Author Sona Khachatryan

The priest blessed the water, salt, and bread with the Holy Gospel, muron and cross, asking the Lord for bodily and spiritual healing and well-being within the threshold of each home. This order, established since the times of the apostles, is performed during the eight days following Christmas. Through the blessing of water, the sacrament of the Holy Baptism of Christ is transmitted to believing Christians.

With the efforts of the founders of the "Come Dance" initiative, citizens have been forming a dance circle for ten years. The number of citizens participating in the national song and dance is increasing year by year. The goal of the initiative is to continue the decades-long work of renowned choreographers, choreographers, and folklorists and to popularize Armenian dance.

Led by the Catholicos of All Armenians, the Brotherhood of the Mother See visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon to pray for the repose of the souls of Armenians who sacrificed their lives for the defense of Armenia and Artsakh. Prior to that, a requiem service was held at the Mother See after the liturgy. The Monday following the Tabernacle holidays is the Day of Remembrance of the Dead. The Church urges that on that day, people visit the graves of the deceased and pray for them.

The Christmas Candlelight Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Sarkis Cathedral with gospel readings announcing the birth and revelation of Christ, hymns praising the Mother of God, praise, and prayer. The faithful visited the church to hear the good news of the Lord's birth and to take the symbolic light home with them.

The "Nairi" camp began operating in 2020 after the war. Every year, hundreds of children and mothers from families forcibly displaced from Artsakh rest in the rest homes operating in Hankavan and Tsaghkadzor. Various specialists work with the participants to relieve the stress of the war. The Nairi camp will continue to operate in 2025, registrations will begin in January.

 

On the day of the commemoration of Patriarch St. Hakob Mtsbna, the relics of the saint were taken from the Mother See to the churches named after St. Hakob in the Masyatsotn Diocese and a festive liturgy was served. There are 5 churches named after St. Hakob in the Masyatsotn Diocese: in the villages of Dvin, Ararat, Mrgavan and Burastan. The oldest is the Burastan church, built in the 17th century. On the day of the commemoration of Patriarch St. Hakob Mtsbna, believers and pilgrims were able to touch the relics and receive the power emanating from them.

Under the direction of the Patriarch of All Armenians and the Primate of the Artik Diocese, Bishop Narek Avagyan, a ceremony of ordination of deacons was held in the Mother Cathedral. After graduating from the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary, they served in the structures and dioceses of the Mother See. Two of them will be ordained as celibate clergy, and four will be ordained as priests. The deacons, having received a new name and a new rank, will join the ranks of the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

 

After the re-consecration of the Mother See, the residents of the care center have been waiting for the renovation of the church and this visit is a memorable event for them. At the initiative of Father Ararat, they often organize readings of the Holy Book, meetings-discussions, participate in liturgies. The elderly also cooperate with the Ladies' Union of the Holy Trinity Church and regularly participate in pilgrimages or cultural events together.

 

Within the framework of "Learn and earn-Artsakh" project, the AGBU, under the auspices of HEKS/EPER South Caucasus organization, in cooperation with YSU and Eurasia International University, held the first fair for Artsakh citizens under the title of "New Career Opportunities and Prospects". get involved. Over the past year, about a thousand Artsakh citizens have participated in various courses organized by AGBU under this program. The purpose of the fair is to create a business-employee connection.