Candlelight Divine Liturgy in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
16.04.2017
On April 15, Holy Saturday, the eve of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ; a Candlelight Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The Celebrant was His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
Prior to Evening Services, different parts of the Bible were read, following which four Deacons read letters of the Prophet Daniel.
The Holy Service was attended by Benefactors of Mother See and many pilgrims.
During the Divine Liturgy, Bishop Arshak reflected in his sermon on the meaning and importance of the day: “We are the heirs of Christ's Resurrection. If not for Christ's Resurrection, the periodic recitations of the history of Christ’s life would become meaningless, each of our sermons would be meaningless, as the apostle Paul once stated. What would be the sense to have a story about the birth of Christ. And what would be the sense of a twelve-year-old Christ's visit to the temple. And what would be the sense of a celebration of Palm Sunday and what would be the value to have forty days of fasting.
It is only Christ's Glorious Resurrection that gives meaning and purpose to all these events. It is Christ's Resurrection that turns Christianity from simple moral and ethical teachings into a worldwide event. Christ's Resurrection marks the beginning of a new civilization and a new vision. And finally, Christ's Resurrection is a message to all of us, to stand triumphantly before death. Death is no longer a real presence in our life, death is a shadow, and the reality is the life that Christ gave through His glorious and luminous resurrection. And this is not just a beautiful fairy tale, and not just for consolation and self-comfort. This is a reality, to which everyone has believed for centuries… This is a reality that has made the poor rich, a reality that has made the indigents wealthy. And that reality inspires us today to fight against the difficulties of life”.
Referring to eternal life and trust in God, the Celebrant stated: “We are humans who are not condemned to death, not sentenced to be just a pile of soil, but we are humans whose life extends beyond death”.
At the conclusion, Bishop Arshak wished for God to strengthen the faithful’s love, dedication, and commitment towards God, and strengthen the feelings of faith in the Resurrection of Christ, and through the grace of the Resurrection, enlightens their souls and hearts.
After the Divine Liturgy, the Catholicos of All Armenians ascended the Holy Altar and lit a candle, symbolizing the light of Christ and it was then placed in the Mother Cathedral for the faithful to light their own candles and take the light to their home.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the procession of clergy went to the Old Veharan where an Easter Home-Blessing Service was offered.
