The Feast of the Holy Cross of Varague is one of the most special and beloved feasts. The Armenian Apostolic Church, in difference to the other Christian Churches, celebrates another purely national feast dedicated to the Holy Cross, which is famous as the Holy Cross of Varague. This year the feast happened to fall on September 25.

Early in the morning, on September 25, 2016, a group of faithful of Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi, led by Rev. Father Manuk Zeynalyan, upon receiving the blessing and good wishes of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, made a pilgrimage to Nor Varagavank Monastery of the Primacy of Tavush Patriarchal Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church (the Republic of Armenia).

The Armenian pilgrims of Tbilisi together with hundreds of pilgrims from different cities and regions attended the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varague. The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Primate of the Diocese of Tavush.

During the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant Bishop, in his sermon, spoke on the message of the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varague, highlighting the reverence, love and respect of the faithful for the relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross that brings salvation to everyone. The Primate conveyed his blessings and greetings to the pilgrims from different dioceses, extending his kind words of gratitude to the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Diocesan Primate and the pilgrims from Tbilisi.

Later, the relic of the Lord’s Wooden Cross was brought in, which had been brought from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and had visited all the cities and regions of the Diocese of Tavush.

During the Divine Liturgy the Armenian faithful of Tbilisi could approach the Cross and kiss it. The faithful of the Saint Etchmiadzin Church returned to Tbilisi spiritually reborn late at night.