On April 14, 2017, in the morning of Good Friday, many people crowded the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi, the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The Armenian faithful, as well as the parish of the Evangelical Baptist Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Georgia, gathered in the church.

The occasion was honored with the presence of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan; the Primate of the Evangelical Baptist Church in Georgia, His Eminence Archbishop Malkhaz Songhulashvili; His Grace Bishop Ilia Osepashvili and His Grace Bishop Rusudan Gotsiridze; Rev. Father Narek Ghushyan, Pastor of Armenian communities in Rustavi and Marneuli of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia; and Rev. Father Samvel Torosyan, Pastor of the Cathedral of Saint George.

The mystery of the day was the Cross of Jesus Christ as a symbol of Christian unity.

The service began with the Lord’s Prayer, following which the guests sang religious songs and offered a prayer, readings of the Bible verses about the Crucifixion and the singing of the Hymn for the Veneration of the Cross followed.

At the conclusion of the service, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia offered welcoming and blessing remarks to the attendees, later the Primate of the Evangelical Baptist Church extended his gratitude.

The service was concluded with the blessing of water and crosses, following which, under the presidency of Right Rev. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and His Eminence Archbishop Malkhaz Songhulashvili, the procession of clergymen and the faithful, carrying a symbolic Cross of Jesus Christ, proceeded to the Roman-Catholic Church in Tbilisi.

What was especially impressive is that people stopped along the way to cross oneself and bow before the Cross of Jesus Christ.

The Mystery of the Cross Procession was adopted by the Evangelical Baptist Church in Tbilisi several years ago, in the morning of Good Friday the procession starts at the Cathedral of Saint George, continuing to the Roman Catholic Church and German Lutheran Church, and ending at the Cathedral of the Evangelical Baptist Church.