The Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the feast of Saint Stephen the Proto-Deacon on December 24


 St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon is an example for Christians with his unwavering faith, holy life, devotion, service, and other virtues. The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the memory of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon and the first martyr in December. On the feast of St. Stephen's commemoration, deacon and scholastic ordinations are performed.

The “Youth Voice” Choir Participated in the Divine Liturgy with the “School Department” of the Yekmalyan Liturgy


The “Youth Voice” children’s and youth choir of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil participated in the Divine Liturgy with the “School Department” of the Yekmalyan Liturgy. The “Youth Voice” youth choir, composed of students of the “Durian” National School, was founded 2 years ago and is led by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil, His Eminence Archbishop Narek. The choir, performing hymns and national songs, has performed concerts on various stages. It performed the entire Liturgy for the first time at the St. Gevorg Mother Church of the Armenian Diocese of Brazil.
 

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the feast of the memory of the Holy Evangelists


On October 19, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the memorial day of the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. On that occasion, the reliquary of Ghukas the Evangelist will be taken out of the treasury of the Mother See and will be transferred to the Masyatsotn diocese, to the Church of St. Hovhannes the Evangelist in Artashat. A celebratory liturgy will be offered, at the end of which the faithful will communicate with the power emanating from the relic.
 

On September 15, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the last large holiday of this year, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross


On that day, a festive liturgy will be served in all churches. Exaltation is one of the most important feasts dedicated to the saving cross of the Lord, celebrated between September 11-17. Exaltation is dedicated to the commemoration of the historical events of freeing Christ's cross from captivity. In the seventh century, the Persian army, reaching Jerusalem, St. Astvasteppet was captured from the Resurrection Cathedral. About twenty years after that incident, the Byzantine army freed the khamirite from captivity and carried it in a ceremonial procession to the Armenian city of Karin, Constantinople, and then to Jerusalem. Traditional Christian churches have established the feasts of the cross to commemorate these events.

 

The relic of St. Blaise Bishop of Sebasta was presented to the Mother See


The Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II received Swiss-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Vahe Gabrash at the Holy Etchmiadzin. The benefactor donated to the Mother See the relic of the pan-Christian Saint Blaise Bishop Sebasta, dating back to the III-IV centuries. It has been entrusted to the custody of the Mother See Treasury, where visiting religious pilgrims will have the opportunity to share in the blessing radiating from the saint's relics.

 

The Catholicos of All Armenians received the young pilgrims of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America


His Holiness Karekin II commanded the young people to keep their national identity and loyalty to national values ​​intact and to be actively involved in the national-church life. There are 24 members of the senior group of Church-loving Youth Unions of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America who came to Armenia to participate in the volunteer program. Their goal is to share the historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of the motherland.

The Catholicos of All Armenians received the participants of the AGBU "Andranik" scout camping program


The Catholicos of All Armenians highly appreciated the efforts of the AGBU Central Board for the patriotic mission, the support shown to the Mother See and the worldwide dioceses of the Armenian Church, for the implementation of various educational and cultural programs. About 138 scouts from Syria, Iran, Iraq and Armenia participate in the "Andranik" scout camping. The camp has been operating since 2007 in the Tej Ler area of ​​Lermontovo. After the covid, the camp did not work for 4 years and it was reopened only this year.

The Armenian Church will celebrate the Transfiguration of our Lord (Vardavar) on July 7


The basis of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, Vardavar, is the Gospel story about the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor and appearing to the disciples in divine glory. In all churches, a festive liturgy will be offered this Sunday, and a liturgy for the memory of the dead will also be offered the next day. A liturgy will be offered for the memory of the deceased, a memorial service will be held, during which the priest will mention the names of the deceased before the Lord.

Araratian Week was filled with church celebrations


On Monday, the church celebrated the feast of the St. Hripsime and her companions, which heralded the beginning of the Araratian week. On May 28, the church celebrated the commemoration of St. Gayane and her companions. The Armenian Patriarch, accompanied by a procession of clergymen, took the relic of the Saint to distribute blessings to the faithful. On May 30, the day of commemoration of Hovhannes the Baptist and Bishop Athanagine, with the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians, from the Mother See, the relics of the saints were brought to St. Shogakat Monastery. This year, the commemoration day of Saint Gregory the Illuminator's coming out of Pit was celebrated on June 1. The relics of the saint were brought to the Khor Virap monastery complex and a festive liturgy was held.

All dioceses have condemned the police action at the Sardarapat memorial complex


Primates of the hierarchical sees, dioceses, and patriarchal delegations of the Armenian Apostolic Church condemned the disrespectful behavior of the police towards the Armenian Patriarch and the clergy during their visit to the Sardarapat memorial complex, the bans on entering the memorial complex and the violent actions.

On May 27, the Araratian week celebration will launch with the Feast of Saint Hripsime and her Companions


According to tradition, on that day, accompanied by clergy and faithful, the sacred relics of St. Hripsime will be moved to St. Hripsime monastery complex. A festive liturgy will be offered, in which believers who come from different places to seek the saint's intercession will participate. The following day, on May 28, the Holy Right relic of St. Gayane will be taken to the At. Gayane monastery, where a Liturgy will be offered. 

On April 28, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the feast of the Appearance of the Holy Cross


At 10 o'clock in the morning, on the occasion of the Feast of the Appearance of the Holy Cross, the relic of Jesus Christ will be brought from the  Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the Holy Cross Church of Arabkir of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese. The feast of the Appearance is the pilgrimage day of the Holy Cross Church of Arabkir. At 11 o'clock a festive Divine Liturgy will be served. The relic will remain in the church until 5 pm.