The relic of Christ’s Cross has been moved to the Holy Cross Church in Aparan


On the feast of the Apparition of the Holy Cross, the sacred relic of Christ’s Cross is being moved from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the Holy Cross Church in Aparan. The relic was brought from the village of Aparan in the Mokk province of Greater Armenia to the Holy Cross Church in Akhtamar, and then found its resting place in the treasury of the Mother See. The relic is usually kept in the church until the evening, giving everyone the opportunity to commune with the power emanating from the relic.
 

Residents and clergy of the village of Nerkin Dvin celebrated the day of the consecration of their church


The Church of the Holy Resurrection was consecrated 26 years ago by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. It is one of the first churches founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The foundation was carried out by His Holiness Karekin I, Catholicos of blessed memory, in 1996. At that time, he called the sanctuary Holy Resurrection, referring to the newly created statehood, independence and spiritual rebirth.
 

The grave of Artashes Gevorgyan, who shot Jemal in Tbilisi, is still unknown


Vergine Gevorgyan, the nephew of Jemal's avenger Artashes Gevorgyan, donated the personal belongings, documents, and photographs of the Gevorgyans to the Genocide Museum, but nothing of Artashes Gevorgyan's belongings has survived. In the 1930s, he was accused of robbing a collective farm and sentenced to three years in prison. In 1928, he wrote a letter to the Chairman of the Cheka and the State Department of the Armenian SSR, confessing to the murder of Jemal. Later, he was accused of preparing a terrorist act against Lavrenty Beria. Artashes Gevorgyan was shot on the night of August 14-15, 1937. The place of his death and the location of his grave are still unknown.
 

Verzhine Svazlyan is preparing to publish a new book on the Turkish-speaking folklore of Western Armenians


In the reading room of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, the scientist presented the materials she wrote down and recorded between 1955 and 2025, which concerned the forced conversion of Western Armenians to Turkish in the Ottoman Empire and Turkish-speaking folklore. Armenian-letter Turkish literature was the means of communication for more than half a million Turkish-speaking and non-Armenian Armenians who were forcibly Islamized. The works of world classics and famous authors of the time were translated into that language.
 

The torchlight procession was held under the slogan "The Struggle Continues"


The slogan "The Struggle Continues" symbolizes the unbreakable will of the Armenian people and the relentless struggle for justice. At the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, His Eminence Haykazun conveyed the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians to the participants of the procession. His Holiness called on them to remain faithful to their identity and keep their national memory alive.

Easter in the World


On April 5, the Feast of the Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ united Armenians around the world. The Catholicos of All Armenians celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Mother Cathedral.
Celebrations were held in all Armenian churches. The Easter message of the Armenian Patriarch was read in all churches of dioceses around the world. The Patriarchal speech is a guide for Armenians living thousands of miles away from their homeland, as well as a call to use personal abilities for the national interest.

Interrupted Mission


The Ministry of Defense suspended the activities of the Institute of Chaplaincy of the Armed Forces in February. The government interpreted this decision as a step towards secularization of the army and separation from religious structures. How reasonable is this government claim, what problem were the clergy in the army actually solving, and what was the real reason for this decision by the Ministry of Defense?

The court hearing in the case of Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan was held without the victims


Defrocked Aramayis Tokhmazyan and Stepan Asatryan did not appear in court. According to the accusation, Bishop Mkrtich forced the clergy of the diocese to participate in rallies organized against the Prime Minister, and during the 2021 elections, he instructed them not to vote for the ruling party. The Holy Father denies the accusation. Lawyers describe it as political persecution.
 

The government falsely appointed Arman Saroyan as a member of the commission for discussing pardon issues


Arman Saroyan was appointed a member of the “Consultative Commission for Discussing Pardon Issues” as a representative of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church. The Mother See announced that the appointment was made without the consent of the Armenian Apostolic Church and violates the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. A representative of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in a state or any other structure can only be appointed with the blessing and privilege of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Catholicos of All Armenians. And the declared deposed Bishop Gevorg is not authorized and cannot represent the Armenian Church either from a canonical, legal or moral point of view.
 

The faithful people today once again heard the life-giving gospel from the lips of His Holiness


The greatest miracle in history, the Resurrection of Christ, brings thousands of Armenians to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. This day is a holiday of universal joy and rebirth. The faithful people participate in the Patriarchal Liturgy in the Mother Cathedral, receive the message of His Holiness and once again hear from the lips of the Patriarch the life-giving gospel: “Christ is risen from the dead.”
 

The Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus was celebrated in the Mother Church of St. Gregory of Narek in Vanadzor


The Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection was served by the diocesan leader, Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan. The faithful, together with the Bishop, asked for a blessing from the Lord so that they would remain strong in their faith with the life-giving grace of the Holy Resurrection. At the end of the Liturgy, the festive mood of the day continued with folk songs and dances in the courtyard of the Church of St. Gregory of Narek. The handmade works of 7 masters of the Henrik Igityan National Aesthetic Center and the students of the diocesan “Tun” social-educational center were presented in the pavilions placed in the courtyard.

 

The bells of the Armenian Apostolic Church heralded the miraculous resurrection of Christ


A festive liturgy of Candlemas was served in the Mother Cathedral, after which the patriarchal procession moved to the candlelight hall to convey the life-giving light of the feast of the Holy Resurrection to the believers.