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Holy Thursday is the most solemn day in the church’s liturgy
At 7:30 a.m., a service of hours and absolution of penitents were held at the Mother See, after which Father David celebrated the Divine Liturgy. It was on Holy Thursday that Jesus established the sacrament of Holy Communion. Holy Thursday is one of the few days of Great Lent when the curtain of the tabernacle is opened, an open Liturgy is celebrated, and communion is given. Communion is one of the main sacraments of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
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A festive Liturgy was served at the Holy Mother of God Church in GavarThe Palm Sunday is one of the favorite feasts of the Gavar people, for which the faithful are preparing with joy, reliving the enthusiasm with which the people welcomed Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. After the morning service and the Andastan service, the blessed branches were distributed to the faithful. At the Holy Mother of God Church, the clergy and the Bible Society presented hundreds of children with Bibles. |
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After receiving treatment in Calcutta, the disabled soldier returned
In July, the Catholicos of All Armenians was attracted by the prayer of a 6-year-old child in the Mother Cathedral. The Armenian Patriarch blessed the boy and did not miss the serious health condition of the child's father. Later, the child's father was invited to the Mother See and, at the direction of the Patriarch, was sent to India for prosthetics. On March 25, the Armenian Patriarch received the family of the disabled soldier who returned from Calcutta. Dozens of injured soldiers are being treated and prosthetics are being made in the best medical institutions abroad with the direct assistance of His Holiness Karekin II, the Patriarch of All Armenians.
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The court lifted the house arrest of Archbishop MkrtichBishop Mkrtich Proshyan, the Primate of the Aragatsotn Diocese, has been released from house arrest. On March 17, Judge David Dabaghyan of the Aragatsotn Regional Court of General Jurisdiction lifted the house arrest. The court imposed new restrictions on Bishop Mkrtich: administrative supervision and a ban on absence. |
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The deacons' graduation speeches will be published as a contribution to the field of theologyWith the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, three students of the practical and historical-doctrinal stream defended their master's theses in the ceremonial hall of the Gevorgyan Theological Seminary. Deacon Kajik Yeghoyan made a comparative analysis between Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Deacon David Ghambaryan touched upon the ethics of Christianity and one of the main philosophical directions of the Hellenistic period - Stoic ethical approaches. Deacon Mayis Ghazaryan examined the ritual and theology of the Feast of the Ascension. |
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Farewell to Archbishop Sargsyan of Tatev at St. Gayane MonasteryA Divine Liturgy was served, during which the last rites of consecration were performed. During the ceremony, Archbishop Shahan anointed the forehead and right hand of the deceased clergyman. In the Armenian Church, the last rites of consecration are performed only for ordained clergymen. Under the leadership of the Catholicos of All Armenians, the clergy of the Armenian Church paid their respects and bid farewell to the devoted clergyman, sending him off to eternal rest in the 85th year of his life. |
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The spiritual life of the Holy Mother of God Church in Nork is disruptedThe community of the Holy Mother of God Church in the first district of Nor Nork is now divided into two parts: the majority of believers no longer visit this holy place, the reason being the joining of the spiritual pastor Father Ashot Safaryan's anti-church campaign. The once active and united community is now, in essence, fragmented, the spiritual pastor's decision to join the anti-church campaign has caused great harm to the community's residents. |
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A joint service was held at the St. Hakob Church in MrgavanThe clergy of the Aragatsotn and Masyatsotn dioceses and pilgrims from different communities participated in a joint liturgy at the St. Hakob Church in Mrgavan. They prayed for the imprisoned Archbishop Bagrat, Archbishop Michael, and Archbishop Mkrtich, as well as for the peace of the country, the strengthening of the Armenian Church, and the spiritual life of the faithful. They believe that joint prayers become a spiritual shield during difficult trials and help the clergy and faithful in distress to feel that they are not alone in their trials. |
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The clergy of the Aragatsotn Diocese and pilgrims participated in the evening service at Saghmosavank
The clergy of the Aragatsotn Diocese, together with the faithful, prayed for the stability of the church, the longevity of the life of the Armenian Patriarch, for the holy saints Mkrtich, Bagrat, Michael, Arshak, benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, and for the Armenians who are illegally imprisoned and in captivity. The services, held every Thursday, are performed with the blessing of the diocesan leader, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan.
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Criminal proceedings against Catholicos may hinder the organization of the bishops’ assembly: lawyer
Member of the Supreme Spiritual Council Gevorg Danielyan fears that the proceedings initiated by the Investigative Committee against the church for failure to execute the judicial act may put the bishops’ assembly to be convened in Austria in February under attack. His Holiness Gevorg was declared deposed on January 27, and on January 29 it became known that the Investigative Committee had initiated proceedings against the church. He considers the claim that the Supreme Spiritual Council adopted a directive specifically to allegedly hinder the judicial act to be unfounded. He argues that the church has the authority to make decisions and if there are sufficient grounds for it, on the contrary, not executing it can be problematic.
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Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan performed the blessing of the youthThe Sunday liturgy at the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Vedi was celebrated by the newly appointed vicar of the prelate Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan. He was recently appointed vicar of the of the Masyatsotn Diocese, when the Mother See dismissed and declared the former prelate defrocked. Since his appointment, Archimandrite Ruben has been celebrating liturgies in the churches of the diocese and getting to know the faithful of the communities. After the liturgy, the faithful gathered around Archimandrite Ruben and assured him that they are the protector and supporter of the Mother Church in this time of trials. |
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Archbishop Bagrat Delivers Letter to US Vice President Joy De Vance
President of the International Christian Solidarity Organization, human rights activist John Aiburn, believes that the attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church should concern all Christians. The organization arrived in Armenia to conduct a fact-finding mission. Prior to this, the delegation arrived in Armenia in November to document the pressure exerted by the authorities on the ministers of the Armenian Apostolic Church, benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, as well as opposition figures. During the meeting with the delegation, Archbishop Bagrat delivered a letter to the participants of the International Religious Freedom Summit and US Vice President Joy De Vance.
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