Requiem Service at the Tomb of His Holiness Vazken I of Blessed Memory
On September 20, on the occasion of the anniversary of his birth, a requiem service dedicated to the blessed memory of Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Vazken I, was held near the grave of the Armenian Pontiff in the courtyard of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians presided as His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Bozabalian conducted the service. In attendance were the Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, staff of the Mother See and the faithful.
As His Eminence noted, the late Pontiff led the faithful flock for nearly 40 years of the most difficult period of the oppressive and atheistic Soviet regime. Nevertheless, he left his mark in the history of the Armenian Church, worthily deserving the title of ?Builder Catholicos?.
The students of the Vazkenian Theological Seminary of Sevan were present and sang during the service. It has become their tradition to visit the last resting place of the late Catholicos every year on his birthday.
