For Western church buildings, Protestant and Catholic alike, the Lenten season extends over a 46 day interval, starting with Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Eve. Sundays, being weekly commemorations of the primary Easter, have by no means been thought-about Lenten quick days. With six Sundays within the interval, there are 40 days in Lent, which corresponds to and symbolizes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting, praying and meditating within the wilderness earlier than He started His ministry.
Within the Armenian Apostolic Church, Lent is named Médz Bahk, which suggests Main Feast. It’s the interval between Poon Barékendan and Easter. In contrast to the Western Church buildings, the Lenten season within the Armenian church begins the day after Poon Barékendan, relatively than on Ash Wednesday which the Western church buildings observe as the start of Lent. Every Sunday of Médz Bahk is dedicated to a sure occasion and named accordingly (Sunday of Expulsion, Sunday of the Prodigal Son, Sunday of the Steward, Sunday of the Decide, Sunday of Creation and Palm Sunday.)
The Sunday previous Lent is Boon Barékendan (Carnival), a day of celebration, an event for festivity and merrymaking. It’s an observance of God’s creation of our first mother and father Adam and Eve and their life and pleasure within the Backyard of Eden. The sharagans of the Armenian church additionally communicate of Christ, “the Second Adam,” by way of Whom mankind was saved and have become worthy of the heavenly happiness of paradise.
The primary Sunday of Médz Bahk is Artaksman Kiraki (Expulsion Sunday), devoted to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise and relates how Christ opened the gates of paradise to those that repent and settle for Him.
The second Sunday of Lent is named Anaraki Kiraki, devoted to the parable of the Prodigal Son, who after repentance got here to his father’s residence and was restored to his authentic state (Luke 15:11-24).
The third Sunday is named Tntesi Kiraki (Sunday of the Steward) and takes up the parable of the dishonest steward (Luke 16:1-9). It recommends the follow of prudence and knowledge for higher ends.
The fourth Sunday is named Datavori Kiraki (The Decide’s Sunday) and treats the parable of the widow and the unjust decide (Luke 18:1-8). The educating of the parable is persistence in prayer.
The fifth Sunday is named Galustyan Kiraki (Creation Sunday) specializing in the second coming of Christ.
The sixth Sunday is Tzaghkazard (Palm Sunday), devoted to Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The ceremony carried out on that day is the Drunpatzek (opening the door). It’s a reminder of the approaching of Judgement Day.
The English phrase Lent is derived from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, which means “spring.” Within the Armenian custom, it’s “fasting.” It’s abstinence and restraint from consuming sure meals and time spent for meditation, self-examination and repentance. However no matter custom one belongs to, Lent is a interval of the deepening and broadening of religious life; that’s, a deepening of perception, self-discipline and dedication, and a broadening of outlook, compassion and imaginative and prescient.
Early church leaders realized what this era of self-denial, self-discipline and prayer meant in Jesus’ life. They established this era to assist the early Christians understand that the whole achievement of Christian dwelling got here by way of these very acts.
In the present day, individuals observe Lent in a wide range of methods. Some observe it by giving up sure issues—some by taking up sure issues. The hazard is that when Lent is over, the deepening and broadening course of could not have occurred or could come to an finish. Lent, nevertheless, is designed to be a interval of such significance in our lives that what happens in it might be that which makes attainable a unbroken development and development in Christian religion and follow. Self-denial, giving up one thing only for the sake of giving it up, means nothing. Every of us wants these instances after we set out for ourselves to think about the first issues of our lives. We have to put apart all of the extraneous, unimportant actions and pursuits and middle our considering and motion on that which provides the correct route to our dwelling. Lent prepares us for the atonement of Jesus Christ. Atonement means unity; separating the three syllables, you’ve “at-one-ment”, and that is descriptive of its which means. It’s achievement, totality, persona integration and being in tune with life and life’s Creator.
In our religious life, could Lent be synonymous with spring and its which means, emphasizing reawakening, renewal and rebirth for all of us—a time to reject our previous, drained selves and to recreate anew our picture. However most of all could or not it’s a season to revive and reaffirm our religion in God.
Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian
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