Yesterday, countless faithful gathered at St. Leon (Ghevontiants) Armenian Cathedral to participate in the sacred observances of Maundy Thursday (Avak Hingshapty), presided over by the Diocesan Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, this solemn day commemorates the Last Supper, the institution of Holy Communion, and the profound act of Christ washing the feet of His disciples.

Maundy Thursday encompasses three pivotal moments in the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry. The morning service recalls the Last Supper, during which our Lord instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, offering Holy Communion to His disciples.

During the Passover meal, Christ broke and distributed unleavened bread and shared the cup of wine with His apostles, declaring them to be His Body and Blood. Through this sacred mystery, humanity is invited to partake in the Kingdom of God.

In the afternoon, the Washing of the Feet (Vodnleva) service is celebrated, commemorating the humility and loving service of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a moving reenactment, twelve young men represent the Apostles, while the celebrant assumes the role of Christ, removing his outer garment and washing their feet as a sign of humility and selfless devotion. During this service, olive oil or butter is blessed and used for the anointing of the feet, and the faithful receive a portion to take home as a blessing.

As recorded in the Gospel according to John, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus “poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him” (John 13:5). Afterward, He said, “Do you understand what I have done for you?... Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet” (John 13:12, 14).

In a time when dusty roads and open sandals made foot washing the task of the lowliest servant, Christ’s act revealed the true essence of leadership through service. His command to “wash one another’s feet” calls us to humility, urging us to serve one another with love and compassion. In meeting one another’s needs throughout the year, we fulfill the spirit of Christ’s commandment.

The evening ushers in the solemn and deeply contemplative Khavaroom (Darkness) service, commemorating the betrayal, arrest, trial, and suffering of Christ. Among the most spiritually stirring rites of the Armenian Church, Khavaroom unites the Night Service (Keesherayeen Zham) with the Morning Service (Aravodyan Zham), liturgically belonging to Good Friday, yet traditionally observed late on Maundy Thursday.

During this vigil, the faithful keep watch with the Apostles as Christ prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. Seven Gospel passages recount the anguish of that night: Christ’s prayer, Judas’s betrayal, His arrest, His appearance before Annas and Caiaphas, the mockery and suffering He endured, and Peter’s denial and repentance. These readings are interwoven with psalms and the singing of sharagans composed by St. Nerses the Graceful.

The service begins with thirteen candles—one central candle, eleven lit candles, and one unlit black candle symbolizing Judas Iscariot. Positioned before the altar, these candles are extinguished two by two following each Gospel reading, leaving a single light to signify Christ’s enduring presence amid the darkness and His solitude in His final hours. In some communities, the faithful tie seven knots on a white thread, one for each Gospel reading, later wearing it for forty days until the Feast of the Ascension.

At the culmination of the readings, the final candle is extinguished, and the church is enveloped in darkness as the hymn “Glory to God in the Highest” (Park ee Partsoons) is solemnly intoned. In certain traditions, the clergy chant “Der Voghormia” forty times in a plaintive tone, and the beloved hymn “Where are you, my mother?” (Oor es Mayr Im) is offered in the stillness.

The service concludes with the Worship of the Holy Cross (Khachi Ko Krisdos Yergirbakanemk), sealing the faithful’s meditation on the passion of Christ.

Throughout the centuries, Armenians have gathered in great numbers for Khavaroom, despite its length and intensity. Though often abbreviated for pastoral considerations, it remains one of the most profound and cherished observances of the liturgical year.

Indeed, Holy Thursday stands as the longest and most spiritually weighty day in the Armenian Church calendar, preparing the faithful to enter into the sorrow and solemnity of Good Friday and the redemptive mystery of Christ’s Passion.