PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
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PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
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HIS HOLINESS ARAM I BLESSES WITH THE RELIC OF THE RIGHT HAND OF SAINT
GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR THOUSANDS OF PILGRIMS AT THE CATHOLICOSATE OF
CILICIA
The feast of the entrance of St. Gregory the Illuminator to Khor Virab (the
‘deep well’) is also a time of pilgrimage to the St. Gregory the Illuminator
Cathedral at the Catholicosate of Cilicia. St Thaddeus and Bartholomew are
the founders of the Armenian Church. St. Gregory played a leading role in
the conversion of Armenia as a state to Christianity. He organized the
Armenian Church by making it a central reality in the life of the nation.
On Friday, on the eve of the feast, His Holiness Aram I shared with the
pilgrims the mission of the great saint to the Armenian people, and invited
them to follow his path with renewed faith.
On Sunday, Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Prelate of Tehran celebrated the
Holy Liturgy. The theme of his sermon was, “Vartabed Gregory, the true
witness of the Confessing Church of Jesus Christ, through your martyrdom you
imitated the sufferings of our Lord for the Glory of His Church.” He then
concluded, “Throughout our history, particularly during and after the
Genocide, the Catholicosate served our people with the same determination.”
After liturgy, His Holiness carrying the relic of the Great Saint and the
clergy of other relics, accompanied by the people, walked around the
monastery in procession. Upon their return to the Cathedral, His Holiness
Aram I blessed the water with the relic of St. Gregory the illuminator and
prayed with the words of his own prayer:
“We, the pilgrims gathered at the Catholicosate of Cilicia, we besiege you
with our prayers Great companion of our journey of faith.
You, who were nourished by the Truth of the Gospel and sparked by the love
of Christ, pledged to serve the Son of God by shepherding the Armenian
nation.
Your life in Christ, and encounter with Him in the Holy Eurcharist, you had
a foretaste of the life to come, and taught it to us through your witness.
The Apostle of the faith of the Armenian people, guard and protect us
through your deep faith.
Destroy all evil surrounding us and lead us to the eternal fountain of
heavenly gifts and righteousness.
The second light-bearer of our faith, fuel our minds, hearts and souls with
your light. Lead our earthly lives with the promise of ‘life in its fullness’,
and strengthen us in the hope of eternal life.
St. Gregory the Illuminator, the great founder of our Church, bless our
people in Armenia and the Diaspora, with the relic of your Right Hand.
Bless the pilgrims in this Cathedral today,
Forgive us our sins, and clean us from our spiritual and bodily bad-habits,
Heal the sick,
Enlighten our dark paths and pour your heavenly blessings upon our people,
on our families and our Big family.
Lead us all as a nation to your Glory, to the glory of the Church of Christ
and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.”
At the end of the water blessing ceremony, the relic of the Great Saint of
the Armenian nation remained on the Alter of the Cathedral for the pilgrims
to offer their prayers.
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