CHRISTMAS MESSAGE OF ARCHBISHOP KHAJAG BARSAMIAN
Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America

A Legacy of Peace

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people…” (LUKE 2:8-10)

THE ANGEL PROMISED that his “good tidings of great joy” would one day be known by all people. But the announcement itself, on that glorious night some 2,000 years ago, was made to only a few, humble shepherds, in fields removed from any city or village. To reach the ears of the entire world, the announcement would have to be repeated, from person to person, from heart to heart, from generation to generation.

Yet through all those numberless repetitions, down to the present day, these “good tidings” have never lost their freshness. They have never lost their ability to inspire wonder and love at the news of God’s miraculous gift to mankind.

Indeed, the gift of Jesus Christ has inspired the Armenian people to the heights of creativity and heroism, and has sustained us through every trial. At every critical juncture of our history, we have been able to refresh ourselves in the knowledge that our destiny lies with him—through whom death is vanquished, sacrifice redeemed, and despair transfigured into winged hope.

Perhaps that ability to refresh—to renew—lies at the heart of our unusual resilience as a people. We are all profoundly aware that the coming year will mark the 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide: the terrible cataclysm that very nearly extinguished our people, and still brings pain to every Armenian heart.

Our countrymen in the homeland and the diaspora will memorialize the sufferings of the Genocide throughout 2015. There will be occasions to express our sorrow and loss, our righteous indignation and our sense of historical injustice. All these expressions are of the utmost importance.
But our commemoration will be incomplete if we forget to also pay attention to the miracle of renewal that the Armenian people experienced—and that the entire world witnessed—in the course of the past century. From the threshold of utter death and destruction, the generation of survivors built new lives, planted new roots, contributed in productive ways to the world around them. Most miraculous of all, they passed on their precious Armenian Christian heritage to further generations of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren—who will never forget the profound sacrifice, faith, and dignity exemplified by their forebears.

In this way, our Armenian martyrs teach us of Christ’s power to refresh the heart, renew the spirit, and make us all worthy to live his gospel. Our Diocese will convey that message in 2015 through our theme, “Living the Gospel of Christ: Legacy of Our Martyrs.”

Theirs was a legacy that answered death with life, destruction with creativity. It is a legacy that endured suffering, but never brought suffering upon any others. It is a legacy of peace, which should inspire us as we prepare to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.

And in April of 2015, their legacy will be crowned with the seal of sainthood, as the Armenian Church canonizes the martyrs who died for their faith in the Genocide. Some of their names are known; others are as nameless as the shepherds who heard the angels on that first Christmas night. But in a truly history-making service at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the souls who died for our Lord during the Genocide will be acknowledged as saints of the church. What a glorious moment that will be!

Above all, the legacy of our martyrs is meant to inspire us, to guide our steps; to help us press on in the dark of night; to comfort our hearts with those “good tidings of great joy”—first announced 2,000 years ago, but as fresh and new as tomorrow. In this holy season, let us rejoice again in those good tidings, as we proclaim:

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetzav! Orhnyal eh haydnootiunun Krisdosee! Christ is born and revealed! Blessed is the revelation of Christ!

With prayers,
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian
Primate

January 2015