The Foot Washing Ceremony was held in the Mother Cathedral under the leadership of the Catholicos of All Armenians


A foot washing ceremony was held in all churches. In the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, according to tradition, the ceremony was presided over by the Patriarch of All Armenians. During the foot washing ceremony, accompanied by prayers and hymns, His Holiness Karekin II, the Patriarch of All Armenians, following the example of Christ, first blessed the water and oil placed on the altar, then knelt and washed the feet of 12 people symbolizing the disciples of Christ.
 

Introduction


Although Luke the Evangelist was a physician by profession and a contemporary of Jesus Christ, he never had the opportunity to see Christ in person and follow Him. He becomes a colleague of the Apostle Paul and writes down the Gospel. The Gospel of Luke presents the easiest and most graphic material for the reader. It is a Gospel of prayer. Only in the Gospel of Luke are there the parables of the Unjust Judge and the Widow, the Good Samaritan, and the Prodigal Son. The introduction to the Gospel of Luke is presented by Father Markos Mangasaryan.

Hybrid War from Baku


On July 5, 2025, the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, Pashazadeh, announced: “We have restored the Irevan ghaziyat. I hope that we will also go to those lands, restore our temples, mosques there, and our religious figures will work there.” Three days later, on July 8, the Prime Minister of Armenia announced: “The place of the descent of the Holy Virgin has been occupied by an anti-Christ, dog-like, anti-national group and must be liberated. I will lead this liberation.” To what extent are the official statements of Armenia and Azerbaijan consistent? In particular, what topics are the coincidences around and are they accidental? Anna Sargsyan spoke with Tatevik Hayrapetyan, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Azerbaijanist.

A festive Liturgy was served at the Holy Mother of God Church in Gavar


The Palm Sunday is one of the favorite feasts of the Gavar people, for which the faithful are preparing with joy, reliving the enthusiasm with which the people welcomed Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. After the morning service and the Andastan service, the blessed branches were distributed to the faithful. At the Holy Mother of God Church, the clergy and the Bible Society presented hundreds of children with Bibles.

 

Priests of Masyatsotn Participated in Joint Liturgy in the Church of Norabats Village


The priests of the Masyatsotn Diocese participated in the last joint liturgy of the spiritual journey of Great Lent at the Church of the Holy Mother of God. In a prayerful atmosphere, those present reflected on the upcoming events of the Armenian Church. On Fridays of the Lent period, the priests of the Masyatsotn Diocese prayed together in various holy places and listened to the sermons of the prelate of the Masyatsotn Diocese, Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan.
 

The visible and invisible goals of the anti-church campaign


The lay members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Mother See were invited to the Investigative Committee. It is also known that the prosecutor's office has initiated criminal proceedings against the Catholicos of All Armenians and clergy members of the Supreme Spiritual Council. The authorities claim that their actions are not against the church, but against individuals who, in their opinion, have violated the law. What proves the bankruptcy of this claim, what is the real goal of the planned actions against the Armenian Church? Anna Sargsyan spoke with Gevorg Danielyan, a member of the Supreme Spiritual Council, Doctor of Law.

What does a person living in Armenia want today?


What does a person living in Armenia today, especially a young person, want? What is he willing to do for the sake of his goals? Anna Sargsyan spoke with YSU professor, sociologist Artur Atanesyan.

Archbishop Michael's house arrest continues


Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, the head of the Shirak Diocese, can attend Sunday Liturgies and receive communion, but cannot celebrate Liturgies or preach. The defense filed a motion to change or lift the preventive measure, but the Criminal Court of Appeal did not change the house arrest. Archbishop Mikayel appealed to the European Court of Human Rights regarding the violation of his rights, presenting facts of illegal detention, violation of freedom of expression, and criminal prosecution for political purposes.

The court lifted the house arrest of Archbishop Mkrtich


Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, the Primate of the Aragatsotn Diocese, has been released from house arrest. On March 17, Judge David Dabaghyan of the Aragatsotn Regional Court of General Jurisdiction lifted the house arrest. The court imposed new restrictions on Bishop Mkrtich: administrative supervision and a ban on absence.

 

Judges in cases of defrocked clergy act under pressure: lawyer


The first instance court of Armavir region has examined the case of Aramayis Takhmazyan against the Armenian Apostolic Church. The defrocked priest is challenging the patriarchal decree of the Catholicos of All Armenians to declare him defrocked. The court had decided to order the Mother See to reinstate Aramayis Takhmazyan in the status of spiritual shepherd. Attorney Ara Zohrabyan claims that this case could not be accepted for proceedings because the state cannot interfere in the affairs of the church. He stated that the judges in the cases of Stepan Asatryan, Aramayis Takhmazyan and Arman Saroyan are acting under pressure.

 

Catholicos of All Armenians received the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See at the Mother See


During the meeting with the Armenian Patriarch and the Papal legate, they touched upon the fraternal relations formed between the Armenian Apostolic and Roman Catholic Churches and the further strengthening of inter-church cooperation. They discussed the complex situation in the region and Church-state relations in Armenia.

The destruction of Artsakh's cultural heritage is genocide


Candidate of Historical Sciences Armine Tigranyan believes that the destruction, appropriation, transformation and attribution of the cultural heritage of Artsakh by Azerbaijan is not a specific consequence of military operations, but a clearly planned and state-implemented policy. According to her, Azerbaijan has always been at war with Armenian cultural heritage, regardless of military operations. With the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians, the Publishing House of the Mother See has published the study “Destruction and appropriation of the cultural heritage of Artsakh: Azerbaijan’s policy in 2020-2025.”