Priests of the Aragatsotn Diocese performed a joint liturgy in the Mastara Church


The clergy and the faithful prayed for the vigilance of the Armenian Patriarch, the steadfastness of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the imprisoned Archbishops Mkrtich, Bagrat, Michael, and Arshak, Priest Garegin, and those unjustly imprisoned and in captivity.

On the occasion of the feast of Saint Hakob Mtsbna, his right-shaped relic was moved to Gyumri


The Armenian Church celebrated the commemoration day of Saint Hakob Mtsbna, the hermit Maruge, and Bishop Melitos. The faithful went from the yard of the Yotverk Church in Gyumri to Saint Hakob Church, where they prayed for the imprisoned Bishops Michael, Bagrat, Mkrtich, and Arshak, for the benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, for the defense of the homeland and the Church, for the Armenians held in prisons in Armenia and Baku.

Archbishop Bagrat called on citizens to go to Echmiadzin from the courtroom


At the court hearing on the Holy Struggle case, Archbishop Bagrat urged the faithful and his supporters to go to Holy Etchmiadzin, participate in the defense of the church, and express support and solidarity to the Mother See. He noted that this entire process is connected to the existence and history of the Armenian people.

 

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the commemoration day of Saint Abgar the Patriarch


On the occasion of the holiday, the clergy of the Aragatsotn and Artik dioceses and the faithful of the community visited the Yotverq Church in Gyumri. The celebrant was Father Hovhannes Torgomyan, a monk of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and spiritual director of the Izmirlian Medical Center. The faithful and the clergy prayed for the imprisoned Bishops Michael, Bagrat, Mkrtich, Arshak, benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, and all those illegally imprisoned.

 

The Director of the Research Center for the Restoration of Frescoes participated in an international workshop


Ashkhen Papoyan discussed the issues of dismantling and reinstalling frescoes in Catalonia. It was thanks to him and his team that the frescoes of the Mother Cathedral were restored years ago. In another workshop, they discussed the conservation of frescoes and needs assessment.

"Luminous Images: The Miniature Revelation of Angels" Exhibition Opens


Handwritten manuscripts, archival documents, ancient books, ribbon-shaped charms and unique manuscript compositions are presented. The ideological and iconographic axis of the exhibits is the image of angels. About 25 exclusive manuscripts have been selected for the exhibition. Both the manuscripts and other exhibits are mainly displayed for the first time.

 

Students of the Ashtarak Youth Center gave a speech on the occasion of the New Year


This year, a student of the Ashtarak Youth Center duduk group won first place in a remote competition in Spain. The students of the dhol group won 1st place in the Republican competition. There are 270 children studying in 14 different classes at the Youth Center. On the occasion of the New Year, His Holiness the Patriarch sent holiday gifts to all the students.

The feast of Saint Stephen the Forerunner was celebrated in the Azatan community


With the blessing of the Primate of the Diocese of Shirak, Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, and the Spiritual Superintendent of the Diocese, Bishop Narek Avagyan, the feast of St. Stepanos the Forerunner was celebrated in the Azatan community. The residents of the community walked with their flocks to the St. Stepanos Church, where the Holy Liturgy of the Covenant was celebrated. During the liturgies and hours in the churches of the Diocese of Shirak, prayers are always said for the clergy in prison, and especially for the Primate of the Diocese, Archbishop Mikayel.

With the assistance of the Catholicos of All Armenians, a disabled soldier will receive a prosthetic leg in India


Artashes Amiryan's legs were frostbitten during the Artsakh war at the Omar positions. Later, doctors were forced to amputate his leg. After a chance meeting with the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Mother Cathedral, His Holiness offered him to travel to India with his assistance for prosthetics. Since 2020, dozens of soldiers injured as a result of the Artsakh war have been treated and prosthetically fitted in the best medical institutions abroad, restoring their quality of life, with the direct assistance of the Patriarch of All Armenians.

Defense attorneys have requested a review of the pretrial detention of Archbishop Bagrat


The defense attorneys have requested that the court allow Archbishop Bagrat to participate in the Bishops' Assembly convened by the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Armenian Apostolic Church on December 10-12. At the same time, they have offered a bail of 3,800,000 drams. The court will consider the motion to detain the archbishop on December 9 at 3:30 p.m.
 

The book Love Stories in the Bible has been translated from German into Armenian


In order to get acquainted with the book “Love Stories in the Bible” published by the Armenian Bible Society and to talk about Christian and marital love, Father Markos Mangasaryan met with young people. The book was translated from German and is intended for reading by everyone, but especially for young couples or those who want to start a family. The book presents successful and unsuccessful love stories based on various biblical stories.

Holy Lance of Geghard brought out on the feast of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew


The feast of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew was declared the day of the vow of the First-Born Saint Geghard by the holy Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. On the occasion of the feast, a Holy and Immortal Liturgy was served in the Mother Cathedral under the presiding authority of the Patriarch of All Armenians. At the end, the Armenian Patriarch blessed the faithful with a protective prayer and the miraculous Holy Geghard. The sacred ceremony concluded with a Patriarchal hymn.