Fr. Garabed Kochakian
We are now in the liturgical season of Great Lent- Medz Bahk. This is the forty days observed by the Armenian Orthodox Church during which we are pondering our spiritual renewal and journey before the Feast of Easter. As we are preparing to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus during this period, we look beyond the end of Great Lent toward the pre-Easter days called Holy Week or the Great and Holy Week/ Avak Shabat in Armenian. Soon we will be there.
It arrives so quickly that we hardly have time to understand and prayerfully contemplate the significance of each day and all the liturgical celebrations commemorating our Lord’s Passion.
The two pre-Resurrection time frames following the end of Great Lent are the remembrance of the Resurrection of Saint Lazarus and our Lord’s triumphal entrance into the Holy City. Then come the following days before His Crucifixion, Victory over death and His rising from the tomb.
Though we are still in this Lenten journey let’s take a look at the coming days of Holy Week and the story of our Lord’s Resurrection as seen in the Armenian Miniature Icons. With each iconic miniature the commentaries will tell the story and take us on a journey toward the greatest story ever told and the celebration of the Church -Soorp Harootiun, the Holy Resurrection.
Most of the days of Holy Week have liturgical themes, commemorations as well as services celebrated by the Church for the faithful.
The following miniatures or as I say little icons taken from various Armenian Gospel Books will tell us the stories of Our Lord’s last week of His Passion. In each image not only, the scriptural references are noted but also how the Icons function in describing some of our liturgical rites.
Great Lent culminates on the Friday just prior to our Lord’s Entrance into the Holy City of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Holy Week is ushered in with the Resurrection of St. Lazarus and as a link sets the stage for Christ’s own Resurrection.
The story of Glory to Glory starts with Christ’s beloved friend Lazarus whom He raised from death, restoring him back to life. This miracle is a prelude to our Lord’s own Resurrection from the grave that culminates on Zadik / Soorp Harootiun, Easter Sunday.
Here, the miniature Icon tells the entire story as it is written in the Gospel of John chapter 11:1–44); Lazarus’ story of Death to Life, Earth to Heaven.
In this beautiful miniature painted by Toros Roslin, from the Malatia Gospels, 1268, executed in Hromkla’s scriptorium, – Roslin depicts the Lord Jesus, who having heard the news about Lazarus’ death, arrives late in Bethany where Lazarus lived with his sisters.
Jesus meets the sisters Martha and then Mary just outside of Bethany. After greeting the Lord, they all go to the tomb and burial place of Lazarus, a cave with a large stone covering the entrance. Moved with deep sorrow Jesus gives the order to have tomb door opened by saying, Take the stone away.
Martha, not understanding what Jesus intends to do, expresses concern saying, Lord, by now he must smell, for it has been four days. But Jesus tells her: Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God? [John 11:39, 40]
The stone is removed. Jesus raises his eyes and prays: His prayer shows to observers that what He is about to do is by means of His divine power.
He is surrounded by both lamenting sisters kneeling before Him, and as the icon portrays them appealing to his power to save their brother. At the feet of the Lord, we see one sister who cannot bear to see death, while the other, in amazement, watches the door of the tomb.
Note, Jesus with the gesture of His right arm points toward the tomb and commands Lazarus to come out of the darkness of death. You can almost hear Him saying with a loud voice: Lazarus, come out. Lazarus exits from his grave; his hands and feet are still bound with burial cloths and his face is covered with a cloth. Jesus continues commanding those present, free him, and let him go [John 11:41-44].
Standing at the door is a young boy dressed in a red garment who rolled back the stone. Why red? The color red is associated with Divinity and the Resurrection. It is apparent that Roslin deliberately chose this color.
Behind Lazarus is a structure indicating the tomb where he lay for four days. Suddenly he appears standing erect, alive, breathing, and gazing at Jesus. The boy who rolled away the stone unwraps the burial bands of the shroud thus revealing Lazarus now restored to the living. All who stood at that tomb watched in amazement seeing the Glory of the Lord and His power that has conquered death. This miracle points to what will occur one week later. The best is yet to come.
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