Festive Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Mother Cathedral

On September 13, the festive Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—the last of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church and the principal feast dedicated to the Holy Cross—was celebrated at the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. In his sermon, the celebrant, Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, reflected on the historical origins of the Feast of the Exaltation and the life-giving power of the Cross.

In the evening, presided over by the Armenian Pontiff, the sacred relic of the Lord’s Cross—adorned with basil and flowers—was brought out of the Mother Cathedral, and the solemn ceremony of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Andastan service were performed.