Feast of Saint Hripsime and Her Companions Celebrated in the Armenian Church
On June 1, the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church commemorated the sacred feast dedicated to the everlasting memory of the martyrs St. Hripsime and her companions.
On the occasion of the feast, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; removed the sacred relics of the nun from the museum of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. An ecclesiastical procession, with members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, children from the Youth Centers, and the faithful; walked to the Monastery of Saint Hripsime. Led by the drum band of the AGBU Armenian Church Youth Centers, the relic of the Holy Right Hand was carried by His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobyan, Grant Sacristan of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, who blessed the crowds along the procession.
The procession was met in front of the St. Hripsime Monastery by 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. Matteos Poghosyan, Abbot of the Monastery of St. Hripsime.
Father Matteos delivered a sermon about the significance and mystery of the feast and noted in part, “The followers of St. Hripsime dedicated their entire life to the Lord’s love and faith, as they had a deep consciousness that Lord’s biggest reward: the spirit, is immortal, and the earthly, physical and small stage of life cannot replace the eternal and immortal. The persecution of Kings Diocletian and Trdat nor their charm and splendor of the palaces could undermine and tempt them, or block them from the path leading to God. The difficulties and trials only further strengthened the nuns”.
Father Matteos also highlighted that the martyrdom of St. Hripsime and her companion nuns is relevant today. “Today, material values play an important role, and the virtues of human values are pushed to the backdrop. The biggest problem that the Christian faces today is obeying the will of God, as Christ himself says in the Gospel”, noted Father Matteos. After the Divine Liturgy, the faithful had an opportunity to kiss and be blessed by the relics of the nun.
The festive service was attended by the Brotherhood of Mother See and pilgrims who had arrived from different dioceses.
On the occasion of the feast, the dedication of the street sign next to the St. Hripsime Monastery was held; by the decision of the Etchmiadzin City Council just days before, the street adjacent to the monastery was renamed St. Hripsime Street.
Mr. Karen Grigoryan, Mayor of Etchmiadzin, congratulated those in attendance on the occasion, stressing the importance of the opening of the street named after the saint’s in this spiritual capital of All Armenians. Rev. Fr. Mkrtich Karapetyan, co-director of the Administrative Department of the Mother See also made congratulatory remarks.
