On September 27, 2015 the Blessing of the Holy Chrism was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Thousands of dedicated Armenians from all parts of the world came to take part in the sacred ceremony. The Armenian community in Georgia which has had strong links to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for centuries , represented by about 350 believers from Tbilisi, Akhaltsikhe, Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, Batumi and other areas of Georgia with large Armenian populations, led by their spiritual shepherds participated to the Blessing of the Holy Chrism.

The group of pilgrims headed by Rev. Fr. Ghevond Topshyan from Akhaltsikhe’s St. Grigor Lusavorich Church (Saint Gregory the Illuminator) began the pilgrimage with the visit to the Odzun Church in the Lori region, where Father offered the Divine Liturgy.

Another group of pilgrims led by Fathers Tatev Marukyan and Yeghishe Harutyunyan made its way to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin after the prayer in Akhalkalaki’s Surb Khach Church (Saint Cross). Their first step was at the St. Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God) in the city of Gyumri, which is also known as “Yotverk” (“Seven Wounds”). The pilgrims then visited the Harichavank and the Surb Khach Church in Aparan.

The pilgrims from Arakova began their pilgrimage from the Yotverk Church in Gyumri under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Tadeos Mkrtchyan and headed for the St. Stepanos church in the village of Azatani and the Khor Virap Monastery.

The congregation of the Ninotsminda St. Sargis church visited St. Mesrop Mashtots Church in Oshakan, led by Rev. Fr. Armash Poghosyan.

The pilgrimage of Armenian believers from Tbilisi began on September 26, under the leadership of Fathers Narek Ghushchyan and Manuk Zeinalyan. The first visit was to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex paying tribute to the memory of innocent victims. With the blessings from the spiritual shepherd of Marneuli and nearby Armenian communities, Archimandrite (Vardapet) Khoren Hovhannisyan, they prayed for the souls of the Armenian Genocide martyrs.

The pilgrims attended the opening of the “ARMENIAN ARTISTS OF GEORGIA AT SAINT ETCHMIADZIN” Exhibition in the city of Vagharshapat dedicated to the Blessing of the Holy Chrism, held in the Cultural Center named after Komitas and took part in the treat organized by the Mayor of Vagharshapat, Karen Grigoryan especially for the pilgrims from Tbilisi.

A group of Armenian believers gathered in the courtyard of the Armenian Church in Tbilisi and headed to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Narek Ghushchyan. Among the pilgrims from Georgia was the spiritual shepherd of Marneuli and nearby Armenian communities, Archimandrite (Vardapet) Khoren Hovhannisyan.

At the invitation of Rev. Fr. Manuk Zeynalyan and his relatives and villagers, and with the support of the “Jazzve” company, the pilgrims spent the night in the Lukashin village, Armavir.

On September 27, about 350 pilgrims from Tbilisi, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Batumi and other locations, accompanied by their spiritual shepherds and lead by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, attended the Sunday Divine Liturgy offered by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and received the Holy Communion.

The Armenian pilgrims from Georgia participated in a banquet organized by the Deputy-Mayor of Vagharshapat, Norik Mirzakhanyan.

The Blessing of the Holy Chrism which is held once every 7 years according to the Armenian Church Regulations, this year was dedicated to the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide and was offered by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The sacred ceremony was attended by the President Serzh Sargsyan and his wife and by delegations from different countries, including the delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Holy Church. Among the guests from Georgia were Georgian MP Ruslan Poghosyan, the “Vrastan” (“Georgia”) Newspaper Editor, Van Baiburtyan, poetess and translator Anahit Bostanjyan, community officials and many believers.

The pilgrimage of the of Armenian believers from Georgia to the Holy Etchmiadzin ended with rich impressions received from the Blessing of the Holy Chrism ceremony .

The Armenian believers of Tbilisi express their gratitude to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Reverend Fathers Manuk Zeynalyan and Narek Ghushchyan, the Mayor of the city of Vagharshapat, Karen Grigoryan, Deputy Mayor Norik Mirzakhanyan, and to the “Jazzve” company and all other benefactors for initiating and supporting the pilgrimage.