His Holiness Karekin II Consecrates New St. Gevork Church of Marmarashen
05.11.2002
On November 4, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, visited the village of Marmarashen in the Region of Ararat, to consecrate the newly built Church of St. Gevork.
His Holiness, accompanied by bishops and members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, was welcomed near the entrance of the church courtyard by numerous clergymen, headed by the Vicar General of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, His Grace Bishop Navasard Ktchoyan. Present for the consecration were local and state government officials, and more than 1,000 faithful.
The pontifical entourage entered the church under the singing of hymns. Bishop Ktchoyan delivered a welcoming speech, following which His Holiness, assisted by His Eminence Archbishop Shahan Svajian of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, consecrated the Holy Altar and columns of the church with Holy Chrism (Muron).
Following the consecration service, the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness was read to the faithful, wherein Mr. Sergey Ghazarian, the benefactor of the church from Moscow, Russian Federation, was decorated with the highest Insignia of the Armenian Church - the Medal of St. Gregory the Illuminator. The Catholicos of All Armenians delivered his message of congratulations and Pontifical blessings to the faithful in attendance. His Holiness extended words of appreciation to Bishop Ktchoyan, the benefactor, the builders and all those who supported the construction of the church. ?We believe that blessings and light will spread from the Holy Altar of this Church which was built with faith, to the lives and the homes of the people of Marmarashen,? noted His Holiness. He added that he lives a special joy every time another church is opened, for he knows that one more village is able to rejoice, partake and live in the sacraments and services of our Holy Apostolic Church.
As a gift from the Mother See to the new church, His Holiness presented Bishop Ktchoyan with a chalice for Holy Communion. At the conclusion of the service, the inaugural Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the newly consecrated sanctuary.
