Diocese of Shirak Celebrates Divine Liturgy of Oath in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
12.05.2003
On Sunday, May 11, faithful pilgrims from the Diocese of Shirak (Armenia) traveled to Holy Etchmiadzin to participate in their "Divine Liturgy of Oath" devoted to the 1,700th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. This week?s "Divine Liturgy of Oath" was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Mikael Ajapahian, the Primate of the Diocese of Shirak, with the participation of altar servers and choir members from Gyumri.
Prior to the sermon, His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalian welcomed the pilgrims on behalf of His Holiness and the Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In his sermon to addressed to more than 1,000 pilgrims who had traveled to the Mother See, His Grace Bishop Mikael stated, "How grateful we are to our forefathers, to our ancestors who built a cathedral in Armenia - a house of prayer which never ages; who planted a tree which never withers; and who created a source from the invigorating spring of the Holy Bible which never dries up. All of them are concentrated in the sacrament which we call the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. For 1,700 years, Holy Etchmiadzin has been the lamb among the pack of wolves, but she has managed to preserve her identity, her ancient faith, her confession of Christ; and at the cost of martyrdom, she has defended her flock from all manner of evil. And truly, Holy Etchmiadzin has existed, exists today and will exist forever for the Armenian Nation."
In attendance for the Liturgy were His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Nersissian, leader of the Armenian Catholic Community in Armenia; Governor of the Region of Shirak, Mr. Felix Piroumian; representatives of regional and municipal authorities; high-ranking clergymen, and students of the Theological Seminaries of Gyumri and Holy Etchmiadzin.
Following the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Karekin II received the pilgrims in the Residence of the Catholicos.
