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Advent Begins For Armenians

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  • Advent Begins For Armenians

    LRAPER Church Bulletin 22/11/2004
    Armenian Patriarchate
    TR-34130 Kumkapi, İstanbul
    Licensee: The Revd. Fr. Drtad Uzunyan
    Editors: The Revd.Dr.Krikor Damatyan,
    Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
    Press Spokesperson: Attorney Luiz Bakar
    T: +90 (212) 517-0970
    F: +90 (212) 516-4833
    E-mail: [email protected]

    Advent Begins For Armenians

    On 20 November the fifty-day Advent season began for Armenians at sunset on
    Saturday with solemn vespers in the Holy Mother-of-God Patriarchal Church in
    Kumkapi, Istanbul.

    His Beatitude Mesrob II, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul and All Turkey,
    presided over the ceremony, with the hieromonks of the Patriarchal See and
    the parishioners of Kumkapi attending. The Patriarch explained that the
    seven-week pre-Christmas season in the Armenian Church is called Hisnag,
    meaning "the lesser fifty days of fasting and preparation," as a comparison
    to the more solemn and strict Great Lent, also fifty days, before Easter.

    "During the Advent season," explained the Patriarch, "we remember the
    enduring faith of a remnant of the People of God who never failed in their
    steadfastness as they waited for the coming of the Messiah, who, in the
    fullness of time, was indeed born in Bethlehem. We learn perseverance from
    them and are encouraged by their example as we wait for the Second Coming of
    the Lord Jesus to complete the process of the salvation of mankind. The
    words of the Prophet Isaiah, 'Prepare ye the way of the Lord' (40:3) and
    Saint John the Seer, 'Amen. Come , Lord Jesus!' (Rev. 22:20) are the two
    Biblical key verses to Advent spirituality."

    On a more practical level, the Patriarch said, Advent is a season when the
    faithful prepare for the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany, commonly
    called Christmas, which as an ancient tradition the Armenians still
    celebrate on 5/6 January.

    Following vespers, the Patriarch lit the first of the seven candles which
    symbolize the seven weeks of spiritual renewal and preparation. According to
    the Armenian Church tradition, the first, fourth and seventh weeks of Advent
    are days of fasting or abstinence. During the Advent season children's and
    youth choirs will have weekly lessons of Christmas hymns and especially
    following the Median of Advent, Christmas trees and decorations will be put
    up in church halls and homes.

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    LRAPER Church Bulletin 22/11/2004
    Armenian Patriarchate
    TR-34130 Kumkapi, İstanbul
    Licensee: The Revd. Fr. Drtad Uzunyan
    Editors: The Revd.Dr.Krikor Damatyan, Deacon Vagharshag Seropyan
    Press Spokesperson: Attorney Luiz Bakar
    T: +90 (212) 517-0970
    F: +90 (212) 516-4833
    E-mail: [email protected]
    > <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

    --Boundary_(ID_yQXKr/7fET5+OTmbdTWVDA)--

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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