Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On September 28, the day of commemoration of Saint Gevork the Warrior, under the chairmanship of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the blessing of Holy Muron took place in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiatsin.

The sacred service of the Blessing of the Holy Muron was attended by representatives of the Hierarchical Sees, bishops serving in the Mother See, diocesan Primates of the Armenian Church, diocesan delegations, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, members of the RA National Assembly, members of the RA government, statesmen, national benefactors, cultural, scientific, public and political figures. As well as thousands of Armenian pilgrims from Armenia and Diaspora.

Delegates and representatives of Christian Churches and inter-church structures joined in praying for the spiritual class of the Armenian Church and the entire Armenian people at this most important historical event of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

Following the Lord's Prayer, the Patriarchal solemn procession moved from the Mother Cathedral to the Saint Trdat Open Air Altar of the Mother See. Under the singing of the hymns "Khorhurd Khorin" and "Urakh Ler" and the ringing of the bells of the Mother Cathedral, under the guidance of crosses and crucifixes, accompanied by pilgrims, the Patriarch of All Armenians, blessing the present people, was led to the Open Altar.

His Eminence Archbishop Sahak Mashalyan, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople also participated in the blessing service of the Holy Muron.

Assisting the Catholicos of All Armenians were His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Primate of the Diocese of Gougark and His Grace Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany.

In the patriarchal procession, the sacred relics used during the Blessing of the Holy Muron ceremony, the materials of Holy Muron and other sacred things were taken.

The duplicate of the reliquary of Skevra was carried by His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan, Dean of the Monasteries; His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan, Director of the “Karekin I” Educational Center; the reliquary of the Armenian Genocide victims was carried by His Grace Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn; His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manookian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Brotai and Ireland; the reliquary of the cross of the Ashot the Iron was carried by His Grace Bishop Vardan Navasardyan, Primate of the Baltic countries and His Grace Bishop Anushavan Jamkochyan, Dean of St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral of Yerevan and Dean of the Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University; the Patriarchal Delegate of Western Europe and representative of the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Vatican, His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Parsamyan carried the Holy Cross reliquary; the Holy Lance of Geghard was carried by His Eminence Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan; the Primate of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan carried the Holy Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator; the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Romania and Bulgaria His Grace Bishop Tatev Hakobyan carried the jar of the flowery material; His Eminence Archbishop Haikazoon Najarian, Pontifical Delegate of the Armenian Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, India and the Far East carried the jar of the balm; the Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian church in North America, His Grace Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan carried the Holy Gospel brought out from the Mashtots Matenadaran vault on this occasion; the Primate of the Diocese of Shirak His Eminence Archbishop Mikael Adjapahyan, carried the Holy Right relic of Luke the Evangelist; the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church in North America, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian carried the big pigeon filled with the old Muron; member of the Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem His Grace Bishop Teodoros Zakaryan carried the relic bearer of Saint Ananias the Apostle; His Eminence Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin carried the relic of Saint Sahak Partev; His Grace Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese carried the Holy Right relic of the apostle Thaddeus; His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia carried the Holy Right Hand of Apostle Bartholomew.

The Godfather of the Blessing of the Holy Muron is national benefactor Mr. Samvel Karapetyan.

The choir of the Mother Cathedral welcomed the Patriarchal procession in the Open Altar with a solemn performance of the hymn "Hrashapar", afterwards the sacred ceremony of the blessing of the Holy Muron began with a united Lord's prayer.

At the beginning, under the singing of the hymn "Or zshnors", the incense bearers incensed the episcopal class led by the Catholicos of All Armenians and the cauldron of the Holy Muron, then excerpts from the Old and New Testaments and prayers dedicated to Holy Muron were read.

Following the gospel, the hymn "Open to us, Lord" was sung, during which the Godfather of the Muron was invited to the altar, who opened the cauldron of the Holy Muron.

Then the Catholicos of All Armenians poured the flower material and balm into the cauldron of Muron, after which His Holiness also poured into the cauldron the Muron blessed in Antilias, which was presented to His Holiness by the representative of the Catholicosate of Cilicia of the Great House, His Eminence Archbishop Mesrop Sargisyan.

According to the Sacred Tradition, under the singing of the hymn "The Dove of the Apostles", the Catholicos of All Armenians also poured the old Muron into the cauldron, transferring to it the power and grace of the holy light Muron, blessed by the hand of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.

His Holiness blessed the new Muron, engraved it and mixed it with the relic-bearing Holy Cross, Holy Lance of Geghard, the God-father, and the Holy Right relic of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, the father of the Armenian faith.

Then His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians addressed the audience and all Armenians, following which His Holiness, the episcopal class and the godfather of the Blessing of the Holy Muron kissed the cauldron of the newly blessed Muron under the hymn "Etchmiadzin I Hore".

The ceremony was closed with the Lord's Prayer and the Catholicos of All Armenians blessed the attendees with Holy Lance of Geghard.

Pilgrims were given the opportunity to touch the cauldron of the Holy Muron and receive the blessing of the new Muron.

At the conclusion of the blessing of the Holy Muron, the procession went to the Pontifical Residence under the Patriarchal hymn.

THE MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II, SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS, ON THE OCCASION OF THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY MYRON

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"Whoever is anointed with this shall revere God and fear not the enemy."

Beloved Faithful,

On the eve of the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varag and the commemoration of St. George the Martyr, we give glory to Almighty God, who has granted us the grace to conduct the Blessing of the Holy Myron, a ceremony that we were unable to conduct earlier due to the calamitous events of recent years. By the merciful will of God, may the newly blessed Holy Myron bestow heavenly blessings upon our lives, granting spiritual strength and the grace of renewal to our people who have endured the ravages and losses of war.

Dear Ones, the blessing of the Holy Myron, reminds us of the sacred days of the conversion of the Armenian nation. Through the hand of Catholicos St. Gregory the Illuminator, under the majestic gaze of Biblical Mount Ararat, our people were baptized and anointed with the holy oil, blessed by our Lord and brought to Armenia by St. Thaddeus the Apostle. Thus were our people united with Christ and His Holy Church. The Armenian nation received the grace to become God’s own people and the first nation to declare Christianity as its state religion. Since that epochal moment when the nation’s faith was founded, the holy mountain of salvation, Ararat, and the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin have stood as sacred and indelible symbols of our enduring faith, and of the eternal existence of the Armenian people.

"Whoever is anointed with this Myron shall revere God and fear not the enemy." Today, these stirring words from the prayer for the blessing of the Holy Myron echo resoundingly for all of us to hear. This message from our forefathers has accompanied our people throughout history, strengthening them to live with reverence for God’s love, emboldening them in the face of their enemies, and encouraging them to be defender of sacred values and our identity, and to be devoted to serving the homeland.

The Holy Myron is the visible sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Through the seal of the Holy Myron, a fountain of divine blessings pours out into the life of the individual and the nation. The one anointed with Holy Myron becomes the recipient of heavenly, pristine gifts, renewed to think and act in goodness, and to live in the fear of God, without fear in the presence of evil. The seal of the Holy Myron affirms our union with Christ and our membership in His Holy Church. It also confirms our national identity and the pledge of our fidelity to God.

For centuries, the Holy Myron has bound together the sons and daughters of our people scattered across the world, uniting the homeland and the diaspora. Through the Holy Myron, we are one nation and one Church. Today, the Holy Myron, distributed through the heads of the Hierarchical Sees and Diocesan Primates to our people worldwide, once again spiritually fortifies our indivisible unity. The Myron has become the blood that flows through the veins of Armenians, empowering the nation with spiritual strength to face all trials, as well as our current challenges, according to the prayerful exhortation of our forefathers: "The one anointed with the Myron fears only God and is unafraid of enemies."

Beloved, the world today is once again troubled by conflicts and hostilities that undermine harmony in family life, human relationship, sowing enmity and intolerance, inciting war, spreading destruction and calamity. Our country and people, too, confront severe security threats, with an imperative to rise from devastation and profound losses. We believe that the world is not indifferent to pain and violence. We believe love and compassion have not evaporated from human hearts, nor have the pursuit of justice or the rule of law.

On this sacred occasion of the blessing of the Holy Myron, we once again appeal to the international community and our sister Churches, in the presence of our prayerful ecclesiastical and diplomatic representatives, to take effective measures to curb the expansionist ambitions of Azerbaijan and its incessant demands postured from a position of power, and also to return the occupied border territories of Armenia, the protection of the violated rights of the displaced people of Artsakh, the release of captured Armenians, and the preservation of the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh from usurpation and destruction.

Beloved Faithful, the primary duty and responsibility for resolving this complex situation is ours. It is incumbent upon us to unite; to protect our country from new intrusions and losses; to dispel fear and concern for the future; to reassess mistaken and detrimental trajectories for the nation; to further strengthen Armenian-Diasporan relations; to promote healthy dialogue in the internal political life of the nation; and to seek ways to restore a safe and secure life for our people in the homeland. We must walk this path with justice, courage and honesty. Under these circumstances, trust and hope in God are an anchor and solid foundation upon which we can rise from the calamities that have befallen us in order to build a strong homeland.

Therefore, beloved, let this new Holy Myron be a Myron of hope and renewal, a radiant testimony to our resolve to revive our national life, and to our steadfastness in overcoming both internal and external challenges, as we shape a prosperous future.

Our pontifical appeal to our sons and daughters worldwide is to allow the course of our lives to be ever sealed with Holy Myron and to remain steadfast in protecting the interests of our state. Let no one endanger the future of our nation.

For no one who is anointed with the Holy Myron can ever renounce the dreams of his forefathers for an independent homeland, nor deny his own history.

No one who is anointed with Holy Myron may reject the heritage of his ancestors, nor diminish his sanctified values, nor distort his national identity and aspirations.

No one who is anointed with Holy Myron must ever insult or disdain his compatriots, his fellow sisters and brothers, as it is said, “He who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20).

Anyone who is anointed with the Holy Myron is called to become a pioneer of truth, a creator of goodness, and a preacher of love.
And finally, whoever is anointed with the Holy Myron should fear only God and be fearless in the face of enemies and threats, for, as the Holy Apostle says, “The weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Corinthians 1:25).

Our Patriarchal exhortation to you, beloved Armenians of Artsakh, is to remain steadfast and unwavering in the face of tribulations and hardships. The atrocity committed against Artsakh was not solely against you, but against our entire nation. As a nation, we must resolutely uphold and advocate for your right to live freely and with dignity in your ancestral homeland. From this holy altar, we extend our love and blessing to you, praying that the heavenly graces be poured upon your lives and your households. As the Catholicos of All Armenians, we believe in the inner strength of our nation and the resurgence of our people, in the bright and victorious future that lies ahead.

On this occasion of spiritual renewal, the Blessing of the Holy Myron, we express our love and best wishes to the participants of the ceremony: clergy, state officials, political and diplomatic figures, dedicated national benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and faithful pilgrims. We express our high appreciation to the national benefactor, Mr. Samvel Karapetyan, who has taken up the role of godfather for the Blessing of the Holy Myron and has made significant contributions toward the prosperity of our nation and homeland, as well as to the enlightenment of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. May God's abundant blessings and heavenly gifts bring renewed success, our dear benefactor, Mr. Katrapetyan, to you and your pious family.

We pray to our Heavenly Father, that through the grace of the Holy Spirit, the works of faith, love, and goodness may flourish abundantly in the world, and the paths of peace and harmony may be strengthened. May our homeland be safe and steadfast through the constant outpouring of the Holy Spirit's gifts, our people's life adorned with virtue, and our Holy Apostolic Church remain bright and unshaken. May the life-giving light of the Holy Myron keep the Lantern of the Illuminator ever shining in the Armenian land, today, always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.