Palm Sunday in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
26.03.2018
On March 25, the Armenian Church solemnly celebrated the Feast of Palm Sunday, which commemorates the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
On the occasion of the Feast, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother Cathedral. The Celebrant was His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Director of the Administrative Department of Mother See.
In his sermon Bishop Moushegh reflected on the sacred mystery of Palm Sunday and the spiritual message of the Day and stated in part: “Today, after about two thousand years, we have gathered in this Holy Church to celebrate the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. … For many, in those days, Jesus came to grant a physical salvation, and for many, Christ came to grant salvation of the soul. For a large and huge crowd He was the King and for some, a King on earth, and for some, the King in Heaven.
"Who is he?" everyone asked. The answer was -He was Jesus Christ, whom numerous people believed and today already billions of people. Jesus Christ was the One Who gave His life for His creatures so that they live.
… Dear faithful, the faith to the One who has spared His life for each of us, has spread and reached to our days. And we, under these holy arches today, see how the children, men and women, rejoice, because today we are celebrating Palm Sunday, and we have come to join our Lord Jesus Christ, tasting His body and blood.
In his remarks His Holiness welcomed the children serving at the Holy Altar on the occasion of Palm Sunday, who arrived early in the morning to Holy Etchmiadzin from the border towns and villages of the Diocese of Tavoush, to participate in the Divine Liturgy and receive the blessings of His Holiness. Bishop Moushegh urged the participants of the Divine Liturgy to be like those children in their purity, innocence and simplicity, to have a pure soul and be ready to help each other.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, all the children in the Cathedral were invited to the Holy Altar and under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, the Blessing of Children service was offered. His Holiness conveyed his Pontifical blessings and best wishes to the attending children, praying for their carefree childhood, and happy and blessed life.
