Armenia celebrating Christmas

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ on January 6. Festivities begin on the evening of January 5 as the church day changes at 17:00 pm, after the evening service. So the celebration of the feast starts in the evening of January 5 and is continued on January 6. In the evening of January 5 candlelight Divine Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian churches.



On January 6, the Christmas liturgy is followed by the ceremony of consecration of water what symbolizes the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan.



January 7, as well as all the days following the major church feasts are memorial days (or days of Remembrance of the dead). On January 7 (and all memorial days) a special Repose of Souls Service is offered in memory of the dead after which people go the graveyards to pay visit to their relatives' tombs.



The ceremonies related to the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ are concluded on January 13, the Feast of Naming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.