Be the brave guardian of our spiritual and national values ​​and sanctities. Wow!

Episcopal ordination and consecration took place on May 24, during the Holy and Immortal Liturgy, in the Mother Cathedral of Miatsnaej.

By the hand of H.S.O.T.T. Karekin the Second Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians received the episcopate rank of the Bishop of Gegharkunyats Diocese. Reverend Isahak Poghosyan, Vicar of Masyatsotni Diocese, Reverend Fr. Reverend Ruben Zargaryan, Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Rev. Venerable Anania Tsaturyan and Director of the Mother See Preaching Center Hogetret Fr. Zakaria the Supreme Reverend Baghumyan.

Diocesan leaders of the Armenian Church, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, benefactors of the Mother See, public figures, pilgrims from different dioceses of Armenia arrived in St. Etchmiadzin on the occasion of sacred ceremonies.

On the previous day, in the evening of the Mother Cathedral, in front of the Holy Table of the Descent, the consecration ceremony was performed. The priests of the episcopate, kneeling and reconfirming the oath of loyalty to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Patriarch of All Armenians, signed their affidavits in the presence of the clergy.

The Holy Liturgy began with the solemn procession of the Patriarch, by which the Catholicos of All Armenians was led under the amphovani to the Mother Cathedral of Miatznaej.

Before the Holy Council, the examination of the orthodoxy of the faith of the donors was carried out at the altar of St. Stepanos Archdeacon of the Mother Cathedral. The representatives of the Armenian Church – scribes, demi-deacons, deacons, priests, bishops, as well as lay people representing the faithful people – testified before the Catholicos of All Armenians about the dignity of the priests, after which the Holy Liturgy continued in the High Altar of the Mother Cathedral.

His Holiness the Patriarch was served by the Director of the Administrative and Economic Department of the Mother See, His Grace T. Musegh Bishop Babayan and Gugarats Diocese leader His Grace Fr. Bishop Hakobyan of Hovna. The leader of the Armenian Diocese of Damascus, His Excellency Fr. Bishop Nalbandian of Armash.

During the sacred ceremony of the liturgy, under the singing of the hymn “Divine and heavenly grace”, the priests, kneeling and raising their hands, vowed again to offer their persons to the service of the Holy Apostolic Church, steadfastly following the sacred messages and the sacred canons of the Church.

After that, the leader of Artik Diocese His Eminence Bishop Narek Avagyan raised Holy Myron with a solemn procession to Holy Khora, with which His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, calling bishops Isaac, Reuben, Ananias and Zacharias to the bishopric, anointed their foreheads and the thumbs of their right hands. At the end of the ceremony, the symbols of their episcopal authority – the episcopal staff and the ring – were handed over to the newly consecrated bishops.

On the occasion of this memorable day, the Catholicos of All Armenians sent his patriarchal message to the newly-consecrated bishops and the faithful people, offering glory and thanks to God that the sacred ceremony of episcopal ordination and consecration is performed on the blessed feast of the Epiphany, when the Church and the faithful once again become communion with the council of the outpouring of the shining graces of the Holy Spirit, which began the victorious reign of the Church of Christ. to the mission.

“Beloved, today our joy is double, because four devoted, knowledgeable and diligent members of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin received episcopal ordination and consecration with the outpouring of heavenly graces.

…For centuries, by the sacred council of ordination, worthy cultivators have been ordained in the Armenian Church in order to enlighten the flock of believers entrusted to them with scriptural messages and lead them to Christ-given salvation,” said His Holiness the Patriarch, adding that bishops are the bearers and transmitters of the apostolic succession and are the guardians of the sanctity of faith, the order of the Church, and the souls of souls. the guardian, the defender of the rights of the Church and believers.

Referring to the repressions and persecutions against our country during the whirlwinds of atrocities against our country during the Genocide and the Stalinist dictatorship, His Holiness noted that after suffering many hardships, the clergy remained steadfast in their loyalty and love for Christ and, relying on God, faced all the difficulties.

“It is with pain that the ministers of the Armenian Church are being persecuted by the authorities in Armenia today, as well as imprisonment,” the Armenian Patriarch emphasized, expressing gratitude to God that the clergy in Armenia and the Diaspora are indomitable in spirit, unwavering in their loyalty to Saint Etchmiadzin and, unfaithful to their vows and vocations, zealously continue the mission of the Lord to make it a reality. visions of brightness of spiritual life, strengthening of statehood, construction and power of the motherland.

After that, the Catholicos of All Armenians, presenting the bishoprics and referring to their years of service to the church and nation, gave his blessing and best wishes to them on the occasion of episcopal ordination.

“The episcopal rank, as a high degree of priesthood, implies greater commitment and responsibility in the Church of Christ. The episcopate itself is a service cross, which the servant of the Lord undertakes by kneeling in front of the Holy Table of the Descent, in order to give his life to the service of unceasing dedication”, said His Holiness the Patriarch.

“In this difficult period, continue to encourage the children of our people to remain strong in the love of God and patriotism. Be the brave guardian of our spiritual and national values ​​and sanctities, the just rights of our country and people and our Holy Church. Guide the believers entrusted to your care to God-pleasing ways, strengthen faith, indomitable will and spirit of courage in their hearts to get our country out of this difficult situation full of dangers and trials and build a prosperous and bright future of the motherland. With your high mission, spread the Lord’s love, honesty, kindness and justice everywhere”, His Holiness said, asking that the Lord with His Holy Right will always strengthen the newly anointed and grant new successes, for the glory of God, for the love of the nation, for the building and for the brightness of our Holy Apostolic Church.

Then during the “Greeting” the present churchmen went up to the Holy Altar and, led by the Catholicos of All Armenians, congratulated the newly ordained, kissing their right hands.

At the end of the Holy Liturgy, the faithful people also congratulated the newly consecrated Bishops on the occasion of being called to the episcopate.

In the coming days, the newly consecrated bishops will offer liturgies of the covenant in the Mother Cathedral.

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