Palm Sunday in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
20.03.2016
On March 20, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Armenian Church celebrated the Feast of Palm Sunday, which commemorates the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Palm Sunday is also annually declared to be the Blessing of Children Day.
Following morning services, after the festive songs and psalms of the Morning Service, His Holiness presided and offered the blessing service for the four corners of the world (Andastan) in the courtyard of the Mother Cathedral.
Following the singing of hymns and Gospel readings, the four corners of the world were blessed after which His Holiness conveyed his blessings to the children who had travelled to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from the regions of Armenia.
Following the service, His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the children and their parents, then spoke on the sacred mystery of the day, offering his hope that Almighty God bless all children; that His love, grace and mercy be with everyone always; and that the Armenian children live under God’s blessings, enjoying their parent's love, devotion and care.
Following the special prayer, the Catholicos of All Armenians granted crosses to the children.
A Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother Cathedral. His Holiness and the procession of clergy were escorted to the Mother Cathedral by the students of the N1 primary school of Etchmiadzin.
The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Vardan Navasardyan, Director of the Christian Education Center of Mother See. In his sermon Bishop Vardan reflected on the sacred mystery of the day and stated in part: “Dear ones, this feast is a good opportunity for us to know Jesus, our Saviour, Who came to save us, to liberate us from the clutches of death. He came to make us heirs of eternal life. Recognition of the Lord is acceptance of the Lord.
So let us, on the occasion of this joyful feast, when all of us have come to His Holy Church, rejoice in the Lord . We brought our children to His Holy Church, so that our Lord blesses, strengthens and educates them. We are here with the blessings of His Holiness, that they make Jesus Christ their role model in life, so that through acceptance of His words and following of His commandments, they will go through Golgotha with the great hope and search all the difficult paths that Lord is going to give us, to achieve our victory over death”.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, under the presidency of His Holiness, a Blessing of Children service was held once again, during which the participants of the “Palm Sunday in the Mother See” project were present. The project was implemented by the Social Service Department of Mother See. Over 300 needy children from different Armenian dioceses, and of which 100 are from Syrian-Armenian families, had travelled to the Mother See.
At the conclusion of the Blessing of Children service, His Holiness congratulated the children then spoke on the mystery of the Day, noting that today the soul of our Savior enters temples and churches where faithful children are united both from Armenia and abroad. His Holiness reflected on the participation of the Syrian-Armenian children, who left their native homes and because of the duress of the trials of war, left Syria and found refuge in their Homeland. The Armenian Patriarch asked Almighty God to pour His peace into the life of the nations who are bearing the sufferings of war in different parts of the world.
His Holiness offered his wish that the Heavenly Lord enter into the hearts of all and elminate all evil thoughts and ideas, so that they can build their lives with a pure heart, strengthen the nation and make civil society prosperous and vibrant.
Speaking on the command to become as children, His Holiness added: “Let us love our children, as the Lord loved them. Not only the parents, but every Armenian within their capacity and capability must contribute, so that our children live joyfully, grow-up in love, become worthy sons of our nation and our Church”.
Following the service, the children participating in the “Palm Sunday in the Mother See” project, attended a festive concert in the "Hrach and Susan Tufayan" Youth Center of Vagharshapat. The children also received gifts, arranged by the Social Service Department of Mother See through the donation of the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief (SOAR), USA.
