Feast of Palm Sunday celebrated at churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

On April 2, 2023, on the Sunday before the feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrated the Feast of Palm Sunday, the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem.

From early morning the yards and nearby areas of the Armenian churches in Tbilisi: the Cathedral of Saint George (Surb Gevork) and Saint Etchmiadzin, were crowded. The faithful were coming in a joyful mood in order to become a participant of the happy feast of the Triumphant Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Georgia Ashot Smbatyan and Embassy diplomats attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of Saint George.

Divine Liturgy was celebrated after the Morning Service at the Cathedral of Saint George (Surb Gevork) and Saint Etchmiadzin churches crowded with faithful. The curtains were festively opened and Rev. Father Virap Ghazaryan celebrated Divine Liturgy under the presidency of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan, and Rev. Father Hovsep Harutyunyan was the celebrant at Saint Etchmiadzin church.

In both churches, during the Divine Liturgy, celebrants properly preached about the mystery of the Palm Sunday Feast and its spiritual message.

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. The Diocesan Primate Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan offered his blessings to those present and spoke about some episodes and the last days of the earthly life of Jesus Christ.

Afterward, under the presidency of the Diocesan Primate, Blessing of Children Service was offered and the olive and palm branches were also blessed. The faithful took the blessed branches with them.

The was celebrated with Divine Liturgy and Blessing of Children Service in the Armenian churches of Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kvemo-Kartli, and Saint Savior (Surb Prkich) church in Batumi.

The flow of the faithful to the Armenian churches did not stop during the day. Spiritual fathers blessed the willow branches the faithful brought with them, which symbolized the special solemnity of the Feast.