Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross celebrated at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

On September 15, 2024, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Khachverats), the last of the five major feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, was celebrated at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

Under the presidency of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Rev. Father Husik Harutyunyan celebrated festive Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Saint George in Tbilisi.

David Kacharava from the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party of the Parliament of Georgia, Levan Japaridze, Majority Deputy of the Tbilisi Sakrebulo (City Council) from the Krtsanisi district and Chairman of the Audit Committee, and Beka Mikoutadze, the Gamgebeli (Governor) of the Krtsanisi district in Tbilisi, attended the festive Divine Liturgy.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Diocesan Primate preached about the mystery of the day, the importance of faith and the meaning of the Cross and congratulated those present on the major feast.

On the same day, after the evening service, the Procession of the Cross took place at Saint Etchmiadzin church in Aavlabar. The cross was processed around the churches and the faithful were blessed with rosewater. After the cross processing around the churches under the singing of hymns and psalms, the basil, which is considered the flower of the cross, was blessed. The blessed basil was given to the faithful.

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was solemnly celebrated at the Armenian churches of Akhalkalaki, Ninotsminda, Akhaltsikhe in Samtskhe Javakheti region, Marneuli and Tetritsgaro in Kvemo Kartli region, Tsalka region, Batumi and villages.