Saints are inspirational examples for our lives:
Why were the saints, saints? Because they were cheerful when it was difficult to be cheerful, Patient when it was difficult to be patient; And because the pushed on when they wanted to stand still And kept silent when they wanted to talk; That was all. It was quite simple and always will be.
Author Unknown.
(quoted from Saints for Children: from the Tradition of the Armenian Church, by Louise Kalemkerian and Barbara Hovsepian, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, New York, 1983).
The Armenian Church celebrates over 100 saints' days each year. Saints' days are observed on weekdays: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Sundays are dominical days and are dedicated to the Resurrection. Wednesdays and Fridays are fasting days. Eighty-nine saints are derived from the Bible and are known as Biblical Saints. The rest are from the first five centuries of Christianity. They represent the Apostolic Fathers of the second century and the church Fathers of the three ecumenical councils to the end of the fifth century. The Armenian Church added more saints through the fifth and fourteenth centuries, mainly from Fathers of the Armenian Church.
Some of the main Saints Days of the Armenian Church are:
St. Stephen Sts. Thaddeus and Bartholomew St. Sandukht St. Abgar St. Sargis St. Hripsimė St. Gayanė Sts. Nunė and Manė St. Gregory the Illuminator Sts. Sahak and Mesrop Holy Translators Sts. Vardan and Ghevond St. Nersess the Great St. John of Odzun St. Nersess Shnorhali St. Gregory of Narek St. Gregory of TatevThe saints of the Armenian Church by century:
1st Century Sandoukht Patriarch Adde King Abgar
2nd Century Oskian Priests Soukiasiants
3rd Century Gregory the Illuminator Hripsimė and Gayanė Nunė and Manė Patriarch Aristakes Patriarch Vrtanes Grigoris Bishop of the Caucasian Albanians Taniel Bishop of the Syrians Nersess the Great King Trdat Queen Ashkhen Khosrovidukht, Sister of King Trdat The Anchorites Anton and Kronides Stephen Ulnetsi and his companions
5th Century Mesrop Mashtots Patriarch Sahak Partev Hovsep Catholicos Bishop Sahak Bishop Tatik Ghevond the Elder Mushe the Elder Arshen the Elder Samuel the Priest Abraham the Priest Khoren the Priest Kajaj the Deacon Abraham the Deacon Eghishe Vardapet Movses Khorenatsi David the Invincible Sts. Vartanants The Anchorites Tatul, Varos and Tomas Shushanik General Atom General Manachirh
6th Century Grigoris Razhik, Astvatsatur Makhozh
7th Century The Seven Ascetics
8th Century David of Dvin Vahan of Goghtn Prince Sahak and Hamazasp Artstruni Hovhan of Odzun
9th Century Sahak and Hovsep Karnetsi
10th Century Gregory of Narek
11th Century Nerses Shnorhali Goharinian Martyrs
13th Century Hovhan of Orotn
15th Century Gregory of Tatev