His Holiness Catholicos Aram I Presides Over the Christmas Vigil on the Eve of the Holy Nativity and Theophany at the Catholicosate
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), presided over the Christmas Vigil (Jrakaluytsi Badarak) on the Eve of the Holy Nativity and Theophany, solemnly observed at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral, Lebanon. V. Rev. Fr. Sdepanos Pashayan conducted the Divine Liturgy.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Grand Sacristan of the Cathedral, His Grace Archbishop Sipan Ketchejian, took a candle from the Altar symbolizing the Light of Christ and presented it to the Catholicos, who in turn shared it with the faithful present.
Afterward, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I led a solemn procession, during which the Christmas hymn proclaiming Christ’s birth was chanted, as the congregation moved toward the atrium of the Catholicate for the traditional Blessing of Homes service.
The ceremony concluded with His Holiness invoking the “Bahbanich” prayer, imparting his blessing and conveying his pastoral and paternal wishes to all present.
This news was originally published on the Website of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.