The Armenian Diocese in Georgia has celebrated the first major feast of 2016, the Feast of Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. On the evening of January 5th, a Candlelight Divine Liturgy was held in all the churches of the Diocese. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Armenian churches of Tbilisi, Batumi, Javakheti, the celebrant priests spoke a sermon about the message of the day during the church services. Following the conclusion of the Liturgy, the assembled faithful took lit candles and lamps home symbolizing the divine light and the blessing of the Church.

On January 6 from the early morning festive mood prevailed everywhere. The festive Holy Mass was solemnly celebrated in all the churches of the Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The Very Rev. Fr. Babken Salbiyan, the Prelate of Samtskhe-Javakheti and Tsalka's General Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, conducted the Divine Liturgy at Akhalkalaki’s Surb Khach (St. Cross) Church.

Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the crowded with faithful Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) in Batumi. It was attended by Batumi Mayor Giorgi Yermakov, Head of Protocol Government Administration at the Government of Autonomous Republic of Ajara, Irakli Beridze, an employee Maxim Dumbadze, who congratulated the parish on the Feast of Nativity.

Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, Pastor of Kvemo Kartli region at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia presided over the "Blessing of Water" ceremony in the Armenian communities.

Festive mood prevailed in crowded with believers Saint Gevorg and Saint Etchmiadzin Churches of Tbilisi. The Divine Liturgy was held by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan in Saint Gevorg Church. Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli, Deputy Minister Besarion Loladze, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Nika Agladze, the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia, Sozar Subari, the Head of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Zaza Vashakmadze, the Advisor of the President for Minority Issues, Sopio Shamanidi, Coordinator of the Ethnic Council at the Public Defender's Office, Koba Chopliani, Georgian MPs Ruslan Poghosyan and Sergo Ratiani, Mufti of the Georgian Muslims Yasin Aliyev, political and public figures, the leaders of Armenian NGOs and faithful attended the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Feast of the Nativity.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RA to Georgia, Mr. Yuri Vardanyan, and his wife honored the ceremony with their presence.  Diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia were also in attendance.

During the Divine Liturgy the leader of the Armenian Diocese read the Message of His Holiness, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy under the leadership of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan the ceremony of the Jurorhnek, or the "Blessing of Water" was held.

Following church services, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia wished the audience a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, expressed his gratitude to the Georgian government representatives and thanked them for their congratulations to the parish in connection with the Feast of the Nativity. His Grace referred to the relations of two Christian nations, sharing the same culture, the same creed, and to the amity of Armenian and Georgian Churches. The Bishop greeted Mufti of the Georgian Muslims Yasin Aliyev, whose presence on the ceremony was the manifestation of multireligious cooperation and tolerance in Georgia.

Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli on behalf of the Georgian authorities addressed the Armenian faithful and congratulated them on the occasion of the Feast the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Festival of Traditional Armenian Sweet Pastry – Gata at the Hayartun Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, organized by the Association of Armenian Women in Georgia “Shushanik”, was held the same day.

Georgian mass media covered the celebration of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.