Candlelight Divine Liturgy of the Holy Resurrection at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
05.04.2026
On the evening of April 4, Holy Saturday, on the occasion of the Glorious Feast of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Holy and Immortal Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Cathedral of the Descent of the Only-Begotten, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Divine Liturgy was led by His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Director of the Department of External Relations and Protocol of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Prior to the beginning of the Liturgy, the Midday Office of the Third Hour was performed, after which readings from the Holy Scriptures were proclaimed. Following this, four deacons of the Mother See read an excerpt from the Book of the Prophet Daniel.
Among those present at the sacred service were members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, benefactors of the Mother See, political and public figures, and numerous pilgrims.
In his sermon, Archbishop Nathan reflected on the mystery of Christ’s Resurrection and stated:
“The Resurrection testified that death is not the end; otherwise, how could life be exalted? Christianity teaches that the years of a person’s life are given not to be wasted, but to build the path toward eternal life… God sent His Only-Begotten Son into the world not to judge, but to save; not to punish, but to show the way of salvation.”
At the conclusion of the service, the Archbishop addressed the faithful with the wish that the light of the Lord’s Resurrection would always serve as a protection for the scattered children of our nation across the world and for our homeland, and that the spirit of the Resurrection would guide us along the path to eternal life.
“With the good news of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we lift our prayers to the Risen Savior, that He may grant all of us faith and strength, and that we may build on this earth the paradise that will become the path to eternal life for each of us,” Archbishop Nathan added.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Catholicos of All Armenians ascended the Holy Altar and, from the lamp of the Holy Table, lit the life-giving candle symbolizing the Lord Jesus Christ, which was then distributed to the faithful.
Following the sacred service, the monastic clergy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin gathered at the Patriarchal Residence, where, under the presidency of the Armenian Patriarch, the Home Blessing Service for the Feast of the Holy Resurrection was performed.
