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Sometimes, when we lose something, we search everywhere for it, but we often overlook the fact that what we are looking for is right in front of us; we just haven't looked closely enough to see it.

Why do Armenians celebrate Christmas on January 6?

This question often arises around this time each year, and many Armenian sources explain it by stating the following:

“The first clear reference to Christians celebrating the Epiphany on January 6 can be found in the writings of Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-216). He mentions that Christians celebrated both the Birth of Christ and His Baptism on this date. 

In contrast, Rome adopted December 25 as the date of Christmas in the year 336. Over time, this date gained popularity and was officially recognized as the Birth of Christ at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, a Council that the Armenians did not attend and do not accept. As a result, the Armenian Church has remained true to the original date of January 6.”

This answer primarily discusses the shift from January 6 to December 25 as the date of the Christmas celebration. However, it does not provide a clear explanation for why the Early Church initially celebrated Christmas on January 6. 

A look at the Scriptures

Unlike accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion and resurrection, which specify days and times, the nativity narratives offer few clues about the exact date of Jesus's birth.

The Gospel of Luke mentions figures such as Augustus and Quirinus, while the Gospel of Matthew mentions Herod. These details help us approximate the year of Jesus's birth, which is believed to be around 6-4 BC. Additionally, the mention of shepherds in the fields in Luke suggests that Jesus was born in early spring to late fall, and therefore, not in winter. Still, the earliest church records indicate that January 6 was initially celebrated as the date of Jesus's birth.

So, Why January 6?

A few years ago, while preparing to preach on the miracle of the Wedding at Cana from the Gospel of John (John 2:1-11), I discovered an interesting connection. I had learned during my seminary studies that John writes in a style and rhythm similar to that of the Pentateuch, particularly the Book of Genesis. For instance, Genesis 1 opens with the words: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." In parallel, John 1 states: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

I had never noticed before that the Gospel of John has a day-by-day structure in chapters 1 and 2. Scholars widely agree that John 1:19–51 is structured as a symbolic week, with the Wedding at Cana occurring on the sixth day. “The Cana miracle takes place on the sixth day of the Johannine week, corresponding to the creation of man and woman in Genesis,” notes Raymond E. Brown in The Gospel According to John I–XII. 

Figure 1. Day-by-day structure in John 1–2

The Church Fathers offer valuable insights on this topic. St. Cyril of Alexandria interprets the event at Cana as a restoration of human joy, symbolizing renewed creation and serving as a corrective measure for what has been lacking since Adam. He highlights that Christ's first miracle occurs at a wedding, which is significant because it represents the renewal of human communion (Commentary on John, Book II, St. Cyril of Alexandria).

Similarly, St. Augustine connects the creation of humanity on the sixth day to the wedding at Cana, presenting Christ as the Bridegroom. Augustine notes, “The Lord came to the marriage because He came to the union of Christ and the Church… Man was made on the sixth day, and on the sixth day, the Lord adorned the marriage with His presence” (Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 8, St. Augustine).

This passage reveals that John, the author of the Fourth Gospel, subtly conveys that Jesus, the New Adam, initiates the New Creation on the sixth day with a wedding. It is interesting to note that this text is read in the Armenian Apostolic Church on the first Sunday of the Nativity Octave.

This new understanding of the Gospel of John prompted me to view the creation narratives in a different light. The sixth day of creation is not only seen as the culmination of Divine creation but also as a time for celebration. The evaluation shifts from “it was good” during the first five days to “it was very good” on the sixth day. The biblical texts clearly convey this celebratory tone: “God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day” (Genesis 1:31).

This joy was interrupted when sin and disharmony entered creation. Christ comes to restore harmony and our communion with God. Adam describes the human problem, and Christ, the new Adam, brings salvation to address that problem. The Early Church understood this typology very well, reasoning that if the first Adam was created on the sixth day of creation, then the second Adam must have been born on the sixth day of the year (The Fourfold Gospel, McGarvey and Pendleton).

In the Armenian Apostolic Church, St. Nerses Shenorhali (The Gracious) elaborates on the significance of the sixth day of creation, focusing on the connections between Adam and Christ. In his hymn Ararchagan, he draws parallels between the sixth day of creation and Good Friday, which also falls on the sixth day of the week. St. Nerses highlights the salvation that Christ offers us through His sacrifice on the Cross. 

When we examine the significance of the sixth day in the creation narrative, the Wedding at Cana in Galilee, and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on Good Friday, it becomes clearer why the early church chose January 6th as the original date for celebrating the Nativity and Theophany. On the sixth day of each new year, God reaches out to us, bringing the Good News of our salvation and restoration.

And as a response, we proclaim:

Քրիստոս ծնաւ եւ յայտնեցաւ. Ձեզ եւ մեզ մեծ աւետիս։

Krisdos dzunav yev haydnetsav! Tsez yev mez medz avedis!

Christ is born and revealed! To you and us, this is great news!

 

Fr. Nareg Terterian