Coptic Orthodox Pope and Catholicos of All Armenians Preside During Divine Liturgy
05.05.2003
On Sunday, May 4, Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Shenouda III, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. Faithful pilgrims from the Armenian Diocese of the Ukraine had traveled to Armenia to participate in their "Divine Liturgy of Oath" devoted to the 1,700th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. This week's "Divine Liturgy of Oath" was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Grigoris Buniatian, Primate of the Ukrainian Diocese.
During the Liturgy, the two Pontiffs addressed their messages and blessings to the faithful and exchanged gifts. His Holiness Karekin II noted, "We raise up our plea to God with the light emanating from this Sunday of the World Church, which renewed the world, and has lived also in Armenia and Egypt from Apostolic times. Although by the standards of ancient times our two countries were geographically very distant, nevertheless, in that faith-building era, the One, Universal, Apostolic and Holy Church unified us through the Communion of Christ. Rejoice, O Holy Church, because today from this Holy Altar, the Lord's Body and Blood we receive as the successors of Thaddeus, Bartholomew and Mark, our Holy Patriarch Gregory the Illuminator, Alexander, Athanasius, and Cyril of Alexandria, - the great confessors of Christ and witnesses of the faith."
Reflecting upon the mission of the two Churches, the Pontiff of All Armenians noted, "Our apostolic mission is the same, which we shall continue strengthened with brotherly love, so that faith, hope and love, illuminate the meaning of life, and lead its pathways towards the Lord. Your Holiness, we are confident that your visit to Holy Etchmiadzin will give new breath to the relations between our two churches, which we have inherited as a great treasure from our forefathers."
His Holiness Shenouda III, in his message to the overflowing crowd, stated, "Your Church has been called to carry the heavy burden of the Holy Cross of Christ. We are one in our faith and creed, and for centuries, our two peoples have traveled the difficult and trying pathways . . . We are praying for your Church and your people, and we request your prayers for us, so that we may all be strengthened in our mission and service to Christ."
Participating in the Divine Liturgy were the members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, Coptic Orthodox bishops, high-ranking clergymen of the Armenian Church, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, the Ambassadors of Egypt, Syria and Iraq, and faithful.
