In the Armenian Church, each year after Divine Liturgy on January 6, the Blessing of Water ceremony takes place as a symbolic commemoration of the Baptism of Christ. The ceremony, called Churorhnek in Armenian, was  originally performed in the Holy Land at the River Jordan on the Theophany, January 6. As word spread of this beautiful ceremony throughout the Holy Land, churches outside of Jerusalem began to perform it as well at various riverbanks and seashores. Later, because of Islamic prohibitions under the Ottoman Empire, this and other public outdoor Christian rituals were restricted to the confines of church courtyards.

Each year on January 13, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of the Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As the evangelist St. Luke writes in his Gospel, according to Jewish tradition, "On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise Him, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived" (2:21). Jesus is a Hebrew word meaning "savior." According to the Gospel of St. Luke, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary to give her the good tidings of the birth of the Son of the Most High, he told Mary that she was to name the baby Jesus: "You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus" (1:31). Parallel to the name Jesus is the name Christ, which is a Greek word meaning "consecrated," corresponding to the Hebrew word messiah. 

On the Feast of the Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Churches. On the eve of this Feast, a special ceremony is also conducted following evening services.

The birth of St. John the Baptist is described in detail in Luke 1:5-25. One day, Zechariah, father of St John the Baptist, was doing his work as a priest in the temple and was burning incense at the altar. An angel of the Lord appeared to him and said that God had heard his prayer and that his wife would bear him a son. Zechariah was to name him John. Zechariah didn't believe the angel as he was an old man and his wife was old, too. As a result of not believing the angel, Zechariah became mute and remained silent until John the Baptist's birth.

St. John the Baptist, who would later baptize Our Savior, had become aware of and rejoiced the birth of Jesus even before His birth. According to the Evangelist, Luke, when St. Mary, Holy Mother of God, visited Elizabeth, mother of St John the Baptist, the latter, being filled with the Holy Spirit cried out, "Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness" (1:43-44).

Elizabeth is addressing all Christians throughout the world in her message on this feast day when she says, "How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!" (Luke 1:45). 

In the Holy Season of Theophany, it has become tradition in our church to donate Theophany Yughakins as gifts of love in memory or in honor of our loved ones.  

The Yughakin tradition is an ancient custom that goes back to the Old Testament. The faithful would bring oil to the temple of God so that His servants would have enough to eat. Later on, this custom entered Christianity when the faithful would bring oil to church in order to illuminate it by lighting the lamps in the church. Yughakin in Armenian means "price of oil." 

In our churches today, we obviously do not burn oil in order to illuminate the sanctuary, but rather gas and electricity. Thus, Yughakin now is simply a donation made to cover operating expenses.

Let us continue the custom of Yughakin to keep the lights of St. James forever burning! Please use the special Yughakin form and envelope that have been created for your convenience.

Christmas Card. You may also make in lieu of Christmas card donation and have your name appear in our Christmas Sunday Bulletins and Deseelk (Vision) Newsletter wishing all of your friends at St. James Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Click here to donate online.

One of the holy traditions of the Armenian Church is the Home Blessing Service, which according to St. Gregory of Datev was established by Our Savior Jesus Christ, when after His Resurrection He entered the upper room and blessed the disciples. When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews,Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." (John. 20:19). During the apostolic times, the twelve apostles of Jesus visited the homes of the faithful to bless them and to spread the good news of Christ's birth and His Resurrection. Likewise their followers - priests and bishops, entered the homes ofthe faithful on the occasions of Theophany and Easter (Holy Resurrection) to tell the good news of our Lord's Nativity and to bless them and their homes through a special Service.

Through the Home Blessing Service, the house of the faithful becomes a small church. 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:2). During the Service the priest prays to God and asks Him to keep the home, its inhabitants, and the children in good health, so that they live a devout life, glorify the name of Almighty God and heighten the Holy Church.

Love and peace are established in the sanctified home. Therefore, it is desirable that the faithful devoutly keep the graces from heaven, which filled their homes. But if sinful behavior dominates in the house it can never become a church inhabited by the Holy Trinity, saints and angels.

According to the sacred traditions of the Armenian Church, God's blessing is asked for homes on different occasions, like on the Nativity and the Resurrection of Christ, as well as on the joyous occasion of moving into a new home.

Holiday season is the time when homes are blessed by the Pastor. All parishioners who wish to have their homes blessed on the occasion of the Feast of the Theophany and Nativity of Christ should call Der Hovhan (847) 644-7389 to make arrangements. Have a piece of bread, dish of salt and glass of water available for the blessing.

1:30 - 4:00 pm

The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide with a powerful symposium that examines the United States' response to the genocide through the lens of the Near East Relief, the first non-governmental, non-sectarian, ecumenical effort of its kind. Panelists: Dr. Stephen Smith, USC Shoah Foundation; Dr. Peter Balakian, Colgate University; Shant Mardirossian, Near East Foundation; and Omer Ismail, Enough Project and Darfur genocide survivor.

Co-presented by Near East Relief Historical Society/Near East Foundation, in partnership with Armenian National Committee of Illinois.

January 13 - Feast of the Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ

January 15 - Feast of the Birth of St. John the Forerunner (St. John the Baptist)

January 17 - Commemoration of the Patriarch St. Peter, Bishop St. Vlas and Deacon Abisolom

Click here to read Der Hovhan's letter

Click here to read Parish Council's letter

Click here to print out the donation form.

Selena Groh.