One of the goals of the youth department of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia is to celebrate the holidays of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church and reinforce faith through pilgrimages, reports the Georgian-Armenian Diocese to Hayern Aysor.

On March 12, 2016, on the occasion of the day of remembrance of the entry of Saint Gregory the Illuminator into the Khor Virap (Deep Dungeon), the youth department of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia organized a pilgrimage to the ancient Saint Gregory the Illuminator Church of Akhaltsikhe. The pilgrimage was conducted by the proposal and with the support of leader of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, His Eminence, Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.

In the morning, 50 young Armenians gathered at the youth department of the Diocese and headed towards Akhaltsikhe under the leadership of the head of the youth department Valery Badalyan and with the accompaniment of activists Nina Seropova, Deacon Gevorg Antonyan, Suren Abramyan and Gevorg Poghosov.

The pilgrims attended the Divine and eternal Liturgy that pastor of the city of Akhaltsikhe, Father, Friar Hakob Sahakyan served at the Saing Gregory the Illuminator Church. The attendees listened to the sermon of pastor of the Vicariate of the General Prelacy of Samtskhe-Javakhk and Tsalka in the villages near Akhaltsikhe, Father Priest Torgom Vadanyan about the symbol of the day, that is, the indescribable tortures that the first Armenian Pontiff underwent in the Deep Dungeon for 13 years. They lit candles in memory of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and asked for piety for all Christians.

The pilgrims continued their pilgrimage to the Sister and Brother Chapel of Akhaltsikhe and the local Saint Nshan Church.

The youth from Tbilisi were also hosted at the Youth Educational and Cultural Center of Akhaltsikhe where the Center’s coordinator Eduard Ayvazyan talked about the Youth Center’s activities and presented the Center’s vision for the future. The head of the youth department of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia shared the experience of the Ministries of Youth Affairs of Georgia and the Republic of Armenia with the director of the youth center of Akhaltsikhe. Both parties expressed willingness to hold joint events. At the end of the meeting, the Taron Dance Ensemble of the Hayartun Center performed the Armenian national “Kochari” dance.

The pilgrims returned to Tbilisi late at night, feeling spiritually enriched with the grace of Saint Gregory the Illuminator.