By Rev. Fr. Toros Tér Isahagian (Printed circa 1891)

Modern Armenian translation by Very Rev. Fr. Jirair Dzayrakooyn Vartabéd Tashjian, Paris, France

English Translation by Dér Stépanos Dingilian, Ph. D.

            In order to correctly understand the meaning of the Sacrament of Holy Badarak (Divine Liturgy), it is important to give precise answers to the following questions: First, how should we understand the meaning of the Holy Badarak that is celebrated in our Church, and second how should we understand the partaking of the Bread and Blood of Christ during Holy Communion?

            We had discussed earlier that all the sacrifices that were conducted before Christ, had no real or concrete substance in themselves. They were merely shadows and metaphors for the Sacrifice offered on the Cross. They were pleasing to God only to the extent that they were pointing towards the Sacrifice of Christ. After the great Sacrifice that Christ offered on the Cross, all the other sacrifices and offerings, both those of the Law of Moses as well those of the Pagans, became ineffective and meaningless because these were as a “shadow of the things that were to come.” (Colossians 2:17) Now, aside from the offering on the Cross, no other offering can be edifying or acceptable to God!

            Therefore, we can ask, what is it that the Christian Churches always perform in the name of the Holy Badarak? The Badarak of the Christians is nothing other than remembering and committing oneself to the Offering on the Cross, of making our own the salvation of Christ, in a manner that the Savior Himself established right before his sufferings. He accomplished this by saying: “Do this in remembrance of me.” (St. Luke 22:19) This means, give these (the blessing and the gifts of bread and wine) as an offering, and do this in the presence of God as a remembrance of my sufferings and death. In other words, when you repeat with the correct intent and understanding the words that Christ used upon establishing this Sacrament (take, eat, drink of this), then in a miraculous way and in a manner that is beyond logic, and therefore in an inexplicable manner, the bread and wine will become the glorious Body and Blood of Christ. This is the very Body that Christ once and for all offered on the Cross.

            By offering and partaking of this miraculously consubstantiated sanctified Body and Blood of Christ, we too join our heavenly High Priest in His offering of that eternal offering. In this manner, through our active participation we affirm that we too want to enjoy the gifts of salvation offered by Christ. In addition, through this participation, we give thanks for that great Offering through Whom we were saved. For this reason, amongst the Greeks, and sometimes with us, the Holy Badarak is called Thanksgiving (Eucharist).

            We also need to say a few words about the second point. We are not ignorant of the fact that for hundreds of years there have been serious arguments within Western Churches about the true meaning of Holy Communion.

            The basis of this Sacrament is the statement of Christ: “This is my Body, and this is my Blood.” And since the one who utters these words is the Lord Himself, then we have no right to question like some Churches do as to how can the bread and wine turn into the Body and Blood. Nor do we have the right to explain in philosophical terms how this process takes place, as some other churches do. These efforts would be outside the teachings of the Holy Bible. The Armenian Church has never attempted to do either one of these. It is sufficient to say that after the sanctification, based upon the words of our Savior, the bread and wine turn into the life giving and sustaining Body and Blood of Christ! 