Feast of the Holy Virgins of Hripsime Celebrated
16.06.2025
On June 16, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Virgins of Hripsime. On this day, the faithful also make a pilgrimage to the St. Hripsime Monastery.
In the morning, a procession of clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, accompanied by the faithful and the drumbeats of the students of the Etchmiadzin Youth Center, made its way to the St. Hripsime Monastery, carrying the sacred relics of the Virgin Hripsime.
In the morning, a solemn procession of clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, joined by the faithful and the resonant drumbeats of the Hayordeats Etchmiadzin Youth Center’s pupils, set forth to the St. Hripsime Monastery, bearing the sacred relics of the holy Virgin Hripsime.
In front of the Arch of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Catholicos of All Armenians blessed the clergy and the pious faithful with the Holy Right Hand and then entrusted it to the Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Reverend Father Archimandrite Anania Tsaturyan.
At the entrance of the St. Hripsime Monastery, the procession was received by the monastery’s clergy and numerous pilgrims who had come from various regions, led by Reverend Bishop Artak Tigranyan, Inspector of the Monasteries of the Mother See.
On this joyful occasion, the Divine and Immortal Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Hripsime Monastery. The celebrant was the Reverend Father Archimandrite Shnorhk Tonikyan, a member of the Monastic Clergy of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Members of the Monastic Congregation of the Mother See and many faithful pilgrims attended the sacred liturgy.
In his homily, the Reverend Father, reflecting on the meaning of the day, urged the faithful to follow the example of the Holy Virgins, Sts. Hripsimiank, who, with hope and trust in God, overcame all the temptations and trials of earthly life and even death itself, remaining faithful to their Christian vow.
In conclusion, Father Shnorhk encouraged the faithful to seek the saint’s intercession in their prayers, to be strengthened and steadfast in faith, and always keep the Armenian churches flourishing and unshaken.
At the close of the liturgy, under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Artak Tigranyan, the Antasdan (Blessing of the Four Corners of the World) service was performed with the saint’s Right Hand reliquary.
