His Holiness Catholicos Aram I Presides Over the Divine Liturgy on the Occasion of the Holy Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon
The Feast of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was solemnly celebrated with a Pontifical Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon, on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
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 Divine Liturgy and delivered his Pontifical Message, assisted by His Eminence Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Director of the “Cilicia” Library, and His Grace Bishop Dajad Ashekian, Chancellor of the Catholicosate. The “Shnorhali” Choir of the Catholicosate, conducted by Very Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian, performed the hymns.
A large number of faithful attended, along with the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Lebanon, the Lebanese Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Nora Bayrakdarian, current and former ministers and members of parliament, members of the Central Executive Council of the Catholicosate, representatives of the three Lebanese-Armenian political parties, and various community and political figures.
Message of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I: “Do Not Be Afraid”
His Holiness centered his message on Christ’s words: “Do not be afraid, but believe, I am with you until the end of the world” (cf. Matthew 28:20). He recalled that Christ encouraged His disciples not to fear and promised to return, stressing that no other religious founder or apostle has given such a promise. For this reason, Christianity uniquely lives in expectation of the Second Coming while believing that the Risen Christ is already with His flock until the end of time.
He reminded the faithful that the Church is the mystical Body of Christ, and wherever believers gather, Christ is present. In light of the current grave and uncertain situation in the Middle East, Catholicos Aram I affirmed that Christ is with us, especially on the Feast of the Holy Resurrection. He urged the faithful to abandon fear and to believe: “Where there is faith, there is self-confidence, there is strength, there is fidelity. Today, on the Feast of the Holy Resurrection, in the presence of Christ, we renew our Christian faith. We are called to renew our national values, experiences, and ideals intertwined with Christian life.”
Concern for Middle Eastern Communities
Reflecting on the regional context, His Holiness said: “Today, as you know, the Middle East is experiencing days of crisis and uncertainty, and naturally, our communities established in the countries of the Middle East are in distress. War is wreaking havoc in the region – human, material, and economic. The Armenian communities are naturally subject to the terrible consequences of war. The security of our communities is an absolute priority for us. We are deeply concerned about this situation and are closely following the upheavals taking place in the region. In this regard, we are in constant contact with our religious and community leaders…
This news was originally published on the Website of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia, Antelias - Lebanon. Please click here to read the full text.