A conference will be held at the Mother See on the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea


From September 3 to 7, a conference dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea will be held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Council of Nicaea took place two and a half decades after Christianity was declared the state religion in Armenia and became a turning point in the history of the universal church. Under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II, Patriarch of All Armenians, the conference is organized by the Department of Inter-Church Relations of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Annual gathering of Armenian teachers held in the US


The 14th annual teachers' gathering was held at the headquarters of the Armenian Western Diocese of North America. The diocesan Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Terterian, conveyed his fatherly blessing and message to those present. The Primate called on Armenian educators in the Diaspora to remain at the forefront of preserving the Armenian identity. This year, more than 100 educators participated in the teachers' seminar, 60 of whom joined online from Canada, India, Europe, Armenia, and Russia.

 

Young pilgrims from Argentina visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin


The graduates of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Secondary School and the Vincente Lopez National Derdzakian Secondary School of the Armenian Diocese of Argentina visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The young people were received in the Old Residency of the Mother See by Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Director of the Protocol Department of Holy Etchmiadzin, Chairman of the Monastic Council. The Archbishop conveyed the greetings and good wishes of the Patriarch of All Armenians to the young people visiting their homeland. There are also foreign students in the group of about thirty people. There are 7 Armenian schools in Buenos Aires, each with up to 300 students. Argentines also often choose Armenian schools.

Summer camps have ended in the Eastern Diocese of North America


The Armenian American youth learned important lessons about Armenian faith, culture, and history and expressed their gifts through art. Each day began and ended with a joint prayer in the camp chapel. St. Vartan Camp hosted 192 campers from 26 parishes, including several youth from the Western Diocese and the Preparatory School. They were supported by a team of 43 leaders with 34 youth assistants. The campers were also visited by clergy and volunteers who gave talks and shared their spiritual experiences and knowledge with the youth. 120 campers from 13 parishes participated in the Armenian Camp. The 27 leaders at High Camp were assisted by 31 assistants.

The Church of St. Stepanos the Forerunner was reconsecrated in the village of Pukhrut, Kajaran


The Primate of the diocese, Bishop Makar Hakobyan, anointed the columns of the church, the holy Altar, and the baptismal font with holy myron. The only holy place in the village that survived the Soviet persecution was renovated and reopened through the efforts of the residents. The residents of Pukhrut were greatly assisted in this endeavor by the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine. The initiative to repair and reopen the church was initiated by Armen Avetisyan, a doctor from Pukhrut, who now lives in St. Petersburg.

Participants of AGBU's "Discover Armenia" program visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin


The participants of the second phase of the AGBU “Discover Armenia” program visited the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The 15-18 year old Diaspora Armenian youth traveled to different regions of Armenia, met with their peers from both local and international backgrounds. They discovered ancient monuments, cultural relics, got to know the nation’s rich spiritual heritage, and improved their Armenian language.

 

Catholicos of All Armenians Receives Pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese of the North America


Led by Pastor Hakob Gevorgyan of Philadelphia's Holy Trinity Church, the young men who came on a pilgrimage to their homeland toured Armenia. The pilgrims visited Holy Etchmiadzin with the mission of renewing their vow and strengthening their connection with the Homeland. In accordance with their vow, they also participated in a charity program in Armenia.

Restored fragment of the first layer of frescoes of the Mother Cathedral exhibited at Matenadaran


The newly opened exhibition titled “The Manuscript Secret of the Creator Nature” presented for the first time a restored image from the first layer of frescoes in the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin. At the opening ceremony of the exhibition, Ara Khzmalyan, Director of the Mashtots Matenadaran, stated that the diverse and regular exhibitions and the presented material increase public interest in the treasures of the Matenadaran.

Clergy consider law enforcement actions at the Mother Cathedral a national shame


In the Mother Cathedral, Bishop Narek Berberian, Primate of the Diocese of Brazil, urged the faithful to be steadfast, as the Armenian Patriarchs were. The chain of Holy Liturgies began on June 30. On July 5, the feast of the discovery of the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator will be celebrated.

A conference entitled "The Church at the Origins of Statehood" was held in Yerevan


Historians consider the Armenian Church to be a structure that preserves the idea of ​​statehood. The Church prepared the foundations of Armenian statehood from the late Middle Ages to the modern period. In practice, it was the Church that transmitted the idea of ​​a national state to generations. Historians consider the thesis that the Church has hindered the formation of statehood throughout history to be baseless.

Nikol Pashinyan openly directed law enforcement agencies in the case of Archpriest Michael


Archbishop Michael's lawyers believe that the invasion of the Mother See law enforcement agencies and the presentation of fabricated charges against the archbishop was an attempt to discredit the church. According to them, Nikol Pashinyan openly directed law enforcement agencies in this case, evidence of which is the fabricated charges, the groundless detention, and the judge's behavior. Archbishop Michael Ajapahyan is currently in the NSS solitary confinement. He was detained for two months.

Law enforcement officers invaded the territory of the Mother See to arrest the Primate of the Shirak diocese


Archbishop Michael Ajapahian was coordinating the annual priestly assembly at the Mother See when masked law enforcement officers invaded the sanctuary. Priests from the dioceses of Armenia surrounded and protected the Primate of the Diocese of Shirak and the Catholicos of All Armenians. Then the faithful community joined in the defense of the Archbishop. Archbishop Michael tried several times to get into the car and go with the law enforcement officers, but those gathered resisted, and in the end he decided to walk to the Inquiry.