On June 11, 2016, on the occasion of the Commemoration Day of the discovery of the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Surb Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God) in the village of Shahumyan in Marneul region of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

The liturgy was attended by local inhabitants, pilgrims from Tbilisi, the Hayartun Center’s creative groups and solo performers.

During the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant, Rev. Father Virap Ghazaryan offered a homily about the message of day - the Commemoration Day of the discovery of the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, which is one of the three significant feast days dedicated to the memory of the Patron Saint of Armenia. The relics of the first Catholicos of All Armenians are one of our most revered within the Armenian Church, as well as all Christian Churches. The Right Hand of the Saint, preserved in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, is one of the most important sanctities of the Armenian Church, and is used by the Catholicos of All Armenians during the blessing of the Holy Chrism (Muron).

Rev. Father welcomed the presence of four zealous Acolytes from Armenia who had made a pilgrimage to the Surb Astvatsatsin Church (Holy Mother of God) in the village of Shahumyan, and called upon local Armenian youth following the example of aforementioned Acolytes face toward the Mother Church and to be zealous masters and servants of the Armenian Church.

Following the Divine Liturgy, on the occasion of the Commemoration Day of the discovery of the relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, in the church courtyard a festive concert organized by the Hayartun Centre was held.

The Director of the Hayartun Centre at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan, awarded the Certificate of Honor of the RA Ministry of Diaspora to Julietta Saghatelyan, a teacher at the local 1 Public School (the School Principal, Artyush Urumyan), Aelita Hovakimyan, Varsik Gevorkyan and Emma Chobanyan, the teachers at the local 3 Public School (the School Principal, Aida Azatyan), for contribution to the sphere of education and discipline of the young generation of Armenians.

Rev. Father Virap Ghazaryan and the Founder of the Peace Foundation, Giorgi Tumasyan, offered opening remarks. They called upon local residents to be united, join forces to overcome difficulties, to be more active and show readiness.

Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, transmitted to the people present the blessing and love from the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. Father Khoren encouraged local inhabitants to remain loyal to the Christian Faith and to return to our roots.

Later, Suren Abramyan, Choreographer of the Taron Dance Group, presented the concert program, which included enchanting melodies played on duduk and dhol, delightful songs performed by Genrikh Petrosyan and Ruzanna Mikaelyan, inspiring dances performed by the dance group.

The residents of the village of Shahumyan stayed until the end of the concert despite incessant rain. At the end of the event, local inhabitants joined in the circle dance with the Hayartun Center’s dance group.