His Holiness Karekin II Consecrates Church of St. Gayanй in Voskevan
05.12.2003
On December 4, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, departed for the Diocese of Gougark and the village of Voskevan (Tavush Region), near the northeastern border of Armenia, to consecrate the Church of St. Gayanй. His Holiness was accompanied by His Grace Bishop Sepouh Chouljian, Primate of the Diocese of Gougark; His Grace Bishop Yezras Nersissian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of New Nakhijevan and Russia; His Grace Bishop Sion Adamian, Primate of the Diocese of Armavir, and members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The historic church had been closed for many decades, and was recently reconstructed and renovated due to the efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Bagherian, from Moscow, Russia.
The Pontifical procession entered the church as the choir sang the "Hrashapar" hymn. His Holiness and the bishops ascended the bema and began the service, wherein the Holy Altar, baptismal font and columns of the church are consecrated with Holy Chrism (Muron).
In his remarks, His Holiness congratulated the hundreds of faithful in attendance, noting, "For many years there was silence in this village, because your church was silent. Hymns were not sung under her arches and prayers were not offered up to God. The faithful were denied their right and desire to receive Holy Communion from her Altar, and you were denied your right to worship. It must have seemed to the unbelievers that God had been successfully removed from your lives. But they were wrong.
"Today is a day filled with joy for all of us. God will once again speak to you by means of His life-giving commandments, and you will once again speak to God, thanking Him for making your life blessed, asking Him to help you live God-pleasing lives, and praying as a means for drawing out the evil from your souls and hearts. May love, brotherhood, willingness, and mercy always accompany every one of you. For 1700 years, the path of salvation for our people has been God, and it is a path that leads directly through our Church."
At the end of his remarks, His Holiness awarded the highest Insignia of the Armenian Church - the Medal "St Gregory the Illuminator", to the benefactors of the church, Arthur and Gayanй Bagherian. Regional Governor of Tavush, A.H. Ghurabian; the mayor of the village of Voskevan; and many faithful attended the service.
