Today, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the Feast of the Naming of Jesus Christ. "And when the eight days were completed, and he was circumcised, his name was called Jesus, as he was called by the angel before he was conceived in his mother's womb" (Luke 2:21). This is how the name of the Mother of God was given: Jesus. Today, every year on January 13, eight days after the birth of Christ, we celebrate the Feast of the Naming of the Lord.
His name was heralded and foretold by an angel. Let's remember the Annunciation episode. Archangel Gabriel, announcing the birth of the Son of God to the Holy Mother of God, ordered the Child to be named Jesus. The same evangelist testifies to this again.
"And behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:31). One of the variations of the name Jesus is Joshua, which has been very popular and means "savior". Therefore, the naming of the Son of God was not accidental. just as the people of Israel entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, so his followers following the path of mastery will be saved from the captivity of sin and enter the Heavenly Jerusalem thanks to the redemptive mission of Jesus.
Along with the name "Jesus", the Savior is also given the name "Christ". It is a Greek word that means "Anointed One" and corresponds to the Hebrew "Messiah". We are all born with names. A person is identified and distinguished by a name. However, it is for people, and not for God, because He knows us before we receive names, not as we present ourselves, but as we are. So this feast of the naming of the Savior is another occasion to reflect on how we present ourselves to people and God, and who we really are.
On the feast of the naming of the Savior, Holy Liturgy is celebrated in all Armenian Apostolic churches, and at the end of the evening service on the previous day, a pre-holiday ceremony is held.
