Feast of Saint Gayane and Her Companions celebrated in the Armenian Church
29.05.2018
On May 29, the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church commemorated the sacred feast dedicated to the memory of St. Gayane and her companion nuns.
With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; an ecclesiastical procession, accompanied by numerous pilgrims and the drum band of the "Hratch and Suzanne T0ufayan" Armenian Church Youth Center, walked to the Monastery of Saint Gayane, taking with them the Holy Relic of St. Gayane.
The Holy Relic was carried by His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Grant Sacristan of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The procession was met in front of the St. Gayane Monastery by the clergy and His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan, Dean of the Monasteries of the Mother See.
On the occasion of the feast, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Koryun Arakelyan, Abbot of the Monastery of St. Gayane.
Father Koryun delivered a sermon about the significance and wonder of the feast and noted in part, “During these days, the week of Ararat, we celebrate the feast of our great martyrs, the nuns who decorated Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church with their crowns. As martyrs, they shed their blood for the vibrancy and prosperity of our nation and our Church.
Dear faithful, every year we celebrate these holidays with great joy and happiness, commemorate our holy nuns, and commemorate the spirit that they showed for the sake of Christ and vibrancy and prosperity of the Church of Christ. Martyrs who shed their blood, who did not spare anything and, and as we know, rejected the glory, wealth and honor which King Trdat was ready to offer and grant them, and knowing all this they chose and remained dedicated to their faith, holding Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior”.
In overcoming modern challenges and problems, Fr. Koryun stressed the importance to be like the holy martyrs and to display the same self-sacrificing spirit.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan presided over the blessing of the faithful and blessing of the four corners of the world (Andastan) service.
