Diocese of England Celebrates Divine Liturgy of Oath in Holy Etchmiadzin
09.06.2003
On Sunday, June 8, the Armenian Church celebrated the Feast of Pentecost, also described as the "Birthday of the Universal Church". It was on this day that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles of Christ, following His Ascension into heaven. Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by His Grace Bishop Nathan Hovhanissian, Primate of the Armenian Church Diocese of England. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians presided during the Liturgy. His Grace Bishop Nathan led a group of faithful pilgrims from the United Kingdom, who had traveled to Armenia to celebrate their "Divine Liturgy of Oath" together in the Mother See.
During the Liturgy, on behalf of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalian welcomed the pilgrims to the Mother See, and invited His Grace to deliver his message addressed to the faithful.
In his sermon, His Grace Bishop Nathan noted, "For 17 continuous centuries, every son and daughter of Armenia has come under the arches of this sanctuary built by God, to repeat the prayers of their forebears, and to share their vision. For 17 continuous centuries, from this Holy Altar, each Armenian faithful communes with the Holy Body and Blood of the Savior, sending his prayer up to God with the ascending incense and supplicating candlelight. For 17 continuous centuries, in this Holy place where the Only-Begotten Descended, and where the ever-burning Illuminator-lit lamp of the Holy Altar of Descent remains always aflame, in this sanctuary where Christ Himself stepped, every child of Armenia falls to his knees, to renew his oath and offer thanksgiving to the Almighty, because it is from here that the light of salvation dawned over the land of the Armenians."
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Pontiff of All Armenians received the pilgrims in the Residence of the Catholicos. During the reception, His Holiness presented Bishop Nathan with a hand-cross on the occasion of the 15th Anniversary of his ordination to the Holy Order of Priesthood. His Holiness also presented the Diocese with a reproduction of an illuminated manuscript depicting the Vision of Saint Gregory and the Descent of Christ.
