Old Pontifical Residence Reopened at the Mother See

July 2014

On June 5th, the reopening ceremony of the Old Pontifical Residence took place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The renovations to the historic building were carried out through the generous sponsorship of Mr. Berge Setrakian, President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, and his wife Mrs. Vera Setrakian.

Present at the opening ceremony were Hasmik Poghosyan, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Muradyan, Minister of Health of the Republic of Armenia, Members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, benefactors of the Old Pontifical Residence, and prominent figures from the fields of education and culture.

The ceremony was opened with the Lord’s Prayer, then a blessing was offered by the clergy, led by the Catholicos of All Armenians. At the end of the ceremony, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, extended his blessing to all those present. “Glory and thanks be to God, who has showered us generously with his favor, by means of which our Holy Church is beautified and made more splendid in its mission. We give thanks to God, that today, together with you, we are opening the doors of the Old Pontifical Residence”, said the Catholicos.

The Catholicos of All Armenians offered his blessings to the Armenian Church and to the faithful children of the nation, Mr. and Mrs. Berge and Vera Setrakian, who undertook the renovation of the Old Pontifical Residence, expressing his wish that the Heavenly Lord’s right hand remain forever upon the Setrakian family. “They too wished to leave something good by which they would be remembered in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, because Holy Etchmiadzin has been a part of their lives, and has always had an important place in their mission”, said the Catholicos of All Armenians, expressing his appreciation to the fact that the President of the AGBU, Mr. Berge Setrakian, has always attached great importance to co-operation between the AGBU and the Armenian Church, in the belief that such co-operative endeavors will strengthen national life, helping the nation-preserving mission of the Armenian Church to be carried out more effectively, especially in the Diaspora.

On the occasion of the reopening of the Old Pontifical Residence, the Catholicos of All Armenians also thanked Mr. Gagik Galstyan and the staff of the Horizon 95 Construction Company who, it was noted, have for many years provided their invaluable help in the renovation of the Mother See, and expressed his wish that they continue their good work in strengthening and beautifying our homeland.

At the end of the ceremony, the Catholicos of All Armenians beseeched the Most High that Armenia and Armenians throughout the world might live in peace, so that, with appreciation and devotion, they can bring light, joy and optimism to Armenian life in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

Then, cutting the red ribbon across the entrance to the Old Pontifical Residence, the Catholicos, together with Mr. and Mrs. Setrakian, officially opened the renovated Old Pontifical Residence, visited the rooms, and admired the ecclesiastical-ceremonial objects of high artistic value that are on display.

By the time of the reign of Catholicos Ghazar I Jahketsi (1738-1751), the Catholicos’s Residence had already been moved from the western side of the Cathedral to the upper floor of the two-story building constructed during the time of the Catholicos St. Movses III Tatevatsi (1629-1632). Until 1962, the Catholicoses of All Armenians continued to live and work in the building of the Old Pontifical Residence. In 1968, made possible by the establishment of the new Pontifical Residence, the Catholicos Vazgen I of blessed memory, with the help of national benefactor Alex Manoogian, the Old Pontifical Residence, underwent remodeling, and began to operate as a museum. After the renovation and improvements carried out to the building in 2010-14, with the blessing of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the Old Residence now hosts a series of galleries dedicated to the Catholicoses and kings of Armenia, where their art collections, treasured possessions and personal effects are on display. In the “Ornamented Hall”, the throne room decorated with paintings by the Hovnatanian family, the 400-year-old Holy Chrism is on display. Here can also be seen the historical throne of the Armenian Catholicoses, made in Madras in 1837, and the Pontifical Eagle, which belonged to the Catholicos of All Armenians Pilipos I Aghbaketsi (1632-1655). In one of the galleries are displayed the personal belongings of Komitas Vardapet; also on display are unique examples of Armenian silver and needlework, and various ceremonial objects.

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