ECHMIADZIN — On April 16, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church solemnly celebrated the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
On the occasion of the feast, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin.
Escorted by the Ecclesiastical procession, and under the singing of the Hrashapar hymn, the Catholicos of All Armenians; Serzh Sargsyan, president of the Republic of Armenia and Rita Sargsyan; Bako Sahakyan, president of the Arstakh Republic, processed to the Mother Cathedral, where they were met by students of the Eurnekian public school; members of the AGBU Yerevan Scout Group and numerous pilgrims.
The Pontifical Canopy Bearers were: Col. Artyom Gevorkyan; Sergeant Schooley Hakobyan; Junior Sergeant Razmik Gasparyan and Private Soldier Harutyun Badalyan. Assisting the catholicos during the Divine Liturgy were Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, director of the External relations and Protocol Department of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the Spiritual- Educational Institutions of the Mother See.
Attending the solemn Divine Liturgy were Galust Sahakyan, president of the RA National Assembly; members of the government; members of the Supreme Spiritual Council; benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin; heads and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations; members of the AGBU; education and cultural figures.
During the service, the catholicos addressed his message to faithful Armenians throughout the world on the occasion of Holy Easter offering his Pontifical blessings and proclaiming the good news, “Christ is Risen from the dead! Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.”
