Following the Divine Liturgy at the Mother See, offerings and blessed water were distributed to the pilgrims
06.10.2024
On October 6, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother Cathedral. The Celebrant was His Eminence Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The Brotherhood of the Mother See, diocesan primates of the Armenian Church and many Armenian pilgrims were present at the sacred ceremony.
In his sermon, His Eminence Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan referred to the evangelical reading of the day, where Jesus responds to the questions of the Jewish officials regarding His authority, emphasizing that Christ, through His preaching, His miracles, and His spotless life and behavior, proved that the absolute and indisputable authority belongs to God alone and it is God who gives people authority on earth.
"Jesus is absolutely far from identifying the Heavenly and earthly authorities. An earthly king and prince can never and never claim the glory and authority of the Heavenly King. The source of the authority of the earthly king and prince is the Heavenly King, the same God Himself. And that's why Jesus says: “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's”. (Matt. 22:21). Yes, Christianity preaches obedience to authorities, obedience that comes from voluntary choice and deep responsibility for God's commandments. Obedience to authorities, however, can never lead to apostasy and rejection of God. Jesus consecrates human power as a tool for the implementation of justice on earth, the formation of solidarity between people and the creation of good. The same Apostle Paul decisively declares that the authority is given to people "to strengthen, and not to destroy" (2 Cor. 10:8).
Therefore, the authority that by its actions or inaction leads to destruction distorts justice and incites opposition and disrupts the peaceful coexistence of people, that authority loses its connection with the Source of power, God, and therefore is deprived of authority and trustworthiness," stated the Chairman, affirming that the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, established and built by the vision of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and the descending of the Only Begotten Son, and the Holy Apostolic Church symbolized by this Holy Temple, are also endowed with authority; authority given by the very same God, the Source of absolute and unsearchable authority, to care for the salvation and safety of the souls of the Lord's verbal flock.
"We are the children of this Holy Church. To be a child means to recognize the authority of the Church and to obey. To try to pretend to be a follower of the Church, but not to be a listener to the voice of the Church, means to voluntarily renounce the membership of the Church. The word of the Church is addressed to its children. Those who voluntarily renounce Church membership, their lot is with apostates and traitors. We are a historical people with a historical mission and an exclusive responsibility to fulfill that historical mission. We will not receive forgiveness from God, from our ancestors, or from future generations if we fail in our historical mission. The re-consecration of this Holy Cathedral brings new hope and new light to our lives, opens new horizons in the foggy futures", emphasized the Chancellor of the Mother See, wishing that God will bless the children of our Holy Church, to bravely overcome the challenges of time and keep the homeland in peace and the Armenian people in a safe and prosperous life.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, under the direction of the Patriarch of All Armenians, on the occasion of the re-consecration of the Mother Cathedral, offerings and blessed water were distributed to the pilgrims.
