A Pilgrimage for the First Church
Diocesan Article on our Trip to Armenia
It was an occasion that resonated with historic significance, when pilgrims from the first Armenian Church in America visited the age-old spiritual center of Armenian Christianity.
At the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on June 27, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received the large group of pilgrims from the Armenian Church of Our Saviour in Worcester, MA. The group’s audience with the Catholicos in his residence, the Veharan, was the summit of many special moments for the pilgrims from Worcester, during a two-week journey to Armenia led by their pastor, Fr. Tadeos Barseghyan.
His Holiness expressed his pleasure that some 40 people of various ages had journeyed from America’s first Armenian Church to the Armenian homeland. He added that in these trying times for the nation, meeting with Armenians from around the world—seeing them renew their faith and strengthen their identity in their homeland—was deeply satisfying to him.
Fr. Barseghyan noted that this was the first such pilgrimage ever undertaken by the parish, and on behalf of his flock he thanked Catholicos Karekin II for his gracious welcome.
By special arrangement, the pilgrims also received a unique tour of the Veharan and Khrimian museums, where they viewed some of the most precious relics and artifacts in Etchmiadzin’s collection. To conclude their visit, the pilgrims met with Catholicos Karekin again, this time outside the Veharan, where each received a personal blessing from His Holiness.
