On January 27, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided over the celebration of Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Republic of Armenia Armed Forces Day.

Present for the Divine Liturgy were Colonel General Seyran Ohanyan, Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia; Lieutenant General Yury Khachaturov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Army; high ranking officers of the Armenian Army; Primates of the Armenian Church; spiritual servants and soldiers.

The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Head Chaplain of the Republic of Armenia Armed Forces.

Following the Divine Liturgy, at the Holy Altar of Descent of the Mother Cathedral, the Catholicos of All Armenians presided over the prayer "Blessing of the Republic" for the welfare and vibrancy of Armenia and the Armenian Army.

Following the prayer, a formal reception was held in the Events Auditorium of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, during which medals were bestowed. His Holiness granted the Orders of St. Nerses the Graceful of the Armenian Church to several military officers.

Under the singing of the Etchmiadzin hymn, the Pontifical Encyclical was brought in. His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Diocese of Tavush, read the Pontifical Encyclical.

During the reception, by the order of the RA Defense Minister, several clergymen were praised for the significant contribution in the spiritual and patriotic education of the servicemen and on the occasion of the establishment of the 24th anniversary of the RA Armed Forces.

His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Director of the External Relations and Protocol Department of Mother See; His Grace Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia; His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Diocese of Tavush; and His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin were granted with the order of “Andranik Ozanyan”.

Following the awards ceremony Minister of Defense Ohanyan gave remarks, stating that he considered it a great honor to be present in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin every year on the occasion of Armed Forces Day.

At the conclusion, Catholicos Karekin II conveyed his appreciation and blessings to the high-ranking officers of the RA Armed Forces and congratulated the Minister of Defense and the soldiers on the occasion of the Army Day.