"In the Spirit of the Divine Liturgy": A New Exhibition at the Ruben Sevak Museum


An exhibition titled "In the Spirit of the Divine Liturgy" by young artist Nona Hovhannisyan has opened at the Ruben Sevak Museum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The displayed works depict clergy and nuns immersed in prayer and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The exhibition will remain open at the museum for another month.

The Armenian Pontiff Received the Senior Advisor to the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives


On October 4, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor to the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives. She had arrived in Armenia to attend the second Prayer Breakfast and had participated in the Divine Liturgy at the Mother Cathedral.
During the meeting, the role of religion and spiritual values ​​in shaping a secure, prosperous, and progressive life for peoples, as well as in establishing peace in the world, was emphasized.

Consecration Ceremony of the Crosses at the Newly Built St. Hovhannes Church in Darbnik


On October 3, the consecration ceremony for the crosses atop the dome and bell tower of the newly built St. Hovhannes Church took place with great solemnity in the village of Darbnik (Masis community), presided over by Bishop Ruben Zargaryan, Primate of the Diocese of Masyatsotn.
Construction of the church, initiated in 2016 by Darbnik residents Artur Gziryan and benefactor Arsen Poghosyan, is slated for completion in 2027, at which point it will open its doors to the faithful; in the meantime, a spiritual community has already been established in the village through the efforts of the local spiritual shepherd, Rev. Fr. Martiros Avetisyan.

International human rights organization calls for immediate withdrawal of Armenian government report


The human rights organization Christian Solidarity International (CSI) has issued an official statement categorically rejecting the Armenian government's report titled "Crisis in the Church," characterizing it as part of a state-sponsored campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church. The organization called on the Armenian government to withdraw the report, abandon plans to oust the Catholicos, and respect the Church's autonomy; it also urged international partners—the US, the EU, and the Council of Europe—to exert pressure to halt interference in the Church's internal affairs.

PACE Member Urges Protection of the Armenian Church's Religious Freedom


On September 28, during the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) autumn session in Strasbourg, Edward Leigh—a UK delegate and spokesperson for the Conservative Group—addressed the Armenian government's actions against the Armenian Apostolic Church, characterizing them as a "calculated attack on religious autonomy."
The British MP emphasized that the current administration, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has launched an unprecedented campaign against the Church's freedoms; therefore, PACE must uphold religious freedom and urge the Armenian government to cease the pressure and the unlawful arrests of clergy members.

The Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag and the Relic of the Holy Cross at Nor Varagavank


On September 27, the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag was celebrated at the Nor Varagavank monastic complex in the Diocese of Tavush; for the occasion, a relic of the Holy Cross, brought from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, was housed there for the day. The festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Yeghia Pahlevanyan.
This year, the feast also coincided with the anniversary of the outbreak of the 44-day war; in observance of this, the Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Tavush, Very Rev. Fr. Samvel Mkhitaryan, together with the clergy, conducted a requiem service for the repose of the souls of the heroes martyred in the war.
 

On Independence Day, the Armenian Pontiff Visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon


On September 21, the 35th anniversary of Armenia's independence, the Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by the clergy, visited the Yerablur Military Pantheon to pay tribute to the memory of the sons who sacrificed their lives while defending the homeland.
A requiem service was held at the pantheon presided over by the Pontiff, and His Holiness laid flowers at the heroes' graves and at the "Call of Artsakh" memorial complex, commemorating all the martyrs of Artsakh's freedom in prayer.

Republican Prayer for the Republic and Pontifical Message on the Occasion of the 35th Anniversary of Armenia's Independence


On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Armenia's independence, a service of Republican Prayer was held on September 21 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; during the service, the clergy and the faithful offered prayers for the steadfastness and peace of the Republic of Armenia. In his Pontifical message, His Holiness called for unity and solidarity in order to confront internal and external threats and to defend the people's right to a free and secure life.

"Save Armenia" Delegation at the Mother See


On September 18, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians received a delegation from the "Save Armenia" organization, led by Executive Director Dr. Paul Murray.
His Holiness addressed the imperative of protecting the rights of forcibly displaced people from Artsakh, securing the release of Armenian captives illegally held in Azerbaijan, and preserving the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh.
 

His Holiness Receives Participants of the "Land of Noah" International Conference


On September 17, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians received the participants of the "Land of Noah: Christianity After Postmodernism" international conference, organized by the "Amrots" Foundation.
Welcoming the holding of the conference, His Holiness reflected on the vital mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in the life of the Armenian people and wished the participants productive work.
 

Regular Meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council at the Mother See


From September 15 to 17, the regular meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council took place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; representatives of the Armenian Patriarchates of Constantinople and Jerusalem also participated. The attendees discussed provisions concerning the Armenian Church found in the National Assembly and the Government’s program, and the Supreme Spiritual Council deemed the authorities' policy of interfering in the Church's internal affairs and the violation of its constitutional status to be unacceptable and condemnable.

Four-Day Meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council Launches at the Mother See


On September 15, the regular four-day meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council commenced at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The agenda includes issues related to the Church's canonical and diocesan life, its statutes, the activities of spiritual-educational institutions, and the strengthening of Christian education within communities, as well as key issues concerning Church-State relations and the 23 ongoing court cases involving the Church.