Living our calling as the first Christian nation
New Year is more than just a change on the calendar. It is a sacred pause — a moment to look back with honesty and to look ahead with hope. We remember the past not to remain in it, but to learn from it and to shape a future worthy of our prayers and dreams. To live as a Christian nation means letting our faith guide our daily choices: choosing peace instead of revenge, respect instead of contempt, honesty instead of corruption and compassion instead of indifference.
I still remember, with deep emotion, that blessed day in New York City when the Armenian flag was raised in front of the United Nations on March 2, 1992, and had the joy to bless it. It was more than a political moment. It was the visible fulfillment of a long-held dream: of a free and independent Armenia. In that flag lived the hopes of our ancestors, many of whom gave their lives for our people. There was joy everywhere — in Armenia and throughout our Diaspora — a joy that united us and lifted our spirits.
As we stand now at the beginning of the New Year 2026, we are invited once again to reflect. More than 30 years have passed, and our journey has not been easy. We have known sorrow, loss and painful divisions. And so, we must ask ourselves: how do we rediscover that spirit of joy and unity — not just for a moment, but as a way of living together every day?
The answer begins in the heart. It begins with forgiveness, love and the courage to choose peace. True unity does not happen by accident; it is a choice we make again. Forgiveness does not ignore injustice or erase memory, but it refuses to let anger and hatred define who we are. Forgiveness is one of the most powerful, and challenging, acts of our Christian faith.
We often say with pride that Armenia is the first Christian nation. But this is not only a title from history; it is a calling for today.
When we proclaim the words, “Peace on earth and good will among people,” we are asked to decide whether these will remain beautiful words — or become a living reality through our actions. Each of us can begin in simple but meaningful ways: forgiving someone we have struggled to forgive, reaching out to heal a broken relationship, replacing harsh words with words of blessing and praying not only for our own people, but even for those we find difficult to love.
If each of us takes even one small step toward forgiveness and unity, together we can change the atmosphere among our people. Hope can be renewed. And the sacrifices of our martyrs can be honored — not only with remembrance, but with lives rooted in faith, integrity and love.
The New Year invites us to examine our hearts. Let us measure ourselves against Christ’s simple yet demanding command: “Love one another.” And where we fall short, let us not lose heart, but begin again — with humility, trust and courage.
May this New Year truly be a turning point:
from division to unity,
from resentment to forgiveness,
from despair to hope.
May God bless Armenia and all Armenians, wherever they may live. May the Lord protect our Holy Apostolic Armenian Church and grant us peace — in our land, homes and hearts — as we step into this New Year as a people of faith, forgiveness and hope.
