Ordination of Deacons on the Feast Day of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon
25.12.2021
On December 25, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast Day of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon and First Martyr, which is also the feast of the deacons serving in the Church.
On the occasion of the Feast, in the Holy Mother of God Church of the Diocese of Armavir (Etchmiadzin City), with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; 19 seminarians from the 5th level of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, were ordained into the diaconate, by His Grace Bishop Vasken Mirzakhanyan, Director of the Office of Social Doctrine of the Mother See.
During the Divine Liturgy, following the Holy Sacrament of Ordination; His Grace Bishop Vasken blessed the newly ordained deacons with the Holy Relic of St. Stephen; then referred to the behavior of the Saint and the Martyrs of the Christian Church, noting in part: “…It is thanks to those Martyrs that we exist today as Christians, our Church exists, because, as according to the words of Tertullian, the basis of the Church is the blood of our Martyrs. Like a year ago, thousands of our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters martyred for the holy land of Artsakh, Armenia, to preserve our Fatherland and faith. It means we are responsible to them. We must bow down to their sacred memory to live an honest and true life and stay away from all satanic deceptions”.
Addressing the newly ordained deacons, Bishop Vasken urged; “Dear Deacons, it is appropriate to remember the message of our Lord from the Gospel that says; “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24)”. I believe that you have heard this message, taken up your cross and followed Christ. You have voluntarily chosen this service. Throughout your future service, you will build that path of the cross on which you will move. The path you will walk must be through prayer, bowing, service loving and devotion. You must be full of love towards the faithful and humanity in general. That great love that will establish the peace and the Divine power in you, which will guide you throughout your service. Be merciful, forgiving, always understanding the people”.
During the sermon, the Celebrant Bishop Vasken also expressed his deep gratitude to the parents of the Deacons for granting their sons to the Church of Christ. In the conclusion, His Grace conveyed his congratulations to the Brotherhood and staff of the Educational Institutions of the Mother See, on the occasion of the Feast of St. Stephen the Proto-Deacon and ordination of the Deacons.
