Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On June 23, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church solemnly celebrated the Feast of the Universal Holy Church of Etchmiadzin.

Under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See offered a Divine Liturgy in St. Gayane Monastery. The Celebrant was His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Director of the Administrative Department of Mother See. In attendance for the Divine Liturgy were Primates of the Armenian Dioceses; bishops officiating in various institutions of the Armenian Church; participants of the; representatives from the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople; members of the Supreme Spiritual Council; Ms. Diana Gasparyan, Mayor of Echmiadzin; Armenian Church benefactors and many pilgrims from different communities in the Diaspora and Armenia.

Under the singing of hymn “Etchmiadzin I Hore”, the Pontifical Encyclical of the Catholicos of All Armenians was brought in and read by His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan.

The Pontifical Encyclical states in part:

KAREKIN II, SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST
BY THE MERCY OF GOD AND THE WILL OF MY NATION
CHIEF BISHOP AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS,
SUPREME PATRIARCH OF THE PAN-NATIONAL PREEMENENT ARARATIAN SEE
OF THE APOSTOLIC MOTHER CHURCH OF UNIVERSAL HOLY ETCHMIADZIN,
CHRIST-BEQUEATHED GREETINGS OF LOVE AND PONTIFICAL BLESSINGS TO THE CATHOLICIOSATE OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA,
TO THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATES
OF HOLY JERUSALEM AND CONSTANTINOPLE,
TO ARCHBISHOPS, BISHOPS, PRIESTS AND DEACONS,
TO DIOCESAN ASSEMBLIES,
DIOCESAN AND PAROCHIAL COUNCILS AND OFFICERS,
AND TO ALL BELOVED FAITHFUL ARMENIAN PEOPLE.

“Let us build the Holy Altar of Light”
(Sharagan)

With thankful prayers to God and with the joy of the Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin we extend our paternal love and pontifical blessings to our faithful nation, both in the Homeland and the Diaspora from the sacred Mother See. The true light of faith — which was borne in the land of Armenia through the evangelization of the saint apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, radiated anew in the life of our people. By the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the efforts of St. King Drtad, and the inspired participation of the faithful people, arose the Holy of Holies of All Armenians – the everlasting torch of our faith, the wondrous witness of our unyielding faithfulness and unbreakable covenant with God - Holy Etchmiadzin. Through the Decent of our Savior Jesus Christ our land and our people received divine heavenly graces.

The Mother Cathedral is a beautiful spiritual pearl in the field of our faith, and the hearts of the sons and daughters of our nation, around the world are tied to this priceless treasure. “To the Right Hand [of St. Gregory Illuminator] and to Holy Etchmiadzin the whole of the Armenian nation is bound.” This is the beautiful way in which the historian characterizes the crystallization of the feelings of love of our people toward Holy Etchmiadzin that our people held throughout the centuries, summarizing them with this testimony. Truly, Holy Etchmiadzin has become the God-founded source of all blessings in our national and spiritual life, the bountiful spring of spiritual renewal, the outpouring provider of Holy Muron - the manifestation of graces of the Holy Spirit; it encourages and renews the faith of the Armenians. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin with its magnificent cathedral, crowned by the Holy Decent of the Only Begotten son, was and will forever be the spiritual holy center of our people all over the world, the pride and glory transmitted from generation to generation, the sanctified and beloved Bethlehem of the Armenians.

Throughout centuries our people have restored Holy Etchmiadzin kept it in splendid state, following the call of St. Gregory: “Let us build the Holy Altar of Light,” as a stone testimony to its spiritual sentiments and sacred feelings, as an edifice of its great desire and love for the Exalted God. Throughout the time, thanks to the efforts of the Armenian Catholicoi, the Mother Cathedral has been continuously adorned with frescos and icons, by building alters, bell-towers and vestries, through showing persisting care toward the sacred site, so that the Christ-founded sacred cradle may perpetually shine and radiate light, “for out of this place, light was borne to us in Armenia”.

The invitation of the St. Gregory Illuminator echoes in our life today as well, encouraging us to keep the spiritual holy center of all Armenians prosperous and radiant. Today, the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin is in great need of renovation, and of important work of reinforcing her walls, in order to prevent it from the danger of ruin. 
Necessary repair works have already been undertaken in the Mother See in order to preserve, strengthen and bedeck the Cathedral, our sacred site. The required renovations, however, are extensive and require great resources and the assistance of all Armenians. Now, we appeal to you, beloved, with St. Gregory the Illuminator’s call of, “let us build the Holy Altar of Light”. United, let us renovate the Holy Altar of our national-ecclesial life: the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. By the heartfelt expressions of your spirit, which you show toward the Mother See, bring your resources and investment to the work of restoration of our Holy of Holies, because Holy Etchmiadzin, which has always fed and strengthened in spirit all its faithful children, today has need of you, so that it may continue its eternal mission in the life of our people. Through Holy Etchmiadzin we shall always keep strong our covenant with God and shall remain united, in love toward our homeland, nation and holy Church and with our sacred values. We are sure and we believe that we remain and will remain a nation, whose proclamation of faith is unchanging against time, against trials and difficulties: “We recognize as our father the Holy Gospel, and as mother, the Holy Apostolic Church.” With this zealous spirit, Our beloved sons and daughters, bring your contribution to the renovation of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, adding praiseworthy works to your faithful life and name.

In the interest of organizing the assistance offered for the renovation of the Holy Cathedral, a working committee has been formed by the Supreme Spiritual Council, led by the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church in America, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. Our exhortation to our dioceses, parishes and faithful Armenians all over the world is to closely work together with the working committee for the renovation of the Mother Cathedral, and participate in the sacred mission of restoration of the Christ-founded sacred site by offering your contribution and support. 
From the depths of Our heart, we pray so that the Exalted Lord may protect all of you, our beloved, faithful and devoted sons and daughters, under His provident protection, and grant you a multitude of good, and keep strong your spirit of dedication to the Church and nation and your patriotism. May the graces of God protect the entire Armenian nation, keep unwavering and in peace our homeland, strong our statehood, and always prosperous and opulent our Apostolic Holy Church.
“Heavenly King, keep Your Church unmoved, and keep those who worship Your name in peace, amen.”

With blessings,

KAREKIN II
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS

This encyclical was given on the  23 of June
In the year of our Lord 2019 and in the Armenian Year 1468
In the Mother monastery of Holy Etchmiadzin
Number 1079