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GOOD FRIDAY COMMEMORATION AT THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA

19 April 2019

“THROUGH HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH ON THE CROSS, THE SON OF MAN PAVED THE WAY TO SALVATION”

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

 

On Good Friday, April 19th, His Holiness Aram I presided over the commemoration of the Passion of Jesus and delivered his sermon, at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias.

 

In his message, the Catholicos talked about the triumph of the Light and Truth over darkness and evil through the burial of Jesus, underlining that in His Tomb, Jesus Christ buried the sins of men with Him, and with this act He reconciled men with God and paved for us the path to salvation. Aram I talked about the message of the burial of Jesus Christ in the light of the 21st century and stated that humans nevertheless are sinful and constantly need to devote themselves to His Path.

 

In keeping with the ancient tradition of the Armenian Church, the Good Friday service took place in front of an artifact symbolizing the Tomb, which was covered with flowers and a a cross that contains, by tradition, a piece of wood from the cross of the crucifixion.

 

At the end of the Service, His Holiness blessed the faithful with a reliquary in the shape of a cross that contains a piece of wood from the cross of the crucifixion. Following this, the faithful passed under what symbolized the Tomb of Jesus, which was covered with flowers, to be strengthened in their Christian faith and filled with the hope of resurrection. Each person took a flower from the tomb to take home.