February 25th is the commemoration day of the Saints Ghevond the Priest and His Companions and February 27th is the commemoration day of Saints Vardan the Priest and His Companions


On the day of remembrance of the Saints Ghevond the Priest and His Companions, the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church traditionally gathers in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin. A Divine Liturgy is served, at the end of which a priestly gathering takes place. The problems facing the clergy, as well as spiritual programs implemented in the national, family, and educational spheres, are discussed. An awards ceremony is held under the chairmanship of the Patriarch of All Armenians. A Divine Liturgy is also served on the day of remembrance of Saints Vardan the Priest and His Companions, during which a Patriarchal blessing is made.

On Book Day, the Mother See donated nearly two hundred titles of literature to the Soldier's House


He donated about a hundred titles of literature from the Mother See's publications and an equal number of Armenological literature. The Soldier's House has a library, where the boys have the opportunity to get acquainted with selected contemporary world literature and find books in their field of interest.

February 15th is the feast of Saint Sarkis, his son Martiros, and 14 soldiers


Saint Sarkis the Warrior is considered the patron saint of young people. By the decree of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the feast has been declared a day of blessing for young people. On that day, a liturgy is served in churches named after the Saint, after which a blessing ceremony for young people is performed. The feast is also a day of naming those named Sarkis. Every year on the feast of Saint Sarkis, the Gospel, copied in the 17th century in the Saint Sarkis Church, is brought from the Matenadaran in Yerevan to the Saint Sarkis Church.

A festive liturgy will be served in Armenian Apostolic churches on the morning of February 14


40 days after the Nativity, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Baby Jesus to the Temple, known as the Presentation of the Lord. The pre-feast is celebrated on the evening of February 13. At the end of the liturgy, according to folk custom, a bonfire is lit. The Presentation of the Lord is an invitation to everyone to go to meet the Lord, and to present a child to the church means to educate and train him spiritually. When Mary takes the 40-day-old Jesus to the temple, an old man named Simeon recognizes and meets Jesus. Hence the name of the feast: the Presentation of the Lord.

The Catechumens starts at February 10


The Catechumens fast was established by Gregory the Illuminator. After leaving Khor Virap, he ordered King Trdat and the entire people to repent for five days by fasting. Lenten fast is the first fast of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The forty-day fasts of the Nativity and Transfiguration were divided into parts and distributed throughout the year. Lenten fast usually lasts five days, from Monday to Friday, and precedes the tabernacle feasts and a number of commemoration days.

The Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen the Proto-Deacon on December 24


 St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon is an example for Christians with his unwavering faith, holy life, devotion, service, and other virtues. The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the memory of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon and the first martyr in December. On the feast of St. Stephen's commemoration, deacon and scholastic ordinations are performed.

The “Youth Voice” Choir Participated in the Divine Liturgy with the “School Department” of the Yekmalyan Liturgy


The “Youth Voice” children’s and youth choir of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil participated in the Divine Liturgy with the “School Department” of the Yekmalyan Liturgy. The “Youth Voice” youth choir, composed of students of the “Durian” National School, was founded 2 years ago and is led by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil, His Eminence Archbishop Narek. The choir, performing hymns and national songs, has performed concerts on various stages. It performed the entire Liturgy for the first time at the St. Gevorg Mother Church of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil.
 

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the feast of the memory of the Holy Evangelists


On October 19, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the memorial day of the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. On that occasion, the reliquary of Ghukas the Evangelist will be taken out of the treasury of the Mother See and will be transferred to the Masyatsotn diocese, to the Church of St. Hovhannes the Evangelist in Artashat. A celebratory liturgy will be offered, at the end of which the faithful will communicate with the power emanating from the relic.
 

On September 15, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the last large holiday of this year, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross


On that day, a festive liturgy will be served in all churches. Exaltation is one of the most important feasts dedicated to the saving cross of the Lord, celebrated between September 11-17. Exaltation is dedicated to the commemoration of the historical events of freeing Christ's cross from captivity. In the seventh century, the Persian army, reaching Jerusalem, St. Astvasteppet was captured from the Resurrection Cathedral. About twenty years after that incident, the Byzantine army freed the khamirite from captivity and carried it in a ceremonial procession to the Armenian city of Karin, Constantinople, and then to Jerusalem. Traditional Christian churches have established the feasts of the cross to commemorate these events.

 

The relic of St. Blaise Bishop of Sebasta was presented to the Mother See


The Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II received Swiss-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Vahe Gabrash at the Holy Etchmiadzin. The benefactor donated to the Mother See the relic of the pan-Christian Saint Blaise Bishop Sebasta, dating back to the III-IV centuries. It has been entrusted to the custody of the Mother See Treasury, where visiting religious pilgrims will have the opportunity to share in the blessing radiating from the saint's relics.

 

The Catholicos of All Armenians received the young pilgrims of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America


His Holiness Karekin II commanded the young people to keep their national identity and loyalty to national values ​​intact and to be actively involved in the national-church life. There are 24 members of the senior group of Church-loving Youth Unions of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America who came to Armenia to participate in the volunteer program. Their goal is to share the historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of the motherland.

The Catholicos of All Armenians received the participants of the AGBU "Andranik" scout camping program


The Catholicos of All Armenians highly appreciated the efforts of the AGBU Central Board for the patriotic mission, the support shown to the Mother See and the worldwide dioceses of the Armenian Church, for the implementation of various educational and cultural programs. About 138 scouts from Syria, Iran, Iraq and Armenia participate in the "Andranik" scout camping. The camp has been operating since 2007 in the Tej Ler area of ​​Lermontovo. After the covid, the camp did not work for 4 years and it was reopened only this year.