Feast of the First Armenian Illuminators Celebrated in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
02.12.2023
On December 02, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, the first Armenian Illuminators.
Yet in 2015, according to the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Feast was proclaimed as Pilgrimage Day of the Holy Lance ‘Geghard’. On that day, for the Blessings of the faithful, the Holy Lance ‘Geghard’, kept in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is brought out.
On the occasion of the gracious Feast, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Divine Liturgy was offered in the St. John the Baptist and St. Vardan Chapel-baptistery. The Celebrant was Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Movses Sargsyan, Head Chaplain of the RA Armed Forces Ministry.
The Divine Liturgy was attended by Bishops of the Mother See, Members of the Brotherhood of Mother See, Primates of the Dioceses and pilgrims from different Armenian Dioceses.
During the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; led by the ecclesiastical solemn procession, brought the Holy Lance ‘Geghard’ to St. John the Baptist and St. Vardan Chapel-baptistery.
In his sermon, Archimandrite Movses, referring to the sacrament of the feast and the mission of the church, specifically mentioned: "Dear faithful, in the course of history, whenever the Armenian nation deviated from the faith preached by the apostles, departed from the Holy Apostolic Church founded by them and stopped listening to its spiritual leaders, it fell into trials. Sometimes some circles spread the thesis that the Armenian nation weakened when it became a Christian. However, in reality, the exact opposite is true, the Armenian nation weakened and suffered losses not because of being Christians, but because of not being Christians. The reason for the misfortunes of our nation was the departure from the Mother Church and the lack of pure faith and Christianity preached by the apostles.
The Holy Bible clearly states that if you do not keep the laws given by God, you will be the last of all nations, you will sow and it will be eaten by others, you will fall into wars, your children will be captives, you will be scattered throughout the world (see Leviticus 14-33), and if you keep the commandments of God, then you will succeed and become strong, you will persecute your enemies and the Lord will give peace to your land (see Leviticus 3-8)".
Father Movses also emphasized that the feast of the apostles is a day to reaffirm our love and loyalty to the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and to be faithful to the heritage and moral values left by our fathers and teachers.
At the conclusion, Father Movses urged the faithful to pray for the intercession of the apostles Saint Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew for the Armenian nation, so that God would strengthen and protect our people in the apostolic faith and the God-given Holy Lance Geghard would continue to work miracles in the lives of Armenians, for the brightness of the Holy Apostolic Church and for the construction of the Motherland.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Armenian Patriarch blessed the faithful with the “Protector” prayer and the Holy Lance ‘Geghard’, afterwards the faithful were granted the opportunity to kiss and worship the miraculous Holy Lance ‘Geghard’.
The Holy Lance ‘Geghard’ will be kept in the Chapel-baptistery of the Mother See until the end of the Evening Service.
