Eve of the Fast of Advent
Sunday, Nov. 20 is the beginning of Advent – the period of “Fifty Days” (Hisnak or Yisnak) beginning with the Sunday nearest to the 25th of November and ending with the Saturday next after the Sunday nearest to the 6th of January, the Feast of Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus it covers a period of seven constant days. The Eastern churches’ equivalent of Advent is called the Nativity Fast, but it differs both in length and observances and does not begin the church year

The Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches still hold the tradition of fasting for 40 days before the Nativity Feast.

The word Advent derives from the Latin word meaning coming. The Lord is coming. We may reflect that every year at this time we celebrate his coming so that in a sense we can lose the feeling of expectancy and joyful anticipation because at the end of the season, everything seems to return to pretty much the same routine. If that is the case, then our preparation may have been lacking and we have therefore been robbed of much of the true meaning of this season.

During Advent, we recall the history of God’s people and reflect on how the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament were fulfilled. This gives us a background for the present.

Today we can reflect on the past track record of God and so begin to understand what it means to us now for the sake of what is to come, in our own future and that of our world.

Հիսնակը հիսնօրյա Պահքի շրջան է, որը նախորդում է Աստվածահայտնության տոնին: Հիսնակաց Բարեկենդանը 7 օրերի շարժականությամբ նշվում է նոյեմբերի 15-ից մինչև 21-ը, այս տարի՝ նոյեմբերի 18-ին:
Isaiah 29:11-20, Philippians 4:8-24, Luke 11:1-13