The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church commemorates the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste on the fourth Saturday of Great Lent.

On March 25, 2017, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan presided over the Divine Liturgy held in memory of the Forty Holy Martyrs in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church, located in Avlabari, Tbilisi. In attendance were the students of the St. Movses Khorenatsi Preschool and the St. Gregory of Narek Saturday School, together with their parents and teachers, as well as many faithful.

During the Divine Liturgy, Rev. Father Virap Ghazaryan delivered a homily on the mystery of the feast, he recalled the Forty Holy Martyrs, the young soldiers who martyred for their Christian faith in the beginning of the 4th century. They were Christians from various towns and cities of Lesser Armenia and served as soldiers in the royal regiment of Sebastia. Forty of the soldiers remained steadfast in their faith, bravely defying the threat to the Christian faith, became martyrs, succeeded in staying true to their faith.

The martyrs’ relicts are kept in Sebastia, where a church consisting of forty domes dedicated to the Forty Holy Martyrs later was built. The church turned into ruins after Timur Lang’s invasion.

A table, decorated with 40 candles during the service, was symbolizing the faithfulness of the witnesses to Christianity and their “crown” of martyrdom. One candle of a martyr, who could not bear suffering, was left without a flower, symbolizing his loss of earthly and heavenly life.

At the conclusion of the service, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia addressed his remarks to the faithful and the children attending the Liturgy. The Bishop encouraged the attendees to follow the example of the Forty Holy Martyrs; to remain faithful to Christianity despite all the hardships of life and to resist temptations in order to deserve the Kingdome of Heaven.

At the end of the service the fathers traditionally consecrated vegetable oil, which the parish took home.