Following the decision of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey to suspend the performance of all kinds of ceremonies in churches within the scope of pandemic measures, the Surp Badarak (Holy Mass) and Hokehankist (Ayin-i Ruhani) prayers are held closed to the public on a weekday. Ceremonies are broadcast on the patriarchate’s Facebook page on Sunday. Then, Patriarch Sahak II gives sermons in Armenian and Turkish.
The Holy Liturgy was held at the Galata Surp Krikor Lusavoric Church on Thursday, April 15, by Senior Father Antreas Hagopian. The spiritual trainees of the Patriarchate served the sacrament. The chants were sung by the members of the Patriarchal Armaş Choir. At the end of the ritual, Hokehankist prayers were recited for all who sleep in the Lord.
After this ceremony, which was broadcast on the Patriarchate’s Facebook page on Sunday, April 18, Patriarch Sahak II gave sermons in Armenian and Turkish on the Resurrection Feast and Gananç Giragi week.
“Love Fixes What Is Broken. Love is the Power of Resurrection”
As Patriarch Sahak II started his Turkish sermon, he explained how these weeks in the Armenian church calendar were given and their meaning. He then read and interpreted Matthew 28:5-7 and John 21:1-14. The disciples’ abandonment of Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane and Peter’s thrice denial of Him. For these reasons, he talked about the fact that his disciples were ashamed of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples after he rose from the dead in order to cleanse them of their feelings and to make peace with them. Some titles from the Turkish sermon are as follows;
“Peter repented, but it is not enough to regret in his heart, one has to say it with his tongue. Jesus saw that regret, in Peter’s heart, that Peter had to be cured.
Normal relationship with Jesus. The covenant with Jesus and our faithfulness to him, our effort to avoid sin, renew us, give us a new identity, make us new creatures, we are born of God. The glory of Jesus passes to us. And after every sin, we see that glory in us diminish.
That divine light, that brilliance, that light that passed to us at our baptism, diminishes. Sin for him is no joke. Sin is forgiven, but every sin brings us back and we have to start over.
When we walk with Christ, because <I am the way, the life, and the truth> he said, we take a path uphill, towards Divinity. Every sin cuts our ties with it and we return again. We must walk the path of Divinity again, for without Divinity we will never reach the top. God says < I am Holy, and you will be Holy.>
My dear brother, I don’t know what bad habit you have, there is something bothering your conscience that is tearing you away from God, you are living a dull life of faith, the cure for this will be by loving Christ more than yourself.
Love is not just an abstract feeling. Love is the force that drives me to action. The greatest power in the universe. If there is true love, there is no sacrifice that cannot be made.
There is no need for many words, if we love God, we will keep his commandments, his words. His greatest command; It is love. We will love brothers, people and do our best. This is the only way to improve our relationship with God.
Love fixes what is broken.
Man’s adventure with God is interesting. We all have different adventures. Of course the Bible says; The time for salvation is now, the time for reconciliation with God is now, the acceptable time is now. Because tomorrow is not ours. I wish all young people had a chance to grow old. But old age is a potential, a possibility for all of us. That’s why we need to make peace with God now.
Love is really the power of the Resurrection…
Stay in love, multiply in love, may the spirit of the Resurrection refresh you all. Amen.”
