On April 14, 2019, all Christian World celebrated the Feast of Palm Sunday, the Triumphant Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. On the occasion of the feast, Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the churches of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia.
On the eve of Palm Sunday, on Saturday, a pre-feast service of Palm Sunday offered in the churches, during which the curtains of the Holy Altar opened.
Since morning the courtyards and surrounding areas of the Armenian churches in Tbilisi – the Cathedral of Saint George and Saint Etchmiadzin church – were crowded. The faithful came with joyful mood to become a participant of the happy feast of the Triumphant Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.
After the Morning Service offered in the churches, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the churches full of faithful. Under the presidency of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the cathedral of Saint George.
During the Divine Liturgy, His Grace reached about the mystery of the Feast of Palm Sunday and its spiritual message. Reminding faithful about the sufferings which Jesus Christ had withstood during last days of his earthly life, the Primate encouraged attendees to live with the festive mood of the day, with love, faith and warmth, to abandon the fear, loneliness, and to live with Christ, because Our Savior is everywhere, always in our souls with His love and power. His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan highly appreciated the fact that the Armenian faithful in Georgia celebrates the church feasts in accordance with the calendar of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, preserving their identity.
The Holy Altar of the church was decorated with willow and palm branches which symbolizes the solemn celebration of the feast. Under the leadership of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, with singing of "Makar Yekmalyan" Choir, the branches were blessed and divided onto people.
A few years ago, the Feast of Palm Sunday was proclaimed as Children's Blessing Day by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, priests offered the service of children's blessing.
Surb Prkich (Saint Savior) church in Batumi was crowded in the occasion of the Palm Sunday. The high-ranking guests, members of the community and many faithful attended the Divine Liturgy. Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan celebrated the Divine Liturgy, after which the students of the "Alexander Mantashev" Center and the children from Batumi were blessed.
The Feast of the Palm Sunday with Divine Liturgy and Blessing of Children Service was also celebrated in St. Gregory the Illuminator church in Akhaltsikhe, Surb Khach (Holy Cross) church in Akhalkalaki, St. Sarkis church in Ninotsminda and "St. Gregory of Narek" Center in Rustavi. The pastors of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia visited the Armenian-populated villages of Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, Tsalka, Marneuli, Bolnisi and Tetritsgharo and offered the Blessing of the Four Corners of the Earth (Andastan), blessed the olive and palm branches, the symbols of the day, as well as blessed the children.
After the Evening Service, the curtains in the churches opened and the Opening of the Door Service (Drnbatsek) was offered.