Feast Day of St. Hripsime

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On May 31 the Holy Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the feast day of St. Hripsime the martyr.

On this festive day a pilgrimage was made to the Monastery of St. Hripsime from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. In accordance with tradition, the reliquary of the Right Hand of the Holy Virgin Hripsime was taken by ecclesiastical procession to the monastery.

The procession comprised of 95 Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin (many who have traveled to the Mother See to participate in a Conference), Diocesan Primates, students of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, and youth from the Etchmiadzin Church Youth Center, walked through the main streets of Vagharshapat from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the Monastery of St. Hripsime, inspiring the residents.

During the procession, the faithful who had lined the streets, were blessed with the relic of the martyred virgin, which was at various times carried by His Holiness Karekin II, Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian and Bishop Artak Tigranian .

Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Monastery of St. Hripsime, where many faithful from different communities had gathered to commemorate the occasion. The celebrant of the Liturgy was Rev. Fr. Mateos Poghosian, the abbot of the Monastery of St. Hripsime.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy the service of the blessing of the four corners of the world (Andastan) was held. Following the services, pupils from the Etchmiadzin Youth center put on a small performance in honor of the occasion.

Source: