St. Vartan Armenian Church of
Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan,
Pastor
Telephone (905) 549-2711
stvartan@cogeco.ca
(905) 617-7888
Poon (Great) Pareguentan
Poon Pareguentan
refers to the period prior to the beginning of the seven-week period of fasting
and abstinence (Lent) before Easter. The word Poon
means main, since there are 10 lesser occasions for observing pareguentan during the year. Pareguentan is
actually two words: pari,
meaning good; and guentan, meaning living. Pareguentan
literally means good living.
Since the Church is preparing for the fasting period of the
Great Lent, this Sunday has been marked by our Church Fathers as a day of joy,
happiness, and celebration. Tomorrow,
Why does our Lent begin on a Monday instead of on Ash Wednesday?
In the Western churches, Lent originally began six weeks
before Easter, but since Sundays weren’t considered fasting days, they added
four more days and Lent was set to begin on Ash Wednesday, which is six-and-a-half weeks before Easter.
In the Eastern churches (which includes the Armenian
Church), the 40 days of Lent are calculated differently. Holy Week, which immediately precedes Easter
and is a period of fasting, isn’t counted as part of Lent. Lent, in our tradition, begins six weeks
prior to Palm Sunday and lasts 42 days.
If you add to that the week of fasting between Palm Sunday and Easter,
fasting for Armenian believers is actually 49 days long.
The first Sunday of Lent is the Poon
Pareguentan (good living day). The curtains on the Church altar must be
closed on the Saturday evening preceding Poon Pareguentan, and fasting begins on the Monday following Poon Pareguentan Sunday.
What does fasting mean for Armenian believers? Throughout the Lenten period, we are to
abstain from meats, milk products and fish until after the celebration of the
Divine Liturgy on Holy Saturday evening.
The meal on Holy Saturday evening may include milk products but no meat
and no fish.
Lent is a time to reflect upon our existence, the purpose of
our creation and our journey in this world.
Lent is a “retreat” to readjust our priorities and make them Christ-centred. It is a
time set aside by the Church for self-examination, spiritual discipline and
rededication of our lives to Christ and His gospel. If the Cross of Christ was an act of absolute
unselfishness, the Church guides us to the same experience through the evening
vespers and ascetic practices of the Lenten period.
Divine Liturgy @
Another reason for right living is that you know how late it
is; time is running out. Wake up, for
the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of
salvation will soon be here. So don’t live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right
living, as those who live in the light.
We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can
approve of our behavior. Romans 13:
11-13
Colours of Pareguentan
Did you know there are specific colours
associated with Pareguentan, which is the time of
joyous revelry before fasting and the introspection of the Great Lent
begins? This year, the Great Lent begins
PURPLE is the color symbolic of justice. It is also a colour
for the royalty of Jesus, anticipating his pain and suffering.
GREEN is symbolic of faith.
GOLD is symbolic of power.
RED is symbolic of Maundy Thursday and the disciples.
BLACK is symbolic of Good Friday and the darkness in the world.
WHITE is symbolic of the Resurrection
Welcome to St. Vartan Armenian Church
If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan,
it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Soorp Badarak
this afternoon. 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 together
today.
Requiem services can be requested for the next church service
by calling Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan.
Church Envelopes
You may not have noticed, but St. Vartan
now has offering envelopes that you can pick up in the church’s entrance foyer,
by the candles. Please help
yourself. We thank you for your support
and the blessing of your presence.
Are You New to St. Vartan Armenian Church?
At St. Vartan, we understand how
being a newcomer can be a bit intimidating.
It is our goal to make your time with us comfortable and enjoyable. Immediately following the service today
please join us in the parish hall for refreshments. We’re glad you’re here and
we hope to see you again! Our next
service is at
Are You On Our Mailing List?
Please fill out the forms you can find on clipboards at the
doors of the church today. The Parish
Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date. Sign up to receive church news by email.
Participate -
Everyone is invited to attend St. Vartan’s
Annual General Meeting on
Consider serving your church. There are seats to fill on the
Parish Council and church committees.
However, you need to be a current member in order to have the privilege
of voting for and running for office. By paying your 2007 church dues, you are
able to participate in this process. If
you haven’t been a member before, please consider the many benefits of
membership.
Did you know? Our
members receive discounts and other benefits (as determined by the parish
council)? Be a smart consumer. Members’ discounts for baptisms, weddings and
funerals and other benefits at church events add up—and could ultimately cover
the cost of your membership! SIGN UP
NOW!
The annual general meeting begins at
Space for Rent
If you would like to advertise in our Sunday service
booklets, please call Ani Shalvardjian
(905) 826-6319 or Heranush Hamblin (905) 820-1329 or email
us at anijan2@gmail.com . Advertisers receive a church donation
receipt.
Share your Talents With Us
Join in the fun of putting on
Volunteers are needed for the following committees: Food,
Décor, Fundraising/Marketing, Entertainment, Volunteer Staffing, and
Booklet. Carassauga
is
Schedule for Feb-March 2007
DIVINE LITURGY & Evening Activities
Session
2: The Divine Liturgy Explained
Annual
General Meeting and Election*
*Immediately following Soorp
Badarak, at
The
On the last Thursday before Poon Pareguentan and the beginning of the Great Lent, the
Armenian Church remembers the great heroism of St. Vartan
Mamigonian and his companions. Vartanantz Day is a
day of commemorating Armenian faith and resolve to preserve identity and
freedom of religion. St. Vartan, an Armenian noble, led a force of soldiers in 451
A.D. against the
Did you know?
News Stories and Photos Now Available on St. Vartan’s Website:
www.stvartan.ca, and Canadian Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church’s Web
site: www.armenianchurch.ca
Bible Study
SESSION 2: The Divine
Liturgy Explained
·
Why
do we light candles at church?
·
What
special vestments does the priest wear for Soorp
Badarak?
·
What
is the meaning of the kshots (those brass noise makers
the altar boys and sargavaks rattle during the Soorp Badarak)?
These are all good questions, and our Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan is prepared
to answer them, and many more,
We invite you to come to St. Cuthbert's Anglican Church Hall
at
The free 30-minute lecture begins at
The Bible is the sacred scripture of the Church – which,
during the early Christian centuries, compiled many books into the form we have
today. In the Armenian Church, it is referred to as the “Breath of God.” It is
under- stood as a book that offers a glimpse of God’s love for humanity. The
Bible, in its complete form, can give students an opportunity to understand
concepts of care and hope, of faith and courage, of justice and freedom. Most
importantly, it can and should reflect the strength of love in the face of evil
and all adversity. Father Vazken Movsesian.
Our next Soorp Badarak, will be on Sunday, March 4, at 1
p.m. at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church.
We hope to see you then.
.