The Gandzasar daily program introduces spiritual readings according to the annual calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church. It consists of two sections. The first section consists of the readings from the Armenian Church Lectionary for that particular day. The second section includes readings from the Church Fathers’ writings appropriate to the Bible’s message of that day. As a result of this project, we have a full annual cycle of readings according to the Church calendar.

The Holy Fathers Ignatius Bishop of Antioch, Addai Bishop of Edessa, and Maruthas the Bishop
Wis. 5:1-8, Jer. 6:16-21, 1 Cor. 4:9-16, Mk. 9:32-36
St. John Chrysostom, Eulogy on St. Ignatius of Antioch (Part I)



Fourth Sunday of Advent
Isa. 38:1-8, Heb. 1:1-14, Lk. 17:1-10
St. Polycarp of Smyrna, Epistle to the Philippians



Saints James of Nisibis, Marouke the Hermit and Meletius the Bishop
Wis. 7:12-20, Isa. 44:1-5, Heb. 13:17-21, Jn. 9:39-10:10
St. Ephrem the Syrian, On the words “All is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 1:14)



Fast Day
2 Thess. 3:1-18, Lk. 15:1-7
Thophilus of Antioch, The Apologia to Autolycus, Book I



Fast: Saints Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugenius, Orestes and Mardarius
Prov. 1:1-9, Nahum 2:1-7, Rom. 5:1-5, Mt. 5:1-12
St. John Chrysostom, On Abstinence



Fast
2 Thess. 2:1-16, Lk. 14:25-27
St. Ignatius of Antioch, Epistle to the Ephesians



Fast: Saints Cornelius the Centurion, Simeon the Relative of Christ, Polycarp the Bishop of Smyrna and the Martyrs that perished in the East
Wis. 1:1-7, Jer. 16:16-21, Acts 1:12-14, Mk. 6:6-13
St. John Chrysostom, On the Similitude of Christ and Preferring God's Will to One's Own Will



Feast of the Conception of the Holy Virgin Mary
Song. 6:3-8, Mal. 3:1-2, Gal. 3:24-29, Lk. 1:39-56
St. Ephrem the Syrian, On Humility and Pride



Third Sunday of Advent: Barekendan of the Fast of Saint James
Isa. 37:14-38, 2 Thess. 1:1-12, Lk. 14:12-24
Isaac the Syrian, Do not expect that a man attached to carnal things will get
the freedom of word in prayer



Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker
Iez. 10:16-19, 2 Tim 3:10-15 Jn. 10:11-16
St. Gregory the Theologian, On the Sobriety of Pastors and Leaders



Fast
1 Thess. 5:12-28, Lk. 14:1-11
St. Ephrem the Syrian, On the words: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips”



The Holy Fathers of Egypt Paul, Paul the Simple, Macarius of Alexandria, Evagrius, John, John the Dwarf, Nilus, Arsenius, Sisoes, Daniel, Serapion, Macarius the Great, Poemen, and other Holy Fathers
Prov. 21:15-25, Isa. 19:19-21, Heb. 11:32-40, Mt. 10:37-42
Sayings of Abba Daniel



Fast
1 Thess. 5:1-11, Lk. 13:10-17
Sayings of St. Antony the Great



Fast: Saints Menas, Hermogenes, Eugraphius, John the Cave Dweller and Alexios the Man of God
Prov. 15:33-16:7, Isa. 18:7, Phil. 1:27-2:4, Mt. 10:37-42St.
John Chrysostom, Priviledges of Poverty



Saints Gennaro the Bishop and Mercurius the Warrior, James the Persian and Themistocles the Martyr
Isa. 35:4-8, 2 Cor. 3:18-4:6, Lk. 21։12-19
St. John Chrysostom, On the Performance of Virtues



Second Sunday of Advent
Isa. 36:22-37:11, 1 Thess. 4:1-11, Lk. 13:1-9
St. John Chrysostom, On the Usefulness of Reading the Holy Scripture (continued)



Our first enlighteners, holy apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew
Wis. 9:13-10:2, Jer. 16:16-19, 1 Cor. 12:26-13:10, Mt. 9:35-10:7
St. John Chrysostom, On the Usefulness of Reading the Holy Scripture



Fast Day
1 Thess. 2:17-19, Lk. 12:49-59
Isaac the Syrian, On the Types of Hope in God



Saints Clement of Rome and Pancras the Bishop of Taormina
Prov. 8:33-36, Isa. 66:18-21, Phil. 4:1-7, Lk. 9:1-6
Isaac the Syrian, On the Protection of Heart and on Subtle Contemplation



Fast
1 Thess. 2:1-12, Lk. 12:41-48
Abba Dorotheus, Lesson 7: On Reproaching Oneself and not the Neighbor



Sts. Lucian the Priest, Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus, Onesimus and other disciples of Paul
Wis. 9:9-12, Isa. 41:15-19, 2 Cor. 2:14-17, Lk. 6:13-20
Isaac the Syrian, On Prayer, Genuflexion, Tears, Reading, Silence, and Psalmody



Holy virgins Juliana and Vasilissa
Song. 8:14, Hos. 14:6-8, 2 Cor. 6:16-7:1, Lk. 8:1-3
St. Clement of Rome, From the II Epistle to the Corinthians (Part I)



First Sunday of Advent
Isa. 36:1-9, 1 Thess. 1:1-10, Lk. 12:13-31
St. John Chrysostom, Comparison of the royal authority, wealth and advantages with the true and Christian philosophy of the monastic life



Sts Gregory the Wonderworker, Nicholas the Wonderworker and Bishop Myron
Wis. 10:9-12, Mal. 2:5-7, 1 Pet. 5:1-7, Jn. 10:11-16
Abba Dorotheus, Lesson 5: On Not Relying on One's Own Reason

