The Holy Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the feast of Saint Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew, the first enlighteners of the Armenians.
The Mother See of St. Etchmiadzin informs about this, reminding that back in 2014, the holiday of H.S.O.T. Karekin, the Second Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, announced the day of the Vow of the Holy Geghard, during which the pan-Christian holiness kept in the Holy Etchmiadzin Mother See was brought out for the blessing of the believers.
The director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See, His Holiness Fr. Zakaria the Most Reverend Baghumyan," the Mother See notes, adding that the Holy Liturgy was also attended by bishops serving in the Mother See, congregants, leaders of Armenian dioceses and many pilgrims.
It is noted that during the Holy Liturgy, under the guidance of a church procession, the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II brought the God-given Saint Geghard to the Mother Cathedral. According to Mother Ator, referring to the council of the feast of the first enlighteners of the Armenian world, the Holy Father emphasized the role of the apostles in the history of mankind and the Armenian reality, which thanks to the preaching, the roots of the doctrine of Christ's love were not only sown in the land of Armenians, but also later bore fruit and became Armenian. integral part of identity.
"Today is a sacred day for the Armenian Church and its members, because we have come together to request St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew's intercession with the Lord for the generation of Patriarch Hayk, to renew our covenant with the Armenian Church and its King, with more zeal and dedication to the sacred mission of strengthening the Armenian statehood and preserving the national-Christian identity.
Never forget that being apostolic means reaffirming loyalty to the Lord, the word of God and the Mother Church, keeping the Orthodox faith pristine like our enlightened ancestors and spreading the light and hope of resurrection everywhere," noted Father Zakaria. At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the Armenian Pastor "Guardian" blessed the present people with a prayer and the miraculous Saint Geghard, then the believers were given the opportunity to worship and to kiss the pan-Christian holiness.
"Saint Geghard will remain in the Mother Cathedral until the end of the evening service," the Mother See said.
