St. Vartan Armenian Church of Mississauga

P.O. Box 53010, 5100 Erin Mills Parkway, Mississauga, Ontario L5M 5A7

Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan, Pastor

Telephone (905) 549-2711 stvartan@cogeco.ca

Why is Armenian Christmas Celebrated on January 6?

Even at the time of the apostles, there was no uniform way to celebrate this holy day in Christian churches around the world. And it wasn’t even celebrated in the very early Church. By the end of the third century, Christmas in Rome was held on Dec. 25 which coincided with a major pagan feast, while in the Eastern churches it was observed on January 6. The Armenian Church has maintained that ancient tradition to this day, whereas the Greek-speaking Christian world switched to the Latin tradition at the end of the fourth century. As good Christians, we must focus on the spirit of the Nativity of the Saviour and not the differences in our traditions.

How May Armenian Households Celebrate Christmas in Canada Today?

You may prefer to exchange Christmas gifts on Dec. 25 since it is the custom in Canadian society. In traditional Armenian homes, gifts were exchanged on Jan. 1, which is not a day of religious significance. Changing the day from Jan. 1 to Dec. 25 is not a major change since neither day has religious importance.

Many Armenians have family reunions and dinners on Dec. 25 and that is fine too. However, Armenians should fast during the seven-day period preceding Jan. 6 and on the evening of Jan. 5, families should attend church and participate in the celebration of the Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy. They should receive Holy Communion that evening or the following morning which is the Feast of the Theophany (the Manifestation of God).

Christmas Eve, January 5, 2006

Today’s service features Rev. Archpriest Sarkis Gulian @ 6:30 p.m.

That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Saviour - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others - the armies of heaven - praising God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven and peace on earth to all whom God favours.” Luke 2:8-14

Welcome to St. Vartan Armenian Church. If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan, it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Badarak this evening. Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to be with us. We believe that you will sense God’s Spirit among us as we worship today.

We invite you to join us here tomorrow for CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE At 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 6, 2006, With Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan. We hope to see you then.