The Feast of Mary the Mother of God and the related pilgrimage to St. Mary’s monastery in Bikfaya takes on a special meaning this year. Pilgrims from all over the world are arriving to celebrate the feast at the newly renovated monastery, which has been embellished with monuments dedicated to the 1915 Armenian Genocide and its martyrs.

The pilgrimage will begin on 10 August with a lecture series on the topic, “Following the steps of the Mother of God” at St. Mary’s Chapel, accompanied by prayers and meditations. The pilgrimage will end on 15 August in the evening when His Holiness Aram I blesses the grapes and celebrates the Holy Liturgy on the newly built open-air altar dedicated to the Holy Martyrs.