The Armenian Apostolic Church of Türkiye closed the altar curtains with the Paregentan (Carnival) Feast and entered the Great Lent period, which will last 7 weeks until Easter. Additionally, the 115th anniversary of the Vartanants Choir was celebrated.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, which celebrated Paregentan (Carnival) on Sunday, February 11, 2024, with the Holy Offering Mass held in churches with clergy, entered the period of Great Lent, which will last until March 31, 2024, Easter.
Patriarch of the Armenians of Türkiye, Sahak II. presided the ceremony at the Feriköy Surp Vartanants Armenian Apostolic Church and preached a sermon. The ceremony also celebrated the name day of Surp Vartanants Church and Vartanants Choir.
At the Holy Mass, which started at the altar, Deacon Sayat Çınaryan read the Bible reading of the day, and then Archdeacon Setrak Davuthan brought the Holy Grail.
At the service which Feriköy Surp Vartanants Church Foundation President Manuk Öger, board members, some Church foundation administrators and believers were present, the hymns were sung by members of the Vartanants Choir, accompanied by Lusi Kahvecioğlu’s organ, under the direction of Hovsep Kuyumcuyan.
Since the period of Great Lent has started, there was no collective repentance, and the altar curtain was closed while the hymn “Lord Have Mercy” (Der voğormya) was recited. Communion (Haghortutyun) was not distributed.
After the Holy Mass, Patriarch Sahak II. gave a sermon in Armenian and Turkish.
During this ceremony, the candidate readers knelt in front of the Patriarch Sahak II, and His Holiness first cut a lock of their hair. The young people then symbolically put their hands on the Bible and the key. Afterwards, the other young reader also knelt down, Patriarch Sahak II stood up and recited the “Bahbaniç” prayer over all of them and gave the title of “Reader” to Murat Meşebüken, Can Altıkatoğlu and Arek Çatak, and the title of “Senior Reader” to reader Raffi Ohanyan.
After this special ceremony, the names of all those who sleep in the Lord, especially the names of all the religious officials, deacons, readers, and choirmasters who served in the Feriköy Surp Vartanants church, were read while the Hokehankisd prayers were recited.
The ceremony ended with the blessing of Patriarch Sahak II and the Lord’s Prayer recited together.
