Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On February 8, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church commemorated the feast day of St. Vardan the Warrior. On this occasion, the Brotherhood of the Mother See, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; attended the Divine Liturgy in the St. Gayane Monastery of the Mother See.

The Celebrant was Proto-Archimandrite Shahe Ananyan, Director of the Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and Director of the Inter-Church Relations Department of the Mother See.

The sacred ceremony was attended by Diocesan Primates, Brotherhood of the Mother See and many faithful Armenians.

During the Holy Service, in his sermon, Proto-Archimandrite Vardan Navasardyan spoke about the sacrament of the St. Vardan the Warrior and His Companions; specifically stating: "Dear beloved, the mention of St. Vardan the Warrior is more than relevant today, because we have been in a spiritual, educational, intellectual and military struggle for the past few years.

And that struggle does not seem to lead us to victory, but only to losses. However, it is here that the sacrament of the Vardanants comes to tell us that if our army leader is Jesus, our army is the most enlightened and the most innocent in the darkness. We can crown every struggle with success if our eyes are directed to the leader of our faith."

On behalf of the Clergy and the faithful, Proto-Archimandrite Shahe Ananyan congratulated His Holiness on the occasion of His Naming Day.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a Pontifical Prayer Service was offered under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of the Mother See.

A prayer was raised to God by the clergy and the faithful for the longevity and productive enthronement of the Pontiff of All Armenians.