Page 101 - THE ARMENIAN CHURCH_Neat

102 The Armenian Church

Christ. 2) In the East, it was difficult to
celebrate the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem
and the Baptism in the River Jordan on the
same day, and, therefore, the two celebra-
tions were separated. Because it faced
neither of these problems, the Armenian
Church remained faithful to the ancient
tradition. On the day of Theophany, at the
end of the Holy Mass, the cross is dipped in
a bowl full of water, recalling Christ's
immersion in the Jordan River and the holy
muron is poured into the water as the
symbol of the descending of the Holy Spirit.
Then members of the congregation are given
the blessed water to drink, thereby par-
ticipating in the baptism of Christ.
Some of the feasts have replaced pagan
feasts by adding a Christian symbolism; for
example, the festival of roses (vardavar˙) was
replaced by the Transfiguration; by blessing
the grapes after the Holy Mass, the Church
joined the pagan custom of blessing the
harvest to the feast of the Assumption of
the Virgin Mary.
Sundays are dedicated to the Resurrec-
tion and to other dominical feasts. Wed-
nesdays and Fridays are reserved for the
office of penitence. The feasts of saints occur
generally on the four remaining days of the
week. The commemoration of saints has a
special place in the spirituality of the Ar-
menian Church; 130 days are reserved for