Holy Lance ‘Geghard’ Brought to the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin for the Feast of St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew
03.12.2016
On December 3, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of the Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew. Under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother Cathedral on the Feast of the first Illuminators of the Armenian Church. The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the spiritual and educational institutions of the Mother See.
On this occasion the Holy Lance (Geghard) was taken to the Mother Cathedral, and during the celebration of Divine Liturgy, the faithful had the opportunity to kiss it and receive blessings from the miraculous Holy Lance.
On the occasion of the great and cherished feast, Bishop Gevork stated in his sermon: “Today the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church solemnly celebrates the feast of its first illuminators, the founding fathers of the Armenian faith, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew.
This day has national significance and a lesson, which marks the beginning of the Christian history of our people; a history that continues to be a source of admiration and inspiration for all the Christian nations of the world. I strongly believe that one of the main reasons for this respect is that this history makes a very important revelation for every Christian relating to spiritual life: it teaches us that faith requires faithfulness. In this sense, the mystery of the day not only gives us an opportunity to renew our covenant facing the words of the holy apostles, but also reflects on the divine grace, through which the cherished work of the spiritual life was assigned to the two witnesses of our Lord, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, whose immortal memory is exalted by the Mother Church, inviting her sons to be involved in this joyous feast”.
Introducing the preaching of the apostles and referring to the virtuous character of the first illuminators, Bishop Gevork added: “Dear Ones, St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew's testimony does not only have historical significance for us, in that it testifies the Apostolic origin of the Armenian Church, but it is more noted as the beginning of a spiritual event, which also marks the birth of the Christian spirit in human life. This spirit is best expressed through the pure protection of the knowledge that was bequeathed to the Armenian world by the two Apostles in the doctrine of Christ. The vivid manifestation is the numerous trials which had been overcome throughout history, which did not succeed in removing us from our Christian identity. And it is here that the spiritual-genetic line becomes visible, through which the Christian Armenian nation is directly connected to the mission of the founders of our faith. Next to other Christian people of the world, only do the Armenians so powerfully emphasize the source of their spiritual heritage. And we do not do this because of pride or to show that we are old, but we do this from spiritual responsibility in opposition to the enemies of the Armenian faith”.
Bishop Gevork also spoke about the phenomenon of bringing the Holy lance and stated: “This sacred relic has great importance not only for the Armenian people but also for the entire Christian world: every year pilgrims from the four corners of the world visit our country to venerate it. For us, it is not only the symbol of apostolic origin of the Armenian faith, but also the highest manifestation of the divine mercy in the life of the people, as the Providence has chosen the Armenian nation to preserve one of the greatest treasures of the Christian faith, the Holy Lance, which traces back to the life-giving blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And it is natural that our people, who with their own hands touched the Holy Lance which pierced our Lord, should not shrink away from facing the severe trials of history, and like the Apostle Paul, who also repeatedly and adamantly looked into the eyes of death and said: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). Dear brothers and sisters, the power of our spirit is in our loyalty to our heritage: we always emerged from the trials victorious and stayed faithful to our Church. Let us today use the opportunity given us, renew our covenant facing the words of the first Armenian illuminators by venerating the Holy Lance, and be worthy to be called the living witnesses of our Holy Apostolic Faith”.
At the conclusion, on the occasion of the feast, Bishop Gevork, on behalf of the Brotherhood and staff of the Mother See and the faithful congratulated His Holiness and wished that God always keeps the staff of His Holiness ornate and rekindle the fire of the apostolic faith in the hearts of all Armenians, for the welfare and vibrancy of the Armenian Church and the Armenian nation.
The Divine Liturgy was attended by diocesan primates; bishops of the Mother See; Brotherhood members of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and numerous pilgrims. Following the Divine Liturgy, the Catholicos of All Armenians blessed the faithful with the Holy lance. The Holy Lance ‘Geghard’ was kept in the Mother Cathedral until the end of the Evening Service.
