The Feast of Dyarnentaratch (meaning offering of the Lord) was celebrated this year on February 14, 2011. Like many other church celebrations, this one is also a very popular and beautiful feast day as it symbolizes welcoming and personally coming forward to meet baby Jesus
This is the 7th year that this feast has been celebrated, with great enthusiasm, at the initiative of the Pastor of the Holy Cross Church of Laval. Despite the heavy snowfall and the bitter cold, of February 13th the faithful had filled the Holy Cross church to capacity. The services of the Eve of the Feast was presided over by His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate, and assisted by Rev. Fr. Vasken and Rev. Fr. Gomidas as well as the deacons and acolytes of the Church.
It was very inspiring to witness the participation of young families and children in the ceremony. Led by the hymn of “Outreach Leer” Rev. Fr. Gomidas, ushered parents and their new borns, and recently engaged or married couples to the alter of the Church, to receive the blessings of the Primate.
Among the newlyweds and the newly engaged couples were Hampartsoum and Teresa Tovmassian, Hovig and Sophie Demirdjian, Arlen Ohanian and Talar Kataroyan, Sylvain Lahey and Linda Kisa, Haroutiun and Lucine Keshishian.
Following the prayer service, the procession of the clergy and the faithful proceeded to the front yard of the church where the traditional Dyarnentaratch Fire was lit. The ceremony of Antasdan (blessing of the fields) was then conducted.
The congregation was invited back to the Church, for a reception hosted by the Ladies’ Guild, to enjoy sweets and roasted pastries characteristic of the Feast of Dyarnentaratch. The faithful left with a sense of spiritual fulfillment, taking with them the blessings of Dyarnentaratch’s lit candles, to carry the warmth and light of Christ, home to their residences.
