Celebration of the Holy Nativity and Theophany in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin

ECHMIADZIN — On January 6, on the Feast of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral by Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
Under the ringing of the bells of the Mother Cathedral, under canopy, a Pontifical Procession led the Catholicos of All Armenians, and Republic of Armenia President Serge Sargisian; from the Catholicosate of All Armenians to the Mother Cathedral.
The Canopy bearers were: the benefactors of the Armenian Church, Michael and Karen Vardanyan; Aram Ananyan, director of Armenpress news agency, and Tigran Davtyan, executive director of Converse Bank.
His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobian, Grant Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin, Bishop Mushegh Babayan, Operations Director of the Mother See, assisted the catholicos during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
During the Pontifical Liturgy the Catholicos of All Armenians extended his pontifical message to all Armenians worldwide, conveying to everyone the Good News “Christ is Born and Revealed.”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, he offered the service of Blessing of the Waters in commemoration of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. The Godfather of the Cross this year was Commander, Col. Jalal Harutyunyan (NKR Defense Army). After the Divine Liturgy, the Cross of the Mother Cathedral was taken to different military units.
Present for the Divine Liturgy were:  Galust Sahakyan, President of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Armenia; Hovik Abrahamyan, Prime Minister of Armenia; deputies; State Ministers of the Republic of Armenia; high-ranking state officials; members of the Supreme Spiritual Council; foreign diplomats and representatives accredited to Armenia and representative from the fields of education, science and culture and public figures.
Following the conclusion of the Liturgy, an official reception was held in the Alec and Marie Manoogian Treasury House Museum.