Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On April 13, the Holy Thursday, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church commemorated the remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Last Supper and the establishment of the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

At the conclusion of the Morning service, a Contrition service was offered in the Mother Cathedral, for those that have been fasting.

Following the Morning Service, a Divine Liturgy was offered in remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ’s Last Supper and the establishment of the Sacrament of Holy Communion. The Celebrants was Rev. Fr. Voskan Hovhannisyan, editorial employee of the "Etchmiadzin" Magazine of Mother See.

During the Divine Liturgy, before the communion the speech of Basil of Caesarea was read.

At midday, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Service of Washing of the Feet was offered in the Mother Cathedral. During the Service, the members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See read Bible verses and the discipline of love by John of Yerznka, a prominent Archimandrite from the thirteenth century.

Then His Holiness blessed the oil and water with the Holy Cross. Then, following the example of Jesus Christ, the Armenian Pontiff washed and anointed with blessed oil, the feet of twelve persons symbolizing the Apostles.

Among the twelve were His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan; Rev. Fr. Geghard Hovhannisyan; students of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary; Students from the Faculty of Theology of Yerevan State University; soldiers; students and children from the Eurnekian school of Vagharshapat, and other public schools.

At the end of the Service the oil was distributed to the faithful.

Late in the evening, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the Passion Service was held, which refers to the events of Good Friday.