Easter Tide Pilgrimages in Armenia

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

With the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Christian Education Center of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin initiated a pilgrimage program to the historical churches and monasteries of Armenia. The pilgrimages will take place during Eastertide, the 50 day period between the Feast of the Holy Resurrection and Pentecost. Public education teachers of Armenian Church History from the regions of Armenia are participating in the program.

During the pilgrimage, the teachers will have an opportunity to learn the history of each of the sanctuaries, which are the ancient historical-cultural centers of Armenia, and renew their oath of devotion in joint prayer. The teachers of the Shirak region participated in the first pilgrimage, travelling to the Armenian border across from the ruins of the historical city of Ani, which in the 10th and 11th centuries was the capital of Armenia and known throughout the world as the “city of a 1001 churches”. Standing along the edge of a river gorge, the teachers were able to have a view of the remains of the Mother Cathedral of Ani and the scattered ruins of the remaining churches.

The pilgrims then visited the ruins of the Church of Yereruyk in Shirak and participated in the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Rev. Fr. Vardan Navasardian, Director of the Christian Education Center of the Mother See.

Rev. Fr. Koryun Arakelian, Abbot of the Harijavank Monastery and Rev. Fr. Husik Grigorian, parish priest of the local region participated in the service.

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