Prayer For The Republic Was Offered At The Mother See Of Holy Etchmiadzin

On March 28, on the Commemoration day of St. Gregory the Illuminator's tortures and commitment to the pit, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Prayer for the Republic was offered at the St. Trdat Open Air Altar at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; for our Homeland and our nation.

On this occasion, one of the greatest sanctities of the Armenian Church, the Holy Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator, Holy Father of our faith; was brought out. During the Service, the Catholicos of All Armenians, blessed the Armenian world and our nation with the Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator, asking the intercession of our tortured Pontiff that Heavenly Lord support and assist to  overcome the pandemic that the world and our nation faces.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Pontiff of All Armenians conveyed His massage to All Armenians, once again blessing our people all over the world with the Holy Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator and the “Protector” prayer.

Message of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians 

On The Commemoration Day Of St. Gregory The Illuminator's Torture And Commitment To The Pit On The Occasion Of The Prayer To Republic

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“My power and glory are from God,

My assistant is God,

And my hope is on God”

(Psalm 61:8)

Dear Faithful,

Today is the Commemoration Day of St. Gregory the Illuminator's torture and Commitment to the pit. On this occasion, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the blessings spread from the sacred relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, we offered prayer up to Almighty God, asking His alms and blessings for our people spread all over the world and for the whole world. The behavior and sufferings of St. Gregory the Illuminator are the testimonies of his powerful faith and undoubting hope towards the Lord. Being in many tortures and sufferings, he stayed strong in his will to trust in God, praying with the words of the psalmist: “My power and glory are from God, my assistant is God, and my hope is on God” (Psalm 61:8).

Indeed, my dears, the path of deeds of our Patriarch Illuminator has became an encouraging example of godliness, patience and courage for my God-loving nation: qualities that are vital at all times, particularly in these difficult days, when our people, together with the whole of mankind, are struggling to overcome the pandemic. Through the powerful faith of the Armenian Second Illuminator St. Gregory, our people became worthy of the luminous descent of the Risen Savior in the native land. With the whole nation, we believed in the only true God, His only Begotten Son and mission of salvation. Anchored on the victorious Resurrection of Christ, life shone in the Armenian world, and faith became the life-giving power for our people, through which we built our golden age, the high values of our schooling and culture, faced the disasters of history, survived the Armenian Genocide, and re-established our independent statehood.

Our Beloved sons, today, the ordeal of the pandemic troubles our and the world’s life, the Holy Father of our Faith also is conveying a message via the example of his life, to trust in God, accept His power and make faith the path of life. Really, he who believes and trusts in God is not afraid of or distracted by the strong stormy waves of hardship, and as an established house on a rock, which cannot be destroyed, stays strong and constant, as its anchor is the hope of God, as the Apostle says, “May we have constant consolation: we, that have found a shelter to hold onto in the coming hope, which is a constant and fixed anchor for us” (Hebrews 6:18-19).

Dear ones, at this prayerful moment, on behalf of All Armenians, also having our sons in need of recovery in our heart, we kneeled down before the Holy Right Hand of St. Gregory the Illuminator, and conveyed our Pontifical Blessings to you so that you may become strong with faith, love and hope, stay patient and make these days of trial an opportunity to think about the importance of life and spiritual values, care towards one another, as well as, about overcoming the challenges facing our country and our people and further implementations.

In this situation, we are all called to strictly follow the instructions of the state authorities, show maximum alertness and attentiveness, in order not to cause the spread of the virus and endanger our, our relatives’ and our compatriots’ health.

Now, we invite you to join our request to God with your heartfelt prayer and ask the Lord’s auspices and protection for the whole world and our sons in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.