Religious Education

Religious education is a principal part of raising young people passionate about their faith.

As well as weekly Sunday sermons during Holy Liturgy, there is a Bible study hosted at our Diocesan Centre every Wednesday at 7:30pm, and lectures throughout the year are organised by St Yeghiche Armenian Church to attract the attention and appreciation of the general public.

For more information, please speak with our priest in charge or contact us online. For youth events, also keep an eye on our ACYO (Armenian Church Youth Organisation) pages.

Customs & Traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church

How to Address the Clergy

Greeting a Celibate Priest (Catholicos/Bishop/Vartabed)

“Asdvadz Oknagan, Vehapar Der / Srbazan Hayr / Hayr Soorp” (God be your Helper)

The Priest’s reply will be “Asdvadz Bahaban” (God Be Your Protector)

This is followed by kissing the Catholicos’ or Bishop’s official seal of office as worn in the form of a ring on the left hand. This signifies your acknowledgement of the high office held.

Greeting a Married Priest

“Orhnya Der” (Bless me, Father)

The Priest’s reply will be “Asdvadz orhne kez” (May God bless you)

Attendance at the Church Service

The Divine Liturgy or ‘Holy and Immortal Sacrifice’ in Armenian (Sourp yev Anmah Badarak), which is the main service in our Church on Sundays, starts at 11:00am, generally with morning prayers starting the hour before at 10:00am.

Divine Liturgy is the principal worship service of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the most important expression of the Church’s faith and identity.

It is the duty of every true Christian to attend Church on a regular basis, particularly on Holy Feast Days.

Some Basic Principles of Attending Church

• Having an attitude of reverence and respect.
• Concentrating on the service with worship as our focus.
• Always keep in mind that you are not a spectator, but a participant in the church services. Follow the Divine Liturgy with the liturgy books (badarakamadouyts) available at the entrance.  The books also provide English translations and transliterations, which allow you to follow the Badarak and understand what is happening.
• If you are familiar with the tunes of the hymns sung by the choir, softly join the singing.  Do not sing however with the officiating Priest and the Deacon at the Altar.
• When offering baskets are being passed, know that your offering is for God and His Church.

Dress Etiquette for Church

Proper and modest dress consists of:

Ladies – sleeved and non-revealing dress or blouse, respectable, fitted clothes and skirt length with head covering.

Gentlemen – sleeved and collared shirt, long trousers, coat and tie is preferred with no head covering.

General Manners in Church

• Turning off mobile phones before entering.
• Not talking during the Church service.
• Not chewing gum or bringing food or drinks into the Church.
• Not crossing legs while seated. Feet should be on the floor, ready to stand at attention (which is what “Let us attend” / “broskhume” means).
• Not stretching arms on pews or placing hands in pockets or behind your back.
• Not turning heads to look for friends and other similar distractive motions.
• Arriving on time or entering discreetly.
• Early comers should take the first pews and leave the back ones for the late comers to ensure the least distraction.
• It is improper to leave before the conclusion of Holy Mass.

Cross Yourself 

• When you are entering Church.
• When the Holy Trinity is mentioned.
• When one Person of the Holy Trinity is mentioned.
• When the celebrant makes the sign of the Cross on the faithful.
• When the celebrant or the deacon censes the faithful.
• When the deacon intones “Asdoodzo yergirbakestsook”.
• Whenever the faithful feel like crossing themselves.
• When you are exiting the Church.

Lighting Candles

One of the devotional practices of the Armenian Church is the beautiful custom of burning candles in front of the holy icons. While making the sign of the Cross, you say a short prayer for you and your dear ones, then take your place. There is no need to burn excessive numbers of candles for each family member.  Lighting one candle has the same significance as lighting ten. Donations for candles are an expression of appreciation for God’s blessings and grace.

 Taking Your Place on Entering the Church

When you take your place in the pews, you should bow your head slightly, make the sign of the Cross and inaudibly say The Lord’s Prayer. You are now ready to partake in the service.

Times to wait before entering to sit on a pew are when:

• The Gospel is being read on the bema (khoran).
• The Nicene Creed (Havadamk) is in progress.
• The Choir is singing the “Sanctus” (Sourp, Sourp), “One is Holy, One is Lord” (Miayn Sourp, Miayn Der) or “Lord Have Mercy” (Der Voghormya).
• The Priest is saying the word of institution, “Take, eat; this is My Body” (Arek, gerek, ays e marmin im).
• The sermon is being given.

Standing, Sitting, Kneeling and Bowing Down

It is traditional to stand during the whole service if you wish. If not, follow the clergy or markings in the Liturgy books to know when it is appropriate to stand, sit or kneel. During the Divine Liturgy, the direction to “bow down” is always given by the Deacon with the words, “Asdoudzo yergirbakestsouk” (Let us bow down to God).  Bow your head or waist and cross yourself.

Salutation or Kiss of Peace

St. Paul routinely directed the members of the Christian church to “greet one another with a holy kiss” as a visible sign of unity and common vision of love in Jesus Christ. A ritualised greeting of peace and reconciliation is found in the Eucharist of all ancient churches and is known as the “Salutation” or “Kiss of Peace”.

To receive the salutation from the priest giving the ‘Greeting’, you simply kiss his hand. If a layman is giving it to you, he will incline his head first to your right and then to your left with his right hand on his heart, giving the proper salutation below.  You respond accordingly. Then in turn, you repeat the same head action to the person next to you with your right hand on your heart, passing on the greeting as it was done to you. The salutation passes on throughout the church in this manner until everybody in the church receives it.

While giving the salutation you say “Krisdos i mech mer haydnetzav”  (Christ is revealed among us).

The receiver answers “Orhnyal eh haydnoutyounn Kristosi” (Blessed is the revelation of Christ).

By this symbolic act, the whole congregation is bound first by its own mystical Head, Christ, and then with one another in one sacred bond of love. Not to take or give the salutation is bad manners in the church.

Taking Holy Communion

Holy Communion is a sacrament by which the believer receives Christ’s Body and Blood in the form of bread and wine for remission of sins and the reception of eternal life. It is offered to the faithful during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Any baptised member of the Armenian Church can receive Holy Communion. It is up to the individual to decide how often he/she is ready and willing to take Holy Communion.

Those who wish to receive Holy Communion prepare themselves by prayer and by fasting from all food and drink on the morning before receiving the sacrament. This is the ideal toward which all should strive. However, if a person has not been able to fast for health reasons, but earnestly desires to receive Holy Communion, he/she should not hesitate to approach the chalice and to receive the sacrament. If unsure, the faithful are welcome to ask the clergy for advice.

Spend time before church and during the confession recitation to prayerfully reflect on how you have fallen short in the ways enumerated. Commit yourself to working actively to “sin no more.”

Before Holy Communion is distributed, communicants are called forward before the priest and making the sign of the cross they kneel/stand before him for general confession and absolution.  As a prepared examination of conscience is read, communicants respond with “Megha Astudzo” (I have sinned against God).  Then the priest, not by his authority but by the “very word” of Jesus Christ, absolves the sins of all who made the confession.

When taking Holy Communion:

• Communicants should make their way before the Altar with contemplative reverence.
• Ladies should ensure their heads are covered.
• Make the sign of the Cross.

Sharing in the Holy Bread (Mas)

Nearing the end of the Divine Liturgy, the holy bread or “Mas” is distributed among the congregation. “Mas” means share or portion. When you take a piece of “Mas”, you kiss it and eat it, making the sign of the Cross.  It is customary to take a small portion of “Mas” home to those members of the family who were desirous to come to Church but were unable to do so.

Taking “Mas” does not mean taking Holy Communion. It is sharing in a fellowship meal and is a sign of Christian charity and spiritual kinship.

When we participate in the Divine Liturgy and take Holy Communion, we are united with Christ by receiving His Body and Blood. Therefore, the “mas” offered to the congregation is intended for those who did not partake in the holy sacrament.

Exiting the Church

Your departure from church should be as reverent and as orderly as your entrance. Before exiting the Church, turn toward the Altar, make the sign of the Cross and depart from God’s house.

In the Armenian Church, when the service concludes, the officiating clergy holds the Gospel for congregation members to approach and receive his personal blessings before leaving the church.

Principal Feast Days of the Armenian Church (2026)