COMMEMORATION DAY OF STS. DAVID AND JAMES
Aysor
Dec 24 2009
Armenia
Today Armenian Apostolic Church marks the commemoration day of the
Prophet St. David and Apostle St. James, brother of Jesus.
Prophet St. David was the great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth. The Holy
Bible depicts him as a psalmist, gifted, wise, handsome man and
orator. He was a shepherd. During the battle against Philistines he
killed the giant Goliath. After the death of Saul he became the king
of Israel and founded the city Jerusalem. He is the author of the
book of Psalms and one of the greatest and influential figures of
the Old Testament. Special importance is accorded to the fact that
he is the offspring of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. James, brother of Jesus, is the combining link between the
Evangelical saints and the saints mentioned in the Acts of the
Apostles. He is one of the important figures of the Initial Church and
the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Jewish historian Hovsepius characterizes
him as "righteous".
According to hagiographical sources some people forced him to get on
the tower and slander against Jesus. However, getting on the tower,
he started to speak about Jesus the Messiah who sat on the right side
of God and would come to judge the world fairly. Many people were
converted, but others threw the saint down from the tower. According
to the tradition St. James is buried in the Cathedral of St. James
of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem. One letter from James has
been preserved.
The Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the memory of the Prophet
St. David and Apostle St. James, brother of Jesus, during the main
feasts preceding the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our
Lord Jesus Christ.