Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
14.09.2025
On September 14, the Armenian Apostolic Church solemnly celebrated the last of the five Lord’s feasts—the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. On this joyous and blessed day, in the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Holy and Immortal Liturgy was celebrated. The service was led by His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan, Dean of the Monasteries of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
In his sermon, Bishop Artak explained the meaning of the feast, emphasizing how important it is in today’s turbulent world to embrace one’s personal cross and, trusting in the saving cross of the crucified Christ, to follow His path.
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:24-27).
"As we see, the first condition Christ sets before a person is a sincere desire to follow Him. The Gospel itself shows that Christ never forced anyone to follow Him or to enter into the service of the Cross. Many listened to Him, but not all followed; those who made the choice became His disciples. Yet even the closest followers were never deprived of the freedom of choice," noted Bishop Artak. He affirmed that anyone who tastes the power of the Lord’s word and the joy of eternal life will never abandon the Savior.
His Grace also clarified the meaning of self-denial. He emphasized that the greatest feats, achievements, and victories are accomplished through self-denial and the subordination of one’s own "self". In Christianity, the supreme example of this is symbolized by the crucifixion on Golgotha.
"Each of our paths must pass through Golgotha so that we may grasp, to some extent, the great sacrifice Christ made for us. Golgotha may be small, yet its Light shines forth to illuminate the four corners of the earth. Golgotha is the crossroads of all the world’s paths. If the path of our life does not pass through Golgotha, we cannot know whether it may lead to hell. Golgotha is the pinnacle of struggle, self-sacrifice, and the triumph of life over death. There is no path to salvation without struggle and sacrifice," proclaimed the Bishop.
He stressed that every person has their own cross and life’s journey, full of sorrow and suffering, difficulties, and trials. He urged the faithful to embrace their cross without hesitation—Christ grants the strength to bear it, for no one is given a burden heavier than they can bear.
Finally, Bishop Artak exhorted those present to reject selfishness and vanity, to renounce greed and the deceptive pursuit of worldly pleasures dictated by the material world. He called on the faithful to take up their cross and fulfill their duty to resemble Christ, following in His footsteps to Golgotha, enduring suffering, and triumphing over death.
