Divine Liturgy Celebrated on the Feast of St. Vartan the Warrior and His Companions

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – March 2017

On 23 February 2017, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of St. Vartan the Warrior and His Companions. In observance of the feast, under the presidency of the Pontiff of All Armenians, Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. In attendance were members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin; His Eminence Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, member of the St. James Brotherhood of Jerusalem; members of the Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople- His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, Vicar of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, His Eminence Archbishop Karekin Bekchian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Germany and His Grace Bishop Sahak Mashalian, Chairman of the Patriarchate Religious Council; Diocesan leaders; Bishops of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, seminarians of the Gevorgian Theological Seminary and faithful pilgrims.

The celebrant for the Liturgy was His Grace Bishop Vardan Navasradyan, Director of the Christian Education Center of Mother See.

In his sermon, His Grace reflected on the sacred service of St. Vartan and His companions, and the historical significance of the event. He stated in part: “Through the ages, the Vartanants battle has become a true source of inspiration of victory and martyrdom. Cross or sword: the witnesses of the Divine Liturgy heard the divine message from the priest. Military, Prince, simple villager, and clergy decided to reaffirm their choice and and consider only the interests of our Lord Jesus Christ in their own lives.

It seems that it’s noted as a military war, which today we celebrate together but it was not merely military. If it were only military, it could not inspire Armenians over the centuries. It was a battle for the defense of the Christian faith, spiritual values, family and homeland.

For us the saying “For the sake of the nation and faith”, does not only belong to the Vardanants War: it began from there. The seeds of the doctrine of Christ’s love were sown in Armenia by the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. And in the middle of the 5th century, the seeds of Christianity in the Armenian spiritual garden, which had already become fertile and grown, was confirmed by the testimony of blood and privatized all which are the sense, consciousness, faith, values of the Armenians, and today thank God, also the physical Homeland”.

Bishop Vardan highlighted in his remarks that the St. Vardanants war was a war of soul and body, spiritual and material values.

“The brave ones did not only become heroes there: they were sanctified, because they believed that the supreme benefit in their life was our Lord Jesus Christ. They walked towards the conscious death. This was their greatest feat for the Christian religion.

… Today, we as the successors of the defense warriors of the nation, culture, family and church, have a duty to implement their immortal dreams through living, believing and winning. This is the message of the Vartanants wonderment: a message which dictates loyalty and confidence in our minds and souls. This is the same wonder that over the centuries inspired and lead the Armenian people to victory”, said Bishop Vardan.

At the end of the sermon, on behalf of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, Bishop Vardan congratulated the Pontiff of All Armenians on the occasion of His Naming Day.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, offered a Pontifical Prayer before the Holy Altar of Descent.

The Clergy and the faithful raised their prayers to God asking for vibrancy for the Catholicosate and for the strength and good health of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and a peaceful and successful Pontificate.

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