The meeting of the International Commission of the Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Churches was held at the Mother See


The dialogue between the Anglican and Eastern Orthodox churches began about 25 years ago. The work of the Inter-Christian Commission began in 2002, and the first meeting was again in Holy Etchmiadzin, with the blessing of the Patriarch of All Armenians, Karekin II. In this era of ecumenism, i.e. inter-church connections, the heads of churches emphasize the steps towards unity.

Etchmiadzin is the meeting point with God


Primate of the Shirak Diocese Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan speaks on the spiritual sacrament of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral. He notices that Holy Etchmiadzin is a divine phenomenon and if we as Armenians are looking for God, we must meet Etchmiadzin. There are many magnificent temples in the world than the Mother Cathedral, but Ejmtchniadzin is as small as a heart, but at the same time it is as vital as a heart that supplies spiritual blood to its people around the world.

Saint Mary the Virgin Church was re-consecrated in Vahagn community of Lori region


The new church of the Vahagn community was built in 2017 with the benevolence of the Paremuzyan family. Until then, there was no functioning church in the community. The only humble shrine was destroyed after the 1988 earthquake and has not been restored. The newly built church has been renovated and beautified, the church now also has a baptismal font.
 

The ecumenical commission has completed its work at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin


The commission prepared the texts for the week of prayer of unity to be held in 2026. Each year the texts are prepared in a new country by the local spiritual community. This year, the World Council of Churches chose Armenia, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin prepared the preliminary version of the texts, which was completed during the ecumenical meetings. The Inter-Church Commission consists of representatives of the various structures of the Vatican and the World Council of Churches.
 

A water blessing ceremony was performed in the St. Yeghishe Church in London


The Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, blessed the water with the newly blessed muron, which was distributed to the diocesan primates and sent to dioceses and hierarchical sees in September at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin. According to the ecclesiastical tradition, upon arrival, the churches are blessed with new muron. At the end of the ceremony, water sanctified with muron was distributed to the people.
 

Prayers and texts for the Week of Unity of Prayer are being prepared at the Mother See


The works of the Inter-Church Commission have started in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin. The committee is preparing prayers and texts for the 2026 Unity Week of Prayer. The Week of Unity of Prayer is organized by the Vatican and the World Council of Churches, each year inviting one of the Christian churches to prepare texts and prayers for the week.

 

The 6th international conference on epic studies has started in Yerevan


Scientists from different countries participate in the international conference. Epics of different nations have been presented on one platform. During the conference, the books of Garegin Srvandztiantsi and the editions of the Sasna Tsrer epic were presented. In 1874, the folk-collecting clergyman discovered the Armenian epic. 15 years after "Grots and Brots", Manuk Abeghyan, a lecturer at Holy Etchmiadzin Gevorgian Seminary, published the folk epic novel "David and Mher".

 

The two historical events caused great excitement


On September 28 and 29, two major events took place in Armenian spiritual and national life. The new muron of the Armenian Church was blessed and the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was re-consecrated and reopened. Both events caused great enthusiasm in Armenia and the Diaspora, and became major events connecting and uniting Armenian communities. On those days, thousands of pilgrims from different countries of the world met at the Mother See, prayed, united by the same spiritual vow.

The Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh has had meetings in European countries regarding Artsakh


The Munich-Germany initiative and AGBU Varna branch organized a meeting in Varna. Archbishop Vrtanes expressed his concern about the threats to the spiritual and historical-cultural heritage in Artsakh, and called to support around 120,000 forcibly displaced Artsakh Armenians. The Archbishop also visited Maastricht and was in Venice. An event titled "Save the Armenian Heritage in Artsakh" was held in the Mkhitaryan Congregation.
 

The Mother See and the Mashtots Matenadaran jointly presented exceptional exhibits


An exhibition "Beautiful things, immortalized images" was opened in Mashtots Matenadaran. "Treasures of Matenadaran and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin". Ritual items brought from the Mother See and photographs and glass negatives kept in the Matenadaran, but left out of scientific circulation, are presented. Among them are church utensils, a dove, a censer, a bowl and a flying cross. At the beginning of the 20th century, church vestments were also photographed in Holy Etchmiadzin.
 

The Catholicos of All Armenians presented a silver jug ​​to national philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan


At the Mother See, His Holiness received the national benefactor, godfather of Muron blessing, Samvel Karapetyan and presented him with a silver jar, made in the likeness of muron distribution jars. On one side of the jar, the Cathedral is depicted, one of the benefactors of whose renovation is Samvel Karapetyan, on the other side, the sanctities of Muron's blessing are depicted.
 

Pilgrims from all over the world came to the Mother See to participate in the historical events


Thousands of believers from all over the world came to Holy Etchmiadzin with families and pilgrim groups to participate in the historical events of the blessing of Muron and the re-consecration of the Mother Cathedral. With the reconsecration of the Mother Church, the dream of thousands of Armenians came true. The holy muron is the symbol of Armenian unity, which knows no borders, no geography, and no time.