Feast of Saint Gayane and Her Companions Celebrated in the Armenian Church

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – June 2017

On June 13, the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church commemorated the sacred feast dedicated to the memory of St. Gayane and her companion nuns.

The ecclesiastical procession walked to the Monastery of Saint Gayane, led by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; who blessed the crowds along the procession. His Holiness conveyed the Holy Relic to His Grace Bishop Abgar Hovakimyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada.

The procession was met in front of the St. Gayane Monastery by numerous pilgrims, clergy and His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan, Dean of the Monasteries of the Mother See.

On the occasion of the feast, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Koryun Arakelyan, Abbot of the Monastery of St. Gayane.

Father Koryun delivered a sermon about the significance and mystery of the feast and noted in part, “They were the devoted persons who loved the Lord, those who did not spare their lives for the sake of God, our father’s land and formation of our Church”. Father Koryun specifically referred to the brave spirit and unwavering faith of the nuns. Urging the crowd to follow the example of the Holy virgins and be guided by the same spirit in their life, he stated, “Today we also are gathered here, and need to be strengthened with the same spirit. We need to deliver to our sincere words of the heart to the Almighty, asking of the Lord that in these places of the martyrdom of our virgins, again and again flourish and prosper the monastic brotherhoods…”.

Father Koryun urged the faithful to prayerfully ask for the intercession of St. Gayane for the native country of Armenia, the Armenian people and the Armenian Church.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan presided over the blessing of the faithful and blessing of the four corners of the world (Andastan) service. Then, on the occasion of the feast, the students of the Hrach and Suzanne Toufayan Youth Center performed national songs.

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