Prayer for New Year and the Blessing of Pomegranates

For the Eastern nations, Pomegranate is considered to be the king of all fruits. It is not only because of the pleasing taste and medicinal properties, but also the top of the pomegranate is like a crown. There is a view that ancient royal crowns were prototyped from the pomegranate “crown”. 

 Pomegranate has been known in the East since the 12th to the 7th centuries BC. Cartagena was known for its pomegranates. This is why the ancient Romans called the pomegranate malum punicum ‘Cartagena (Phoenician) apple’ and malum granatum ‘granular apple’. Pomegranate is also full of symbolism in Christianity. Pomegranate symbolizes the diversity of God’s grace, the Church. Pomegranate, as a national symbol, has been widely used in Armenian architecture, carpet weaving, arts and crafts and other types of miniature (Gregory Khlatetsu, Taronatsi Toros, Toros Roslin painted, Hagpat and other Gospels). The Church likens the pomegranate to the interpretation of the word of the prophets, which are like a parable, with their thick bark covering the bitter sweetness of the Annunciation, the fruit of immortality, Christ.

Date/Time
Date(s) - 31st December 2023
11:00 am - 1:30 pm

Location
St. Yeghiche Armenian Church

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