Advent Begins For Armenians

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.