Washing of the Feet Service at the Mother See
17.04.2025
On April 17, Maundy Thursday, under the auspices of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Washing of the Feet service was solemnly celebrated at the Mother Cathedral of the Descent of the Only-Begotten.
During the sacred ceremony, following readings from Holy Scripture, His Holiness blessed the water and oil placed upon the Holy Altar. Then, following the example of the Only-Begotten Son, and accompanied by the chanting of hymns, His Holiness knelt to wash and anoint with oil the feet of members of the monastic clergy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and lay faithful: His Grace Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan; the Reverend Father Hieromonk Mashtots Mkhitaryan; the Honored Deacon Arman Manukyan; students of the Gevorgian Theological Seminary — Deacon Davit Ghambaryan and Psalmist Armen Grigoryan; students of the Faculty of Theology of the Yerevan State University — Davit Grigoryan and Artur Manukyan; conscript soldiers of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia — Khachik Minasyan and Gor Gevorgyan; pupils of the Eurnekian Secondary School — Hambardzum Khanzadyan and Mher Avagyan; and children Ohan Ohanyan, Spartak Gasparyan, Davit and Tigran Petrosyans. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Catholicos of All Armenians offered the Protecting prayer over the devout faithful gathered, after which the blessed oil was distributed among the congregation.
