On March 31, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ with great solemnity throughout the world. In Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, celebrated a Pontifical Divine Liturgy in the Mother Cathedral.
The Pontifical Mass was attended by President Serzh Sargsyan, Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the President of the Constitutional Court Gagik Harutyunyan, as well as Members of Parliament, members of the Government, the Supreme Spiritual Council members, representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia, Education and Culture many pilgrims and the faithful.
The canopy bearers during the Pontifical procession were Kamo Hovhannisyan, Director of the Spendiaryan State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet; Shavarsh Kocharian, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia; Harutyun Khachaduryan, Director of the “Golden Apricot” Yerevan International Film Festival; and Armen Mouradian, Executive Director of the Izmirlian Foundation.
Assisting His Holiness at the Holy Altar were His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hakobian; Grand Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; and His Grace, Bishop Mushegh Babayan, Operations Director of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
During the service, His Holiness addressed his message to faithful Armenians throughout the world on the occasion of Holy Easter offering his Pontifical blessings and proclaiming the good news, “Christ is Risen from the dead! Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.”
