A Christmas for the New Year

In the glow of candlelight and with the promise of a year just begun, Christians of Armenian Apostolic churches celebrated Christmas this week, nearly two weeks after the majority of the Christian world.

Members of the Serbian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox and some Russian Orthodox churches also celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany, or Feast of Lights. (During prayers at the Christmas liturgy, members of the church are invited to come forward and light candles in remembrance of loved ones or to ask for God’s blessings.)

The later celebration is not at all troubling to members of the Orthodox churches, said retired Archbishop Sumbat Lapajian, who delivered the sermon at Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Montebello on Tuesday.

“What difference does it make, a date on a calendar, really,” said Lapajian, who until three years ago was archbishop for the Western United States, including the estimated 250,000 church members in Los Angeles County.

“It’s important that Christ was born within us. And whenever he’s born within us, that’s Christmas.”