Pontifical Letter of Blessing and Appreciation from His Holiness Karekin II
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His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has sent a pontifical letter of blessing and appreciation on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of St Yeghiche’s consecration.
Worshippers and guests gathered at St Yeghiche Church on Sunday, 11 October, for a Divine Liturgy and an evening concert of sacred music to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its consecration. The celebrations also marked the Feast of the Holy Translators, honouring the saints whose work helped establish Armenia’s Christian literary tradition.
During the evening celebrations, with Bishop Hovakim Manukyan’s blessing, Deacon Vahan read the pontifical letter of blessing and appreciation from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, which was addressed to the parish priest, Parish Council, and faithful congregation.
SUPREME PATRIARCH AND CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZINPONTIFICAL LETTER OF BLESSING AND APPRECIATION
To Our beloved children and faithful servants of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin: the spiritual pastor, parish council and devout faithful of St Yeghiche Armenian Church in London, Great Britain
Through a letter from His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Great Britain and Ireland, We were informed that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the consecration of St Yeghiche Church in London.
The acquisition and restoration of St Yeghiche Church as an Armenian place of worship held exceptional significance for the Armenian community of Great Britain. This became a reality through the generosity and boundless devotion of Mr and Mrs Vatche and Tamar Manoukian, national benefactors and faithful children of Holy Etchmiadzin. The church is one of the finest testimonies to the Manoukian family’s steadfast faith and patriotic achievements. Among these are also the construction of the Mother See’s Manuscript Library and administrative building, the renovation of the Mother Cathedral, and their valuable support for numerous initiatives serving the Church.
We fondly recall the deeply moving ceremony of the consecration of St Yeghiche Church in 2001. With heartfelt gratitude for that cherished day, We offer thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God that a vibrant and faithful community has formed around the church, and that new generations of Armenian children are being nurtured by the sacred values and virtues flowing from the house of God. The church has become a radiant centre of spiritual, national and cultural life, where our compatriots in London share in the traditions of their ancestors and their sacred heritage, keeping alive in their hearts both their faith and their awareness of their national identity.
On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the consecration of St Yeghiche Church, it is Our Pontifical exhortation to you, Our beloved children, to mark this memorable jubilee through new achievements in the life of the Church and initiatives that strengthen our nation, bringing further flourishing and vitality to your community. Show particular care and commitment to the spiritual education and upbringing of the younger generation, so that Armenian children living abroad may know and love our Homeland and our Holy Church, and remain steadfastly attached to the age-old traditions of our people and the sacred treasures of our Homeland.
From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, We extend Our Pontifical blessing and high appreciation to Mr and Mrs Vatche and Tamar Manoukian, great national benefactors and benefactors of the Mother See. It is Our Pontifical prayer that Almighty God may bestow abundant blessings and ever-renewed success upon all the noble, patriotic endeavours and initiatives of the greatly esteemed Manoukian family.
We extend Our Pontifical blessing and congratulations to the devoted Primate of the Diocese entrusted to your care, to the spiritual pastor of St Yeghiche Church, to the members of the parish council, and to all Our beloved children in the community. We pray that the Good Lord may always graciously preserve and protect St Yeghiche Church beneath the shelter of His Holy Right Hand, and through it bestow His abundant blessings upon all Our faithful and God-loving children in Great Britain.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God be with you all. Amen.
With blessings,
KAREKIN II
CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANSIssued at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
9 October, in the year of Our Lord 2026
and in the Armenian year 1475