His Holiness Karekin II Declares 2003 as the Year of Holy Etchmiadzin
03.02.2003
First Jubilee Year "Divine Liturgy of Oath" Celebrated
On Sunday, February 2, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, during the celebration of Divine Liturgy in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness was solemnly read. The Encyclical is dedicated to the 1,700th Anniversary of the Consecration of the Mother Cathedral, and declares 2003 to be the "Year of God-built Holy Etchmiadzin".
The Pontifical Encyclical, addressed to all Armenian faithful in Armenia and in the Diaspora, was read by His Grace Bishop Yezras Nersissian, Primate of the Diocese of Russia and New Nakhijevan. In the Encyclical, His Holiness sends his Pontifical Greetings to the Incumbents of the Hierarchal Sees of the Armenian Church, the Diocesan Primates, the clergy and faithful of the Church, and instructs them to celebrate the year "with faithful, nation-gathering and homeland-building deeds".
The Encyclical states in part: "God placed His seal upon our land, positioned the anchor of faith and attached the arch of the Sacred Covenant. Bowing to the Will of God, having turned their faith of the Descent of the Savior into mortar, our newly converted holy ancestors established the See of the Pontificate of All Armenians, and in the year 303, erected the first edifice of the Mother Cathedral with joyous haste and great awe. They erected the God-viewing dome, placed the redeeming and protecting cross on top, which soared high towards the altar-filled gates of heaven opened before Armenian lands.
"On the level plain at the foot of Masis, through Holy Etchmiadzin, the Will of God and the will of the Armenians became one. Across from the Ark of Noah rested the ark of salvation of the Armenian people - the Only-Begotten Descended Mother See of the Armenian Church; whose light of chrism of the baptismal font, gave new spiritual birth to our people, and became the new lifeblood for the ancient Armenian stock, to live and perpetuate upon our native soil. Our Christ-sealed faith became one with our identity. Holy Etchmiadzin became the spiritual Motherland of the Armenians, and kept alive the love and vision in Armenian life, for the reestablishment of lost independent statehood. In the difficult twists, turns and temptations of history, love and faith in deliverance, emanating from the Mother See, generated hope and strengthened Armenian souls.
" 'In this sanctuary is the heart of the Armenian Nation - the place of the Descent. Love Etchmiadzin, enter inside, kiss the point of Descent and you will have kissed the entire expelled nation, dispersed throughout the universe.' (Berj Proshyan, 19th c.) This is how we know Holy Etchmiadzin, and this is how we have enabled others to know her. For seventeen centuries we have known her as the source of strength and the treasury of the Armenian soul; as the love and banner for freedom; as the pride and victory of the Armenian soul. We know her as our adorable Mother, who unites us together with her tender affection, fortifies and defends us in love. Far from Holy Etchmiadzin, the Armenian Pontiffs have felt themselves, as Saint Nerses the Graceful felt, banished and inconsolable; because the Armenian soul has always recognized his cradle of faith, his symbol of perseverance and impetus to life, his Mother See: Holy Etchmiadzin, which descended from the heavens upon the soil of our homeland."
That same day, the Mother See received her first "Pilgrims of Oath" for the Jubilee Year from the Diocese of Armavir, Armenia. Their Primate, His Grace Bishop Sion Adamyan, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon. Present for the Liturgy was Mr. Albert Heroyan, Governor of the Armavir Region, as well as mayors of the three cities of Vagharshapat, Metsamor and Armavir, located in the region. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the pilgrims were received by His Holiness.
The Diocese of Armavir has within her jurisdiction the historical city and former capital of Vagharshapat, where the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is located. It was in Vagharshapat that St. Gregory had his vision of Christ descending with a golden hammer, indicating the site where the new Mother Cathedral of the Armenian Nation was to be built.
Throughout the course of the year, separate diocesan pilgrimages will be organized from countries and regions throughout the world. Upon the arrival of each diocesan group of faithful, a special "Divine Liturgy of Oath" will be celebrated in the Mother Cathedral by each respective Primate with the participation of that diocese?s clergy, deacons, choir-members and faithful. Each Diocese is in the process of finalizing their dates to travel to Armenia. Please check with your Diocesan headquarters to determine the pilgrimage date for your diocese.
