The Message of Holy Week at Naregatsi Art Institute

The activities of the Naregatsi Art Institute for the period March 25-29 are dedicated to the message of Holy Week, the culmination of the Season of Lent.

Every single day of Holy Week symbolizes individual events, which took place during the last week of Christ's earthly life, and commemorates Christ's last commandments, passion, death and resurrection.

The message of Holy Monday was explained by Rev. Father Yeghia Khachatryan: Holy Monday is the day of the commemoration of the fruitless fig tree. When Christ went out of Jerusalem to Bethany and felt hungry, He saw a fig tree which had nothing on it but leaves. Not finding any fruit, Christ cursed the fig tree and made it wither away, asserting "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" (Matthew 21:18-22). This parable is symbolic: the fig tree represents the Jews, who, despite being God's Chosen People, did not have the fruits of their faith, and Christ not only wanted to see the owner, but also to find fruit on the tree.

Besides the Jews, the parable also represents every individual, who despite having faith deep in his soul,has faith with no life in it, that is, faith is fruitless and is not translated into action.

The entire mystery of today has the meaning of making our faith fruitful. It is the will of our Lord that we become fruitful in our spiritual life.

The evening of Holy Monday was concluded with Armenian spiritual music by the Lusnak vocal ensemble, led by Lusine Azaryan.

The evening also had a philanthropic aim.

The works of 11-year-old Anush Gevorgyan are displayed in the hall of the Naregatsi Art Institute. Anush has special needs and she needs a wheelchair to make her everyday life more active.