Easter Eve Candlelight Divine Liturgy.
26.03.2016
Holy Week services were held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with unique mystery and reverence. On the evening of Saturday, 27 March, a Candlelight Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Easter Eve in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians presided in the Mother Cathedral.
Prior to Evening Services, four Deacons read from the Holy Scriptures and letters of the Prophet Daniel. Following the readings, Divine Liturgy was celebrated. His Grace Bishop Mushegh Babayan, Director of the Administration Department of the Mother See; was the celebrant of the Divine Liturgy.
The Holy Service was attended by benefactors of the Mother See; Colonel Jalal Harutyunyan (NKR Defense Army), the Godfather of the Cross of the Mother Cathedral; military officials, and many Armenian pilgrims.
During the Divine Liturgy, in his sermon Bishop Mushegh reflected on the meaning and importance of the day: “In this quiet spring evening we are again glad, for once again our soul is full of cheerfulness and joy
because once again we are sure, that the God who laid down His life for us, loves us endlessly and considers us to be His friends because “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15.13).
This day beautified from the sunrise, brings consolation and comfort to our souls, because the tiding of the truth which is at the center of our faith and the chanting of the man striving for eternity; is soaring everywhere that “Christ is risen from the dead, Christ is risen from the dead, Christ is risen from the dead”. Whereas yesterday, all of us were on bended knee, prayerfully surviving the remembrance of the shocking events of Holy Week.
It was yesterday, when we were coming back home from the Calvary, still not completely at the weekend, and realized why it all happened. It was yesterday that someone laid down his life for his friends by tasting death…
Today it is undeniable, if Christ was not resurrected; Christianity would never have been born. If Christ was not resurrected, today probably some of His words would only have been remembered and quoted. And if Christ was not resurrected, He would have been just one of the millions who were unjustly sentenced to death and killed. Our creed especially stresses that this death is for our salvation. Every time when we recite these words we can reflect on what was Christ’s perception on this redemptive mission…
Christ’s Redemption, accomplished through His sufferings and death on the cross; is a significant event in the story of humanity, not only for the accomplishment of the divine plan of justice and mercy, but also a new meaning of suffering awakened in the human consciousness. The saving power of suffering is love. Suffering is not a punishment anymore, but through Christ’s redemption it was transformed to the power of getting rid of evil and the triumph of goodness. Death with suffering is the beginning of New life and a New covenant”.
Reflecting on the importance of the Glorious Resurrection in the Christian’s life; His Grace added “Christ’s Resurrection not only strengthens the hope of the faithful, but also completely eliminates the feeling of despair, because to believe in the Risen Christ not only means to accept a fact that happened in the past or coming incidents in future, but it also includes the present day: The Risen is with us, in order to completely destroy all barriers and obstacles to hope and faith.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness ascended the Holy Alter and lit a candle, symbolizing Christ, and it was then placed in the Mother Cathedral for the faithful to have the opportunity to light their own candles, and take the light to their home symbolizing the light of the Risen Son of God.
Following the Divine Liturgy, the procession of clergy went to the Old Veharan where under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenian; an Easter Home-Blessing Service was offered.
