Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On August 15, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. On this festive Day, the Brotherhood of the Mother See attended the Divine Liturgy in the St. Gayane Monastery. The Celebrant was His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Secretary General of the Armenian Bible Society. In his sermon, His Eminence, reflecting on the meaning of the feast, stated in part; “Two thousand years ago, the Holy Mother of God did not leave us, but She lives in us, in all mothers, and we do not talk about the Holy Mother of God in the past, because She is with us today”. Then, reflecting on the events of the first century, His Eminence spoke about the image of the Holy Virgin Mary and Her role in the history of salvation; as well as the sacrament of the Feast of the Holy Mother of God, urged the attendees to live in the reality of the sacrament of the Feast, asking for the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary. His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik made a special reference to the mothers lost their sons, comparing their severe pains and sorrows with the sufferings of the Holy Mother of God; “There are many mothers in Armenia today, who have lost their sons like the Holy Mother of God; who have the same motherly pain as the Holy Mother of God had; for whom the Holy Mother of God can be an example to face the pain that they have in their souls and hearts today. With these thoughts, we wish that the pains, the spiritual pains of all our mothers, who have lost their sons today, be healed; may the grief of all the women who lost their husbands, be healed; and may the sorrow of all the children who lost their fathers, be healed. May the Holy Mother of God be with your sons now and always. Amen”. At the conclusion, His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik, praying to God, once again confirmed that the Holy Mother of God is alive, and She is with us. At this moment, Christ is coming to take up the Holy Mother of God into Heaven. Tomorrow, the Holy Mother of God will be with us, in our hearts. Following the Divine Liturgy, under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Moushegh Babayan, Grand Sacristan of the Mother See; the Service for the Blessing of the Grapes was offered at the St. Trdat Open Air Altar of the Mother See. At the conclusion of the Service, the blessed grapes were distributed to the faithful.