Re-consecration of the Church of St. Mary of Sardarapat

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On November 1, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by the Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, left for Sardarapat village in the Diocese of Armavir to offer the re-consecration service for the Church of St. Mary (Asdvadzadzin). On the occasion of this joyous occasion, Mr. Hovik Abrahamian, President of the Republic of Armenia National Assembly, Mr. Armen Gevorgian, Deputy Prime Minister of the National Assembly and National Assembly deputies attended the service in Sardarapat.

The Church of St. Mary was built in the 19th century and has been reconstructed and renovated through the benefaction of Mr. Nahapet Gevorgian, Deputy of the RA National Assembly, who was born in Sardarapat.

The Armenian Pontiff and President of the National Assembly were greeted upon their arrival to Sardarapat with the traditional welcome of bread and salt.
The marvelous basilica Church of St. Mary which hasn’t been in operations since the times of the rule of atheist communism, was re-consecrated with great solemnity.

Present for the ceremony were His Eminence Archbishop Grigoris Buniatian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Ukraine, His Grace Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, His Grace Bishop Sion Adamian, Primate of the Diocese of Armavir, His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstian, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Canada and His Grace Bishop Ararat Galtakjian.

The Pontiff of All Armenians consecrated the Holy Altar, after which he congratulated the people in attendance and expressed his appreciation to Mr. Nahapet Gevorgian, benefactor of the Church, reflecting on his important contribution to Church-building endeavors. As a sign of gratitude, the Armenian Pontiff granted Mr. and Mrs. Gevorgian with the Medal of St. Gregory the Illuminator of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The Pontifical Encyclical was read by His Grace Bishop Nathan Hovhannisian, which stated in part, “With distinguished dedication to support the activities of the Armavir Diocese, you have taken the responsibility to reconstruct and renovate the Church of St. Asdvadzadzin, highly contributing to the revival of the spiritual life of the village and its environs. It is a great joy for us; due to your benefaction, that under the dome of this renovated sanctuary, the Armenian faithful will send their prayers of glory to God and receive the heavenly gifts from Him”.

At the conclusion of the service there was a public celebration in honor of the occasion.

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