The Sacred Mysteries
Holy Communion
The Eucharist
Holy Communion — also known as the Eucharist — stands at the heart of Armenian Christian worship and faith. It is far more than a symbol or a simple memorial of Christ's death. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy Communion is the real, mysterious presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ — His Body and Blood — offered to the faithful under the appearances of bread and wine for the forgiveness of sins, spiritual nourishment, and union with God.
Biblical Foundation
The institution of Holy Communion comes directly from the words of Christ at the Last Supper:
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
Jesus does not say “this represents” or “this symbolizes” His body and blood — He declares it is. The account of the risen Christ revealed to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–31) further shows the early Church experiencing the Lord's living presence in the breaking of the bread.
This teaching reaches its clearest expression in John 6, where Jesus declares:
“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.”
Our Lord makes this point some twelve times in the chapter, underscoring its centrality to the Christian life.
The Real Presence of Christ
The Armenian Apostolic Church, in continuity with the ancient, undivided Church, believes that in Holy Communion the bread and wine are truly changed by the power of the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of Christ. This is not a mere symbolic act, but a profound mystery in which Christ is truly present and received by the faithful.
St. Basil the Great (4th century)
“Now the heavens open from above, and Christ, descending, rests on this holy altar… Do not contemplate only this visible bread and wine but… the great Mystery which is hidden from our bodily sight… For God has the power of converting It into flesh and blood… But do not look on it as bread, and do not you contemplate it as wine, for this is the Body and Blood of Christ.”
Read from the altar in every Armenian Church on Holy Thursday
The Epiclesis — Invocation of the Holy Spirit
The transformation of the gifts occurs through the action of the Holy Spirit during the Epiclesis — the solemn invocation within the Divine Liturgy. The priest prays:
“We bow down and beseech and ask You, beneficent God, send upon us and upon these gifts set forth, Your co-eternal and consubstantial Holy Spirit, whereby blessing this bread, make it truly the body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; and blessing this cup, make it truly the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… changing them by Your Holy Spirit.”
This prayer reflects the Church's faith that the same Holy Spirit who inspired the Scriptures, empowered the Apostles, and works miracles in the lives of believers is fully capable of sanctifying the bread and wine so that they become for us the life-giving Body and Blood of Christ.
Preparation and Worthiness
Because Holy Communion is the real presence of Christ, the Armenian Church approaches it with deep reverence and humility. No one is truly “worthy” by their own merits — as the priest prays before the altar: “None of us who are bound by carnal passions and desires is worthy to approach Your table… Yet through Your immeasurable goodness…”
For this reason, the Church requires preparation through the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). Before receiving Holy Communion, the faithful are encouraged to:
- Examine their conscience and acknowledge their sins.
- Repent with a sincere heart.
- Seek God's mercy and forgiveness.
- Resolve, with God's help, to turn away from sin.
This spiritual preparation allows the believer to approach the Holy Gifts in faith and humility. Just prior to receiving, the faithful affirm:
“In faith do I believe in the all-holy Trinity… In faith do I taste of this, Your holy and life-giving and saving Body, O Christ my God… for the remission of my sins. Let Your incorruptible Body be to me for life and Your holy Blood for expiation and remission of sins.”
The Purpose of Holy Communion
Holy Communion is not a reward for an already “saved” life, but the primary means by which Christ nourishes, heals, forgives, and unites us to Himself and to His Church. It is the foretaste of the heavenly banquet and the source of grace that sustains the Christian life until the Lord's return.
In the Armenian Apostolic Church, receiving the Body and Blood of Christ is central to our journey of salvation — a living encounter with the risen Lord who gives Himself to us completely.
Come and receive.
Holy Communion is offered at every Sunday Badarak. All baptized and chrismated members of the Armenian Apostolic Church are welcome to receive.