Baptism

"Baptism" means "washing", "cleansing". The Bible has many testimonies on the necessity of baptism (Mt 3:13-17; 28:19; Mk 1:9-11, 16:16; Lk 3:2-22, 4:1 etc). Through it, one is cleansed of the original sin, is born again from the holy Font of the Church and becomes a Christian, a member of the Church of Christ. The human being who has been saved from the bondage of sin by the blood of Christ, through baptism receives the adoption of the heavenly Father, to become a co-heir with Christ and a temple of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is performed only once in the life of man, as it is a spiritual birth (John 3:3-8). The rest of the Mysteries of the Church are performed only on baptized persons.

Deacon Ara Nalchajian

God, Church

Who is God, and can we know Him thoroughly? What was the purpose of the establishment of the Christian Church? And what is her mission in this world?

According to the Bible and the Church Fathers, God is Holy Trinity- Father and Son and Holy Spirit (Matt 28:29). This fact is stated in the Creed accepted through Divine revelation at the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in 325 and is one of the Church's most important dogmatic bases, for the purity of which the Church has been struggling for centuries. The Church is founded by the Son of God - by our Lord Jesus Christ. Her chief purpose and mission in this world is to give birth to sons of God, to grow them through spiritual care and lead them to heaven, that is, to make the citizens of the earth citizens of heaven. That mission is carried out by the Church mysteriously, that is, through spiritual realities, through the Holy Mysteries, which are the following: Baptism, Confirmation, Repentance, Holy Communion, Matrimony, Ordination, and Unction of the Sick.