New e-book: House Blessing, Stepan Zoryan

On a winter feast day, the priest of an Armenian village goes from house to house, bringing his parishioners the glad tidings of Christmas and his blessing. He is accompanied by his son, Mikhayel, home on holiday from the diocesan school, who struggles to keep up with his father while carrying a heavy basket and a censer. Against a backdrop of village huts, bitter cold, and everyday cares, the differing emotions of father and son unfold, along with the family’s care and modest way of life. At the heart of the story are the boy’s shyness, his weariness, and his vague longing for a freer life.