Pilgrimage to Sanctuaries of Armenia

On May 24, 2026, which marked the Feast of Pentecost according to the Armenian Church calendar, a group of devout women from the St. Echmiadzin Church in Avlabari embarked on a pilgrimage. Having received the blessing of His Grace Bishop Kirakos Davtyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the pilgrims were led by Rev. Father Kirakos Simonyan and Deacon Otar Gigauri. Their destination was the holy and miraculous Chapel of St. Hovhannes (Saint John) in the Republic of Armenia. After lighting candles and offering prayers to seek the blessings of the saints, the faithful continued on their pilgrimage.

The next stop on their journey was the village of Sarnaghbyur in the Shirak Province. There, the pilgrims received a joyful surprise: a heartwarming meeting with Rev. Father Tatev Marukyan, who previously served as a clergyman in the Armenian Diocese in Georgia.

The pilgrims listened with deep reverence as the local pastor, Rev. Father Tatev Marukyan, shared the history of St. Thaddeus the Apostle and the church that bears his name, known among the people as "Hogevank" or "Karmir Vank" (the Red Monastery). Offering humble prayers in the church named after the Apostle who brought and spread Christianity in Armenia, the pilgrims also visited the hermitage of Saint Gregory the Illuminator. There, they drank from the local spring, which is renowned for its unique healing properties.

Spiritually renewed and filled with the joy of both the Feast of Pentecost and their sacred pilgrimage, the faithful and the accompanying clergy returned home. Deeply grateful for the experience, they left with a shared prayer and desire to continue their spiritual journeys to other holy sanctuaries in the future.