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.

Rev. Fr. Artavazd Simonyan


Why can't girls study at the Armenian Apostolic Church?
What is the special use of the rose in our church?
Can the priest's vestment vary depending on the rank of the clergyman?
Can the parents of a clergyman address their son by the name of "Adan"?
Who are the "Sons of God" mentioned in the Book of Genesis?
Rev. Fr. Artavazd Simonyan answered the questions of viewers and users. Write your questions on the "Questions and Answers" Facebook page.

 

Archbishop Michael faces fines and up to five years in prison


The trial of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, the Primate of the Shirak Diocese, which lasted only 2 weeks, is coming to an end. The public prosecutor has filed a motion to find Archbishop Mikayel guilty of making public calls to seize power and forcibly overthrow the constitutional order. During the court session, Yerem Sargsyan described the attitude of Judge Armine Meliksetyan as biased and expressed his belief that she is unable to make a fair verdict.

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.

Aghitu Monument and Tanahat Monastery


The Tanahat Monastery, or as the locals call it, the Red Monastery, is located 25 km southwest of Sisian, near the village of Arevis. Stepanos Orbelyan called the monastery a “great monastery of virtues,” where numerous legends about the holy life of ascetics and lay clergy were woven. During our trip, we also presented the unique monument of the 6th-7th centuries in the village of Aghitu.

Arevis


The village of Arevis is located about 20 km from Sisian, but due to the poor road, it takes hours to reach the village.
Officially, Arevis has 41 residents, who live in the village intermittently, coming in the spring for agriculture and beekeeping. In the winter, barely ten residents remain in Arevis. Arevis is 4 km away from the enemy, but the reason the village has no residents is not at all its proximity to the border, but the lack of living conditions.
 

Rev. Fr. Nerses Rushanyan


Are there special prayers for mothers
How did the crucifixion of the Son of God become reconciliation between man and God
Do they believe with their hearts or through spiritual knowledge?
In what way can broken relationships with a loved one be restored?
Are there short and long versions of baptism and wedding ceremonies?
The questions of viewers and users were answered by Father Nerses Rushanyan. Write your questions on the “Questions and Answers” ​​Facebook page.

The court rejected the defense attorneys' motion to change Lydia Mantashyan's preventive measure


At the second hearing of the case of Archbishop Bagrast Galstanyan and 17 supporters of the “Holy Movement,” the court examined the issue of preventive measures. The defense lawyers requested to first examine the issue of preventive measures for Lydia Mantashyan. The defense requested to change the detention to another preventive measure on bail, but the court ruled to extend Lydia Mantashyan’s detention for 3 months. At the end of the hearing, Lydia Mantashyan’s defense lawyer Tatevik Soghoyan described what happened in court as “deplorable.”

 

A festive liturgy was served at the Mother Cathedral on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary


At the end of the festive Liturgy, the solemn procession, led by Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, moved to the open altar of St. Trdat, where the ceremony of blessing the grapes was performed. First, thanksgiving was offered to God for the harvest of the fields and vineyards, then the clergy prayed for the Lord's blessing for the fruits offered to the temple. After the ceremony, the grapes were distributed to the people so that the blessed fruit would enter each person's home, bringing success and abundance.

Transfiguration liturgy celebrated in the Mother Cathedral


The liturgy was served by Bishop Arshak Khachatryan. The Bishop called for clearing thoughts, dispelling the fog of the horizon. He wished that the Armenian people, shattered by the losses and pains of the war, would be strengthened by hope and faith, that dignity and honor would water our victorious path, and that the righteous hand of the Lord would weigh heavily on those who fight against God and His Holy Church. At the end of the festive liturgy, the faithful came to meet the patriarchal procession to receive the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians.

 

The Catholicosate Mausoleum and Candlelight Hall were opened under the auspices of His Holiness the Patriarch


The Catholicos' Mausoleum is located in the center of the structure, the right and left sides are intended for lighting candles. The structure also has two altars, which His Holiness consecrated and named after the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. For the architects of the underground, vaulted structure, which occupies an area of ​​about 1000 square meters, it was of fundamental importance to maintain the harmony of the modern structure with the historical structures existing in the area. The Eternal Catholicos of Armenia noted that the Mausoleum will remind future generations of the spiritual mission of all Armenian Catholicoses, which improved the national and church life of the entire Armenian people.

Serob of St. Gregory the Illuminator Church


Serob is very interested in mathematics, and in his free time he plays football with his friends. His Sundays begin at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, where Serob puts on a vest and goes up to the altar.