On June 18, 2017, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. On this occasion, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

From the early morning, the Armenian faithful of Tbilisi were rushing to the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Avlabari to take part in the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of the feast day. The celebrant was the Primate of the Armenina Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.

The Holy Mass was attended by First Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, Artur Sargsyan; Counselor Artak Grabski, community and public figures, Armenian intellectuals and many faithful.

During the Divine Liturgy, the Bishop transmitted to the faithful the blessings from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; on the occasion of the feast day. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan offered a homily about the message of the feast, the day when the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin was established, according to the inspired vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator, which is described by Agathangelos, the writer of the present history. The Primate spoke about the Armenians’ dedication to the faith spread by the first Catholicos of the Armenian Church, the values that form the Armenian identity and are being preserved by the Armenian Church, led by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Catholicos of All Armenians. “Owing to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the church sacraments and rites, national traditions and cultural values are being preserved, enriched and passed down from generation to generation in Armenia and the Diaspora. And this is the guarantee for the longevity of our national identity, our Holy faith and our precious language, ” – stressed the Diocesan Primate, calling upon the faithful sons and daughters to be united around the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and exhort the Almighty to protect and keep safe Armenia, the Holy Etchmiadzin and Georgia.

Following the Divine Liturgy, under the presidency of the Primate a Pontifical Prayer was offered. The Clergy and the faithful raised their prayers to God asking for vibrancy for the Holy Etchmiadzin and for the strength and good health of His Holiness.

Because of their special reverence and respect for the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Armenians of Georgia have built the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Avlabari neighborhood, Tbilisi. It is worth noting that on the occasion of the feast day a group of Armenian faithful of Tbilisi made a pilgrimage to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to attend the Divine Liturgy, asking for God’s support.

According of Patriarch Malachia Ormanian, from the days of her establishment, the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin has been the residence of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.  Thus, it is the Mother See of the Armenian Church, and as such, her universal, spiritual and administrative headquarters. Another title bestowed upon the cathedral is “Catholic” - not to be confused with the Roman Catholic faith.  Catholic is a Greek word meaning “Universal”. Theologically, the cathedral has been called “catholic” as a description of the catholicity (universality) of the Church.