As the possession of the church, the Badarak can certainly be shortened, expanded or otherwise modified. This would presumably be undertaken by the Catholicos, guided by the wisdom of the synod of bishops and other experts in the history and theology of the liturgy. It must be noted, however, that...

So much of our lives take place on a deep, subconscious level of our mind. So many profound realities and forces that define our present lives and shape our futures are felt and experienced subconsciously. The same is perhaps true about our faith and spirituality. But faith also needs to...

On September 14, 1374 the last Armenian king – Leo V Lusignan was consecrated in Cilicia.  The rising of king Leo V Lusignan to the throne was greeted by Armenians with excitement and hope. For a brief moment, it appeared that the future of the Armenian kingdom and independence is...

In today’s Scripture reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul writes this: “Look at what is before your eyes. If you are confident that you belong to Christ, remind yourself of this, that just as you belong to Christ, so also do we.”   Seeing God in those around us, finding...

The Badarak is long because it has grown over the centuries, acquiring new hymns, rituals, psalms and prayers from time to time. The Divine Liturgy is a living and evolving expression of the Armenian people’s Christian faith. It is not a fixed work of art like an opera, which a...

In today’s Gospel reading a father brings his very sick child to Christ for healing. We learn that the boy was suffering from this condition from a very young age. Undoubtedly, the father prayed for a healing and tried many remedies without ever being able to find a cure. And...

On Sept. 9, 1781 Archbishop Hovsep Arghutian consecrated the Armenian Church of the Holy Cross in Moscow. Due to his efforts and leadership, dozens of villages, churches and even entire cities were built in Russia for the immigrant Armenian community. In 1781 alone he consecrated at least three new churches...