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* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive
Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish
According to the calendar of the Armenian Church, Christmas is celebrated as of midnight today (January 6).
Armenians in Turkey celebrate the Christmas, which they call "Surp Dzinunt (the Holy Birth), on January 6. The preparation for the Surp Dzinunt ceremony took seven weeks at the Armenian Church.
This preparation period is called Hisnag (50-day period).
In the first, fourth and seventh weeks of the Hisnag, the members of the Armenian Church keep a vegetarian fast. A purple candle is lit with prayers and hymns at sunset every Saturday during Hisnag.
People spend New Year's Eve with their families and visit the graves of their loved ones on January 7.
As there is Surp Dzınunt fast, there are seafood, vegetarian meals, dried fruits and nuts and "topik" (a traditional Armenian antepast) on the table.
Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it!
Why on January 6?In an article published on Agos Newspaper in 2014, Emre Ertani explained "Why do Orthodox Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6?": "We asked Bishop Sahag Maşalyan, a member of Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, why Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6. Stating that it is not possible to set a certain date for the birth of Jesus Christ, because the birthday is not specified in the Bible, Maşalyan said: "In the Gospel of Luke, it is written that Jesus Christ was baptized at the age of 30 and this started the Christian tradition of celebrating his birthday and baptism on the same day. This is the oldest tradition and Armenian Orthodox Church retains it. Thus, our church officially names this holiday 'Asdvadza-Haydnutyun' (revelation of God, Theophany), because, during the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ, God perfectly manifested oneself to humanity and the divine word, logos humanized through Jesus Christ." "Reminding that the first record about the celebration date of the birth of Jesus Christ was written by Saint Clement of Alexandria, who is a 3th century theologian, Maşalyan said that Christians who was living in Egypt in 2nd century was celebrating the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ between January 6 and 10. "Maşalyan pointed out that travel notes written by Egeria Silvia of Bordeaux in 386 contains accounts on Christian ceremonies that she came across during her pilgrimage to Israel and these notes support this information about Christians in Egypt. Maşalyan said: 'Egeria noted that Christians went to Bethlehem before sunrise in order to celebrate the birth of Jesus and rushed to Jordan River in order to celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the evening. Pope Siricius (d. 399) was also saying that January 6 is 'Natalitia Christi', the birthday of Jesus for Rome.'" * Click here to read the rest of the article |
(EKN/SD)
