Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord

On Thursday, January 6, 2011, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The feast is referred to as Theophany because at Christ's baptism there was a divine manifestation of who Christ was -- the Son of God. ('Theophany' means 'divine manifestation'). This was revealed as the Holy Trinity appeared clearly to humankind. The Incarnate Son of God, physically present and manifested in the flesh, the voice of the Father from heaven affirming His Son, and the Holy Spirit descending upon the Son in the form of a dove.

"And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:16-17

Why do we celebrate Christ's birth on January 6th in the Armenian Orthodox Church?

In the West, during the 4th century, there was much controversy surrounding the pagan celebration of the sun, and the Christian celebration of the Son. According to most scholars, there was an effort on behalf of Christians to replace the pagan celebration of the sun on December 25th by changing the celebration of Christ's birth from January 6th to December 25th. As a result, Western Churches, as well as Eastern Orthodox Churches, now celebrate the "Epiphany/Theophany" of Christ on January 6th, and the "Nativity" of Christ on December 25th. (Note: Rome and N. Africa always celebrated Christmas on Dec. 25th, and never on Jan. 6th).

Armenia was not part of the Roman Empire, and thus did not have the same problem. They were not faced with competition of the prevailing paganism of the West, and so the Armenian Orthodox Church never had to cease from celebrating the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord on January 6th. Instead, they have maintained the one Feast of Theophany, which links Christ's birth and baptism.

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetzav! Orhnyal eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee!
Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ!

To read more about this Feast, click here

Please enjoy the video below which explains more about the connection between Christ's birth and baptism, and the Feast of Theophany in the Armenian Orthodox Church...

Christmas Message from Archbishop Khajag Barsamian

To Serve Him Without Fear (Christmas: January 6, 2011)

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! For he has visited his people, and redeemed them. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ... to enable us to serve him without fear... (Luke 1:68-74)

Try to envision the scene in the hill country around Bethlehem, on the night when Christ was born. In a few words, Luke's gospel paints such a vivid picture of the shepherds out in the open fields. We can see the flicker of campfires; hear the gentle sounds of animals and men at the hour of sleep.

Suddenly, a new element enters the picture. Something descends from the heavens—and it's heading towards them. Struck with terror, the shepherds think: "Is this the end?" Yet their nightmare fears do not come to pass. Instead, they find themselves surrounded by an unearthly light. And from out of this light comes an angelic voice.

"Fear not," is what they hear.

What an unexpected announcement this is. In the context of the time, fear was precisely the emotion to show before a heavenly being. The human relation to the pagan deities was one of fearful subordination, where man tried to appease their anger, or offered sacrifices to buy off their careless whims.

By contrast, the evangelist Luke impresses on us the dawning of a whole new relationship, where people can approach God without fear; where they can stand in His presence and not be afraid. The Nativity itself underscores this point: when the shepherds put aside their fear, and answer the call to draw near to God, what do they find? A newborn child: something to approach with feelings of love, wonder, joy, reverence—anything but terror. The shepherds would never have discovered this beautiful truth, had they permitted fear to have the last word.

Luke gives us three examples of heavenly messengers in the early chapters of his gospel. And each time, the message is the same. The first involves the elderly, childless Zacharias, husband to Elizabeth, and the future father of John the Baptist. "Fear not, Zacharias," an angel says, "for your prayer has been heard" (Lk 1:13). The second angelic appearance is to the Virgin Mary, who feels troubled despite the angel Gabriel's friendly salutation. "Fear not, Mary," he reassures her, "for you have found favor with God" (Lk 1:30).

Finally, we are given the shepherds, who were "sore afraid" to see the glory of the Lord. But again, an angel allays their concerns: "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people" (Lk 2:10).

It's wonderful how Luke weaves the story together from these strands: an elderly couple, praying for a child of their own; an innocent girl, emerging from the shelter of youth to be betrothed in marriage; the rough, rustic shepherds, who make their life among animals in the fields. What might they all have in common? Certainly, as Luke shows us, one common thread is the fear they all felt when they encountered the messenger of God.

And such fear is warranted, is it not? To draw near to God ought to be frightening: something potentially dangerous, one would think. At the very least, it should make a person question his worth, his competence, his fitness to be chosen.

Yet the angelic message tells us something different: Fear not. Do not be afraid. In the largest sense, this should be understood as an attitude for living: Do not live in the shadow of fear. The angel Gabriel tells Mary, "With God, nothing shall be impossible" (Lk 1:37)—and with that kind of assurance, we really have no business allowing fear to dominate our lives.

Yet "Fear not" has a more specific meaning, too, as a motto about drawing near to our Lord: about being drawn into God's plans, and being appointed to contribute to His will.

When one is called by God, it is natural to feel nervous, or unworthy. But the Nativity story shows that when God calls us, such fears are immaterial. We may worry that we're too old (as did Zacharias), or too immature (as did Mary), or too undistinguished in stature (as the shepherds surely felt). But God had called all of them, in spite of these things.

Above all, God sent His only Son, and gave us the gift of salvation, "to enable us to serve Him without fear" (Lk 1:74)—as Zacharias joyfully sang, when he finally accepted his role in God's plans.

In the coming year, our Diocese will explore the way God calls each of us, and any of us, to draw nearer to Him. Our focus will be on the lay ministries of the church, in which every person, from every walk of life, is called to give of himself or herself in the service of our Lord.

Even when God extends such an invitation, however, there are many people in our world who decline to answer. "Am I worthy to do so?" they may ask. "Am I wise enough?" "Do I have enough time?" "Shouldn't I be better prepared or educated for such a role?" These are not unimportant matters; they are the fears we bring to the situation—just as Zacharias, and Mary, and the shepherds brought their own. And yet, the messenger of our Lord—whether speaking as an angel, or as a voice in the heart—says the same thing to us as he said to them: Fear not.

On the night when Christ was born, the people attending him were not exalted figures; they were not confident in their worthiness to be called before God. Still, these were the people on whom our Lord Jesus first smiled. The same will be true for us, when we draw near to our Lord—and discover the joy that dispels all fear.

May this thought encourage us, and embolden our hearts, as we recite our age-old Christmas greeting:

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetzav! Orhnyal eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee!

Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ!

—Archbishop Khajag Barsamian

Reflections on my Baptism: December 7, 1975

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” - Galatians 3:27

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” - Romans 6:4

“We believe…in one baptism with repentance for the remission and forgiveness of sins” - The Nicene Creed

“Thou who hast called this thy servant, O Lord, to the holiness and the enlightenment of baptism, we pray thee, make him worthy of thy most precious grace. Put off him the old garment of sins and renew him unto a new life. Fill him with the power of the Holy Spirit that he may have the renewal of the glory of thy Christ. And to thee, the Mighty One and to thy only-begotten Son and to the liberating Holy Spirit is fitting dominion and honor, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.” - From the Order of Baptism according to the Rite of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church

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Thirty-five years ago, today, I was baptized into the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church at 17 days old. It has been a very joyous day for me, as I spent the day in prayer, thanksgiving, and reflection upon my Baptism. As I offer the following reflections on my Baptism, and Baptism in general, I invite the reader to remember their own Baptism, and how God has been faithful to His promise of salvation regarding this Mystery.

If you were to ask my parents and relatives if they fully comprehended the theological significance of what was being performed on December 7, 1975, they would have said no. Thankfully, the efficacious nature of my Baptism was not dependent upon their knowledge of the Sacrament, and regardless of their level of understanding, the invisible grace of God was present and accomplished what Christ and the Apostles said would be accomplished. Like other baptized Christians before me, I was saved and entered into the fellowship and life of the Church, into the Kingdom of God, with the new status of child and co-heir of Christ.

Baptism is not meant to be a static event, something that just happened in the past, and to be remembered in thought alone. Our Baptism is to be lived out, continually at the forefront of our minds, reminding us of the words proclaimed over us, the promise of the Holy Spirit, our salvation in Christ, and the Church believing with us, serving as our Godmother. Although we are cleansed of sin at Baptism, and leave the font as a new creature in Christ, we are continually cleansed by sin as we walk in this newness of life. Through this Sacrament, we are set on the path of salvation for the purpose of union with Christ. Baptism initiates this union, and seals us as we are being saved, as we continue to 'become' Christians.

Was I conscious of what was taking place on that day? No, not in any theological sense, nor was my free-will involved. I’m sure I only had a few simple things on my mind, none of which were related to my Baptism. However, this is why Baptism is not a private event, but a community and public event. It is why Baptism (even for adults) is not merely about the individual, or their choice in the matter, as much as it is about Christ Himself, the Word, and His Body, the Church. At my Baptism, my parents, and my Godfather, declared my faith on my behalf, with the Church as witness. They were commissioned with raising me in the Christian faith, and that is precisely what they did. Placed on the path of salvation, I eventually had to take responsibility for my faith, and either accept or reject what was given to me as an infant.

As the day comes to a close, I am thankful for God’s faithfulness in my life, making my Baptism an ongoing sacramental event. I continue to pray for God’s salvation through His mercy and grace, as I strive to remain faithful to Him through a life of repentance, living out my Baptism in faith.

“Everyone baptized in the orthodox manner has received mystically the fullness of grace; but he becomes conscious of this grace only to the extent that he actively observes the commandments.” - St. Mark the Ascetic

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In gratitude of my Baptism, I would like to honor the following:

Jesus Christ, Who sanctified the waters of Baptism, by being baptized Himself, and as the founder of this Mystery, directly performed my Baptism.

My parents, Augustus and Elsie Vozzy, for being obedient to the teachings of Christ and His Church, for taking the Christ-given responsibility of initiating the Christian faith in their home, for not depriving me of this necessary aspect of salvation, and for committing me to the holy font for the cleansing of sin, rebirth in Christ, and membership into the One, Catholic, Holy, and Apostolic Church.

Fr. Garen Gdanian, for serving the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church as priest, and for presiding over my baptism, representing both Christ, and His Church.

My Godfather and Uncle, Christopher Garabedian, who has served as a profound Christian example and influence in my life.

Rev. Todd A. Zielinski, who, prior to my re-entrance into the Armenian Orthodox Church, played a vital role in helping me to even recognize the validity and legitimacy of my infant baptism.


The picture above is the font in which I was baptized, located at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church, in Watervliet, NY.