Under the auspices of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, the feast of St. Stephen the protodeacon and protomartyr was commemorated at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias, on Sunday, December 25^th, 2022. H.E. Arch. Shahan Sarkissian, director of the Cilicia Library, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and was assisted by the deacons of the Armenian Theological Seminary at the altar.

Arch. Shahan offered his sermon where he praised the exemplary life of the saint and exhorted the seminarians to find inspiration and encouragement in St. Stephen’s example. He raised his prayers to God and asked Him to show mercy on us, especially on the indigenous people of Artsakh, who are still suffering under the Azerbaijani blockade.

Following the Liturgy, the faithful moved to the main atrium of the Catholicosate, accompanied by the deacons who were reciting the “Ourakh Ler” hymn, to mark the feast with an observance prepared by the seminarians. As such, Deacon Nshan Anderian delivered the opening remarks, Deacon Hrag Krdanian read a passage from the gospel, and songs and prayers dedicated to the Protodeacon were recited.

Lastly, the Catholicos delivered his pontifical message and underlined the value of selfless service, a value that St. Stephen had adopted in his lifetime. He stated that St. Stephen’s faith and loyalty to God guided him to serve others to the extent that he became one with the difficulties and sufferings of others, and he was eventually martyred for the sake of his faith. The Catholicos noted that today, we are in need of true servants, who prioritize the people they serve rather than glory and praise. His Holiness concluded his message with the “Bahbanitch” prayer.

It is noteworthy that on the occasion of the feast, the relic of St. Stephen was brought out of the Cilicia Museum and placed in the church for the faithful to receive its blessings.