From June 16 to 22, 2025, the Armenian Apostolic Church solemnly marked Araratian Week, a spiritually significant period dedicated to revered martyrs and saints of the Armenian Christian faith. With the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, sacred relics from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin were brought forth for the faithful to venerate.
The week included a series of solemn Divine Liturgies, processions, and blessings, drawing pilgrims and clergy from across the country to honor the memory and legacy of foundational figures in Armenian Christianity.
June 16 – Feast of the Virgin-Martyrs of Saint Hripsime
The week opened with celebrations in honor of Saint Hripsime and her companions—early Christian nuns who were martyred in Armenia for their faith during the reign of King Tiridates III. A procession of Saint Hripsime’s relics took place at 9:30 AM, leading to the Divine Liturgy at 10:30 AM at Saint Hripsime Church. The service concluded with the Andastan, a traditional blessing of the four corners of the world.
June 17 – Feast of the Virgin-Martyrs of Saint Gayane
This feast honored Saint Gayane, the spiritual leader of Hripsime’s group, also martyred for her faith. At 10:00 AM, her relics were ceremoniously carried to Saint Gayane Church, followed by a Divine Liturgy at 10:30 AM, and the Andastan ritual.
June 19 – Feast of Saint John the Baptist and Bishop Athanagine
Commemorating Saint John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and Saint Athanagine, an early Armenian bishop and martyr, this feast was celebrated at Saint Shoghakat Church. The Divine Liturgy at 10:30 AM featured the veneration of their relics, symbolizing prophetic witness and episcopal sacrifice in the Armenian Church.
June 21 – Feast of Saint Gregory the Illuminator’s Emergence from the Pit
This solemn day recalled Saint Gregory the Illuminator’s release from 13 years of imprisonment in the dungeon of Khor Virap, after which he baptized King Tiridates III and initiated Armenia’s conversion to Christianity. A Divine Liturgy was held at 10:30 AM at Khor Virap Monastery, where his relics were displayed.
June 22 – Feast of the Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin
The week culminated with the feast of the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, built on the spot where Christ is said to have descended in a vision to Saint Gregory. A Divine Liturgy at 11:00 AM was celebrated in the cathedral, followed by a special prayer service led by the Catholicos, invoking blessings for the enduring sanctity and light of the Mother See.
Sacred Relics on Display
In honor of the week’s feasts, seven holy relics of great historical and spiritual importance were brought out from the treasury of Etchmiadzin and displayed for veneration until 6:00 PM each day:
- Relic of the True Cross of Christ – A fragment believed to be from the cross on which Jesus was crucified.
- The Holy Lance (Geghard) – The spear said to have pierced Christ’s side.
- The Right Hand of Saint Gregory the Illuminator – Symbolizing his role in converting Armenia to Christianity.
- Relic of Saint Sahak Partev – Patriarch and theologian, known for codifying Armenian ecclesiastical tradition.
- Relic of Saint Gregory of Narek – Mystic and poet, recently declared a Doctor of the Church by the Vatican.
- Reliquary of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide – Containing remains of those canonized in 2015.
- Relic chest from Skevra Monastery – A preserved collection of relics from one of the historic Western Armenian monastic centers.
