NEW YEAR IN ARMENIA

    In reality Santa Claus  has been  a clergyman. He  is one of  the most beloved  saints  of the Universal Church-Pontiff Nikoghayos( Nicholas the bishop). In   his time Greek pontiff  Nikoghayos  used  to  go  from  home to  home  and to  put  money  or  gifts on the windowsills   of the houses of the poor.  The  image of Santa Claus  derives  just from  that fact.  The translation  of Santa  Claus  means  St. Nikoghayos ( Nicholas ) .  That’s why  children  admit  the  gifts  of  Santa Claus  as God-granted  gifts.   For the  Armenian  nation the New  Year  is an appeal,  an  invitation  to  celebrate  a  feast.

  In  Christian sense  the new Year  is  a day  of special  analyses  when  all  deeds  done during  the year are  summarized  and  thought  over.

  The Feast  of the Holy Nativity  and Theophany  of Our  Lord  Jesus Christ  ( Christmas) ,  which  is the commemoration of the  Birth  and Baptism  of  Jesus  Christ,  is one  of the most important and beloved  feasts of  Christians throughout  the world. Both  by its essence  and sacrament Christmas  is  more  important  than  the  New year.  The New  Year is merely a change  of calendar  year  and has no sacrament. Whereas Christmas  itself  is the sacrament  of the Birth of the son of   god which  becomes a new and endless  beginning  for the mankind.  That’s why  it is already more than  2000  years  that  all  calendar  calculations are conditioned  by the Birth  of Christ  and are  divided into BC ( before the  birth  of Christ )  and AD ( Anno Domani  in the year since the  birth of Christ).

  The Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany  of Our Lord  Jesus  Christ ( Christmas ) is preceded  by  a fasting period starting  on December 30and  ending  in the evening of  January  5, when  a Candlelight  Divine  Liturgy  is  celebrated.  Any food of animal origin is  forbidden  during  that period.  Clergy  exhort the faithful  to  meet  the New Year in the Church, to  ponder over  the spiritual state and  to receive  God’s  blessing.

  By the order of His Eminence  Archbishop Navasard  Ktchoyan, Vicar  of  Araratian  Patriarchal  Diocese,  on the night from  December 1 to January 1  all  central  churches  of Yerevan  will be open till 2.00 a. m.

This material has  been  courteously  provided by the press service of the  Ararat Patriarchal  Diocese at    qahana.am/