On Saturday evening, the pilgrimage to St Mary’s Monastery concluded with the Holy Liturgy, presided by His Holiness Aram I, celebrated by Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian, and sung by the “Shenorhali” choir.
The pilgrimage was established with the construction of St. Mary’s Chapel in Bikfaya in 1952; over the past four years, under the initiative of Aram I, the Monastery has been renovated and new monuments built, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
In his message following the Holy Liturgy, His Holiness Aram I described the Mother of Jesus as the model of the virtuous woman, who has been constantly present in the Armenian Church, inspiring the church fathers, theologians and poets. He said that her motherhood continues to shape the spiritual and moral values of Armenian families and the nation as a whole.
Addressing the recent events in Armenia and Karabagh, the Catholicos referred to the changing geopolitical interests and asked everyone to monitor the situation with vigilance and manage the situation wisely and firmly.
The celebration of the feast concluded with the traditional blessing of the grapes and the agape meal prepared from the offerings of the pilgrims.
