Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

ANTELIAS: Thousands celebrate Palm Sunday in Antelias

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • ANTELIAS: Thousands celebrate Palm Sunday in Antelias

    PRESS RELEASE
    Catholicosate of Cilicia
    Communication and Information Department
    Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
    Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
    Fax: (04) 419724
    E- mail: [email protected]
    Web: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/

    PO Box 70 317
    Antelias-Lebanon

    Armenian version: http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Arme nian.htm

    Watch the video summary here:
    http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Vid eos/Palm%20Sunday.avi

    THOUSANDS CELEBRATE PALM SUNDAY IN ANTELIAS

    Thousands of Armenian children renewed the Armenian Church and the
    Catholicosate of Cilicia with their strong faith as they came to the
    headquarters in Antelias with their parents to celebrate Jesus Christ's
    entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

    The Holy Mass in the Cathedral was followed by a procession of the children
    who came out of the Catholicosate's northern gate, made a round turn around
    the Catholicosate from the coastal side and returned to the Catholicosate
    >From its main gate.

    Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian officiated the Mass. His Holiness Aram I
    delivered his Pontifical address from the balcony of the Veharan given the
    large number of people present. In his sermon, the Pontiff greeted Armenian
    children in all the corners of the world, considering that Jesus Christ's
    entry to Jerusalem is the holiday of the Armenian children and Armenian
    families.

    His Holiness said Antelias was renewed on that occasion in view of the
    strong faith of its people, their attachment towards the church and in
    particular their love for and trust in the Catholicosate of Cilicia. At the
    end of the Pontiff's speech, the thousands of Armenian children lived
    unforgettable moments of joy as colorful balloons were launched into the sky
    and brightened the air around the Catholicosate with their lively colours
    and movements.

    After his sermon, the Catholicos received in the Veharan the endless queues
    of children who came with their parents for Atchahampouyr. The Pontiff
    distributed gifts to all the children, filling their hearts with the season's
    joy.

    Soon after his election as Catholicos, His Holiness Aram I had announced
    Palm Sunday as the Day of Armenian Children. Since then, the Catholicos has
    annually received children in the Veharan, spread joy in their hearts by
    distributing special gifts and making Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem an
    unforgettable experience for them.

    In the afternoon, the Gate-Opening ceremony took place in the Cathedral.
    This is an ancient Armenian liturgical ritual. During the forty days of lent
    the curtain on the altar remains closed. On the afternoon of the Palm
    Sunday, the priest kneels in the front of the closed curtain and asks for
    compassionate forgiveness on behalf of the community gathered in the church.
    The service was presided by His Holiness Aram I and conducted by Archbishop
    Gomidas, who delivered a sermon on Jesus Christ's second coming.

    Thus, with the services of Palm Sunday and "Gate-Opening", the Armenian
    Church entered the last week of Jesus Christ's earthly life, the Holy Week,
    during which the faithful live, liturgically, the events of the last week of
    Christ's life on earth and the torture He bore for the sake of saving
    humanity.

    ##
    Watch the video summary here:
    http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Vid eos/Palm%20Sunday.avi
    ###
    View the photos here:
    http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/do c/Photos/Photos213.htm
    http://www.armenianorthodox church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos214.htm
    http://www .armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos2 15.htm
    *****
    The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
    the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
    the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
    the Catholicosate, http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org The Cilician
    Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
    Antelias, Lebanon.
Working...
X