to church. Its a great feeling. Seeing the Altar, the priests and the altar people. Its incredible to be experiencing church too. I know sometimes life is busy and hectic with family to take care of and people who work and everything else, but try to make time for church, try to give your time to Jesus who gave up his life for us, and to appreciate him. A Church cannot function if people do not go into them.

On Record there must have been over 3000 people at church. This has hit me quite hard. I try my every effort to be in church as much as I am able to and I go a lot every year. I also make it a commitment to attend Bible studies and to keep my faith updated and on track. Hearing God’s words comforts me and making friends and getting into people is something I truly love. I love my Armenian Church community. I have made so many friends from it. Today 1 in 3 or 4 people came to me to shake my hand and kiss me on the cheek to say happy Easter to me and talked to me. A few have come up to me to compliment me and my blog and among everything else. I am super happy for going to church since I was a kid. I am so happy my parents took me as a young child and I am so close to my Armenian community and the church. I love it so much. I know sometimes the Armenian Church Mass takes longer than usual, but its the beauty and the sounds and songs and prayer that make everything else not matter. Its a beautiful thing.

Remember the Easter Bunny, the Chocolates or the Eggs and the colors did not die for us and our sins. Jesus did. God Bless everyone and May God Be with all of you.

Another Easter has come and gone… Lets Pray that people will attend church more often… Amen

****This topic is in General and for the Believer Readers****