St Echmiadzin marks catholicos=?UTF-8?B?4oCZIA==?=13 years in office

Echmiadzin, Armenia's spiritual center, has hosted a patriarchal blessing event to celebrate Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II's 13 years in office.
According to a press release by the Holy See of St Echmiadzin, the event was attended by representatives of the Armenian patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople (Istanbul), the prelates of the Armenian Catholicosate's 32 dioceses based in Armenia and the diaspora, as well as patriarchal delegations and secular diocese representatives, members of the Supreme Spiritual Council and numerous pilgrims who have arrived in Armenia to participate in the Fourth Diocese Meeting in St Echmiadzin ( held between November 1 and 3).
Bishop Sahak Mashalian of the Constantinople Patriarchate served a holy mass, congratulating the catholicos and highlighting the mother cathedral's role in preserving the unity of the Armenian Church.
"By virtue of being a mother, the Holy See of St Echmiadzin has managed to gather together the relics of our nation scattered around the world, and attract each of them to its side," he said.
A patriarchal blessing ceremony by Archbishop Aris Shirvanyan of the Jerusalem Patriarchate followed the holy mass.
At the end, the Catholicos delivered his Prayer for Preservation. The procession then headed to the St. Archangelic Church to participate in the blessing of three cross stones modeled after 16th-17th centuries' khachkars of New Julfa.   Read more... (225 words)

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