When Nelson Mandela embraced his fight against injustice and apartheid, the authorities did everything possible to silence him and break his spirit. He narrowly escaped death penalty, was imprisoned and forced to do hard labor, allowed only one visitor per year and was never allowed to turn off the light...

The liturgical fan that we call the “kshots” in Armenian is also known as the flabellum or rhipidion. It is a round, ornately-embossed plate of silver, bronze or other metal, about twelve or more inches in diameter, with small bells coupled around the perimeter. The disk is attached to the...

Critics and readers have long considered The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald to be the greatest American novel. And indeed, no other work captures and criticizes our understanding of the American dream so elegantly as this novel. At first, the main character, Jay Gatsby appears to be a successful, self-made...

Mother’s sacrificial love is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. There is nothing a mother will not do to protect her children and family. And if all fails, a mother will not hesitate to sacrifice her own life to save her offspring. It is this powerful image...

Today the Armenian Church recalls and celebrates Prophet Jeremiah.   There was a calling, a vocation in the ancient Israel nobody liked or wanted. The lives of the great prophets of God were often filled with rejection, suffering and persecution. This was a vocation, that one could not simply pick...

In ancient times candles were used in the church for a very practical reason: to provide light. Adequate lighting was especially important in churches, where the officiants of the liturgy relied on liturgical books to conduct the lengthy worship services. Apart from this strictly functional use, burning candles remind Christians...

Today we celebrate the Oil-bearing women who were the first to witness the resurrection of our Lord. What about this story inspired Armenians so much that they used to name their daughters Youghaper (Իւղաբեր)? What profound lesson and experience does our liturgy offer by celebrating this event not just once...