Spiritual Reflection on the First Day of Great Day Presided Over By His Holiness Catholicos Aram I at the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia
In accordance with the tradition of the Armenian Theological Seminary of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia, the first day of Great Lent is observed through the celebration of the seven canonical services of the Church, accompanied by spiritual reflection sessions held throughout the day with the participation of the seminarians.
Following the proclamation of 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), declaring 2026 as the “Year of the Renewal of Spiritual Life,” this year’s day of spiritual recollection took place at the Catholicosate in Antelias - Lebanon, on Monday, February 17, 2026, with the participation of the Cilician Brotherhood, the seminarians, and members of the faculty.
During the spiritual reflection sessions, the Dean of the Seminary, Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian, and Dr. Shaghig Khudaverdian, Lecturer in psychology at the Seminary, delivered presentations. Their reflections and discussions were grounded in the themes, insights, directives, and exhortations outlined in His Holiness’ 2026 Proclamation.
At the conclusion of the sessions, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I delivered his message of blessing. He underscored the urgent need for spiritual renewal in our national, Ecclesial, and personal lives, noting that we live in times when established systems, sacred values, and spiritual and moral principles have been gravely undermined. In the face of imposed challenges, he stressed our responsibility to preserve and safeguard our national, familial, Ecclesiastical, cultural, moral, and human values. He warned that contemporary society often promotes misleading and deceptive “values,” urging vigilance against worldly temptations and false standards…
This news was originally published on the Website of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, Antelias - Lebanon. Please click here to read the full text.