The relics of Saint Jacob the Elder have been transferred to the Church of the Holy Mother of God in Tsovinar


The pilgrims went on a cross procession to the village's Holy Mother of God to celebrate the 13th anniversary of the church's reconsecration with a festive liturgy. Before that, the Primate of the Gegharkunik Diocese performed a requiem service at the khachkar-monument dedicated to the memory of Armenians who died in the war with the relics of Hakobos the Brother of the Holy Father, asking for the intercession of the saint for the repose of the souls of the martyred soldiers. The Andastan Service was also performed for the peace of the homeland.

The mother of a deceased serviceman organized an exhibition dedicated to her son at the Artists' Union


An exhibition titled "Promised Return" has opened at the Artists' Union, dedicated to the memory of Ruben Poghosyan, who died in the 44-day Artsakh war. These days, Ruben is celebrating his 25th birthday. The author of the paintings is Ruben's mother, Anush Melikyan, who was helped to overcome the grief of losing her child by the church. The priest of the Nubarashen parish, Father Bardughimeos, first united the mothers who had lost their children around the church through prayer and spiritual conversations on a virtual platform, and then they tried to overcome the pain together by participating in liturgies and pilgrimages.

More than 60 children baptized in Gegharkunik on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross


On the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, more than 60 children were baptized in three churches of the Gegharkunik Diocese: Makenyak Monastery, Vardenis and the Holy Mother of God Church in the village of Mets Masrik. They had participated in Bible courses organized in the diocese. Switzerland-based Teresa Mkhitaryan presented baptismal crosses and the Holy Bible to the baptized.

 

The relic of the Lord's Cross has been moved to the Zoravor Holy Mother of God Church in the village of Apna


The church, built in the 4th century and destroyed by an earthquake, was restored after several attempts only in 2022 and consecrated that same year on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This year marks the third anniversary of the church's re-consecration. The church began to be rebuilt in 2020 with the philanthropy of the Madoyan family.

 

The Church of the Holy Mother of God is being built in Nerkin Bazmaberd


The construction of the Central Dome Church of the Holy Mother of God began in the 1990s. The foundations of the church were consecrated by His Holiness Karekin I. Until the beginning of the 2000s, the construction of the church continued intermittently, during which time the residents of the fortress, Henzel Yeghiazaryan, Frik and Isabel Khachatryan, took care of it. Now the church is taking on its final form under the patronage of Istanbul-Armenian businessman and philanthropist Yeprem Bagheshyan.

 

On Artsakh's Independence Day, the "Call of Artsakh" memorial was consecrated and opened in Yerablur


The memorial was consecrated by Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Primate of the Artsakh Diocese. It is dedicated to the memory of those who died in the Artsakh wars. In the center of the memorial complex is the main 7-meter-high white marble monument, adjacent to which are two khachkars. The red tuff khachkar is dedicated to the memory of those who died in the explosion of a fuel depot in Stepanakert on September 25, 2023, the white marble khachkar perpetuates the memory of all the martyrs and missing persons resting in Artsakh.

 

A blessing ceremony was held at the Holy Martyrs Church in Nubarashen on the occasion of the Day of Knowledge and Education


Father Bardughimeos Hakobyan performed the blessing ceremony at the Holy Martyrs Church in Nubarashen. He reminded the students and teachers that education is not just learning literature, education is a spiritual formation. The clergyman noted that being educated means doing daily work that renews the mind and soul.

 

The court extended the detention of the participants of the sacred movement for another three months


The court granted the motions of the public prosecutors and extended the detention terms of Tigran Galstyan, Artur Sargsyan, Tigran Topalyan, Movses Sharbatyan, Igor Sargsyan, David Galstain, Mihran Makhsudyan, Hayk Shahnazaryan, Armen Aleksanyan and Karo Okumushyan for another three months. The defense lawyers qualified the motions of the public prosecutors as unfounded. The next court hearing in the case of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and the participants of the Sacred Movement will be held on August 25.

The court extended the detention of Archbishop Bagrat and the deputies participating in the movement for 3 months


The defense lawyers of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and the 17 supporters of the Holy Movement watched the court hearing from the court yard, expressing their protest against the judiciary and the presiding judge Karen Farkhoyan. The defense team reached this decision after yesterday's court hearing, when the issue of the preventive measure for Lydia Mantashyan was being examined. Yesterday, the court extended Mantashyan's detention for 3 months. Today, it has already extended the detention of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Arsen Ghazaryan, "Armenia" faction MP Artur Sargsyan and Arman Israelyan for another three months. The court has imposed house arrest on Ara Rostomyan.

The court rejected the defense attorneys' motion to change Lydia Mantashyan's preventive measure


At the second hearing of the case of Archbishop Bagrast Galstanyan and 17 supporters of the “Holy Movement,” the court examined the issue of preventive measures. The defense lawyers requested to first examine the issue of preventive measures for Lydia Mantashyan. The defense requested to change the detention to another preventive measure on bail, but the court ruled to extend Lydia Mantashyan’s detention for 3 months. At the end of the hearing, Lydia Mantashyan’s defense lawyer Tatevik Soghoyan described what happened in court as “deplorable.”

 

More than 200 children participated in a backyard spiritual camp


At the initiative of Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese, and under the sponsorship of the "Kamrjak" social-charitable NGO, a yard-spiritual journey was held at the St. Hovhannes the Evangelist Church in Artashat, in which more than 200 children aged 7-12 participated. Conversations on spiritual topics formed an important part of the campers' busy daily life.

On August 17, the Armenian Apostolic Church will celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, the Blessing of the Grapes


The feast is dedicated to the memory of the end of the earthly life of the Holy Virgin Mary and her ascension to heaven. The liturgy of the feast is followed by the blessing of grapes, and believers share the blessed harvest with each other, reliving the joy of the feast.