On Sunday 14 August 2022, Archpriest Der Norayr Patanian was the celebrant and homilist during the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God; one of the five Major Feast Days (Daghavar) of the Armenian Church. It is a devout tradition of the Church that St Mary, the Mother of Jesus Christ, is the first of God’s creatures to attain the full glory of redemption wrought by her Son. The Blessed Virgin is both a symbol and a hope for all Christians. From her birth, Mary was blessed by God to fulfill His divine plan of salvation.
The beautiful Divine Liturgy was followed by the Antasdan, Four Corners of the World service. Antasdan is an Armenian liturgy of prayer for the world. The priests and deacons move to the four major compass points with prayers at each “corner” and the response, Der Voghormya or Lord, have mercy.
The celebration of the Assumption finished with Der Avetis Hambardzumyan calling forward all those whose names relate to a description of the Blessed Mother we find in the hymns and prayers of the day, to receive the day’s blessings 
