HOLY FRIDAY Crucifixion Service held in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services, 25 March, 2016

Holy Friday, March 25, marks the Commemoration of the Crucifixion and Burial of Our Lord Jesus Christ . The Crucifixion Service was held in the afternoon, in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Source: The Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Holy Friday Burial Service
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services, 25 March, 2016

Holy Friday, March 25, marks the Commemoration of the Crucifixion and Burial of Our Lord Jesus Christ . The Burial Service was held in the evening, presided by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. At the end of the service, the symbolic tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ, covered in flowers, was processed around the Cathedral led by His Holiness, members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and the faithful.

Source: The Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Catholicos of All Armenians Offered Washing of the Feet Service in Mother Cathedral

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services, 24 March, 2016--

On Holy Thursday, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, presided during the Washing of the Feet service in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Holiness washed the feet of 12 men. The service commemorates Christ washing the feet of the 12 Apostles following the Last Supper, prior to his arrest and suffering.
The service began with a prayer. Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin read scripture passages and the speech “About Love” by Archimandrite Hovhannes Pluz.

His Holiness then blessed the water and oil on the altar, after which, under the singing of hymns, His Holiness following the example of the Lord, kneeled down before twelve men and washed their feet and anointed them with oil.
Among the 12 were members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Grace Bishop Mushegh Babayan and Rev. Fr. Zakaria Baghumyan; Gevorkian Theological Seminary Graduate Deacon Harutyun Keshishian; soldiers Samvel Minasyan and Hrach Chobanyan; students of the Yerevan State University Theological Faculty Vahagn Grigoryan and Hovhannes Muradian; and children from the Mother See’s Eurnekian Public School, David Sargsyan, Bayandur Harutyunyan, Ruben Tadevosyan, Melik Kondyan and Melik Melikyan.
Following the conclusion of the service, the blessed oil was distributed to the faithful.

Source: The Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Holy Thursday Divine Liturgy Celebrated in the Mother Cathedral

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services, 24 March, 2016

March 24, Holy Thursday, the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church commemorated the Last Supper our Lord Jesus Christ, and the establishment of the sacrament of Holy Communion.

His Grace Bishop Hovnan Hagopyan, Grand Sacristan of the Mother See, offered the Morning Service and the Karg Apashkharoghats (Service for those who are fasting).

Following Morning Services, a solemn Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral by Rev. Fr. Aghan Yernjakyan, Staff Bearer of His Holiness.

During the Divine Liturgy the sermon of St. Basil of Caesarea was read.

Source: The Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Holy Thursday - Betrayal Service at the Mother See
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services, 25 March, 2016

March 24 – in the evening of Holy Thursday, in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; presided over the Betrayal Service in memory of the betrayal and torture of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Source: The Information Services of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Catholicos of the East presides over Chrism Mass Maundy Thursday

Catholicos H.H. Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East washing the feet of priests at St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Pazhanji, on the occasion of Maundy Thursday —Photo courtesy: St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Pazhanji

Kottayam, India : Catholicos- Patriarch of the East His Holiness Baselius Mar-Thoma Paulose II presided over the celebration of the Holy Thursday Chrism Mass at St. Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Pazhanji (Diocese of Kunnamkulam) on 24 March 2016.

Maundy Thursday, commemorating the day when Jesus established the Eucharist and partook of the last supper with his disciples, was observed in all Indian Orthodox churches throughout the world. The main ceremony of the day involved washing the feet of 12 persons chosen to represent the 12 apostles of Christ. His Holiness Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II washed the feet of priests at the St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral.

The Orthodox Syrian Metropolitan of of the Diocese Kandanad East His Eminence Dr Thomas Mar Athanasius performing the foot-washing ceremony held at St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Muvattupuzha on Thursday —Photo courtasy: Mizpah Centre

At the St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Muvattupuzha His Eminence Dr Thomas Mar Athanasius, the Indian Orthodox Metropolitan of the Diocese of Kandanad East, led the ceremonies and washed the feet of the 12 chosen priests.

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