Feast Of The Exaltation Of The Holy Cross Celebrated In Ararat Home

On Thursday, September 12, 2019, with the blessing of the Diocesan Primate and the participation of the Diocesan clergy, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the chapel of Ararat Home in Mission Hills on the occasion of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

In the service presided by the Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the day’s celebrant was the Rev. Fr. Yeremia Khachatryan. The residents, staff and dozens of believers participated in the service. The Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian, Archpriest Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian, Archpriest Fr. Hovsep Hagopian, Archpriest Fr. Manoug Markarian, Archpriest Fr. Shnork Demirjian, the Rev. Fr. Yeghia Isayan, the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan, the Rev. Fr. Serovbe Alanjian and Dn. Serop Isakhanyan participated in the service.

In recognition of the Rev. Fr. Yeremia Khachatryan’s 20^th anniversary of ordination into the priesthood, the Pontifical Encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, was read by the Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian during the service. In his message of blessing and commendation, the Catholicos of All Armenians also bestowed upon the priest the privilege to be vested with a floral cloak.

Fr. Yeremia expressed his wholehearted gratitude to His Holiness, the Diocesan Primate, his fellow brothers in Christ and to the faithful for the honor bestowed upon him and vowed to serve with a renewed sense of zeal and dedication.

On the auspicious occasion, heartfelt remarks and words of appreciation were addressed to Fr. Yeremia Khachatryan by Mr. Derik Ghookasian, Chief Operating Officer of Ararat Home and Vice-Chair of the Diocesan Council. 

In his sermon, Archbishop Derderian encouraged the faithful to be led by the power of the Holy Cross, for the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ symbolizes His Victorious Resurrection, the essence of the Christian Faith.

Prior to the conclusion of the service, the clergy participated in the traditional rite of the Blessing of Basil leaves.

On the blessed occasion, the clergy distributed Holy Communion to the faithful.