NEW YEAR

Christmas is one of the oldest holidays of the general church which Apostle Jacob has defined. It is also called “Coming of Christ” because being born on the 6th of January Jesus Christ was baptized the same day after 30 years.
So on the 6th of January after holy mass Blessing of Water is performed in Armenian churches in remembrance of Christ’s baptism in the river Jordanian.

Jesus was born in one or the caves of Bethlehem. At that time three magians or kings from the west following the star that had appeared in daytime, came and found the stall where the saviour of people and the lord of the peace was born. Church tradition has also preserved the names of those three magians – Melkon, Gaspar and Baghdasar. The first one was the king of the Persians, the second was the king of the Indians, and the third one was the king of the Arabs. They gave the child gold, incense and balsam as a present. The gold symbolized the fact that the child was a king, the incense symbolized that Jesus was God and the balsam symbolized the expiating death of the lord. So the three magians confessed that Christ was their king, God and saviour. This is a belief which is demanded from every Christian. During that period there were shepherds, who lived in the open air and looked after their herd at night, and the angel of God appeared to them, the glory of the Lord arose around them and they were really afraid. And the angel told them: “Don’t be afraid because I am announcing great happiness which will belong to all the people because today in the town of David a saviour was born for you, the sanctified Lord”. And together with the angel a great heavenly army appeared to them and blessed the God saying:” Be glory to God in the heaven and be peace on the earth and good will between people”. The angels glorify God as he became human for us and made a peace with people. God loved the world so much that gave his only son so as the people who believed in him were saved. God was born in the stall so as to raise people. God appeared in body so as people were born anew spiritually. The son of God became a son of man so as the man became a son of God. This is the symbol of the coming God.

It’s not by chance that the shepherds and not the rich or famous people first heard the news of the birth of Jesus. Shepherds are frank and simple, they do their work tirelessly, and God loves such people. If we are like those shepherds, then God will certainly visit us.
With the birth of Jesus the wheel of the human history shifted. God promised us that if we lived with God’s commandments, he will deserve the kingdom of the heaven and eternal life. Jesus Christ expiated our sins and showed with his resurrection that death hasn’t power on us anymore.

Child Jesus, born in the stall of Bethlehem, enlightens our souls and thoughts even today, so now we have to open them for God. With the birth of Jesus the desires peace we all long for, came into the world. Christmas is a holiday of happiness and delight and we meet it with hope and belief.

Let’s pray for Jesus to be born anew in all our hearts and souls giving us health, happiness, strength and zeal so as strengthened by Jesus and with blessing of our devoted ancestors we can realize our kind wishes and dreams that are approved by God.
Let God Christ save our fatherland and our national army giving our Armenian soldiers wisdom, inflexible soul and power under his holy and all mighty blessing: Christ was born and revealed. Blessed is the revelation of Christ.
Deacon Tigran Baghumyam

GAYANE POGHOSYAN