Etchmiadzin Hosts Holy Saturday Liturgy for Easter – 2025

Holy Saturday Evening Liturgy Underway

The Holy Saturday Evening Liturgy, known as Ճրագալույց in the Armenian Apostolic Church tradition, is currently being served at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin as of the evening of April 19, 2025. This solemn service holds significant importance as it marks the transition from the period of Great Lent and Holy Week observances to the celebratory Feast of the Resurrection. The Mother See, as the spiritual and administrative center of the Armenian Church, leads this pivotal liturgy, setting the tone for Easter celebrations across the globe.

Information provided by the Information Center of the Mother See confirms that similar Ճրագալույց liturgies are also being celebrated in Armenian churches this evening. These services bring together congregations to collectively mark the symbolic end of Christ’s time in the tomb and anticipate His resurrection. The atmosphere within the churches during this liturgy is one of reflection and hopeful anticipation, moving from the somberness of Holy Week towards the joyous celebration of Easter.

Announcing the Glad Tidings of Resurrection

A key moment during and after the Holy Saturday Evening Liturgy is the formal announcement of Christ’s Resurrection. According to the Information Center of the Mother See, following the completion of the liturgy and the subsequent prelude ceremony (նախատոնակ), the officiating priests will proclaim the glad tidings of Christ’s glorious Resurrection. This announcement is a central element of the Ճրագալույց service, signifying the core message of the Easter holiday. It is a moment of profound spiritual significance for the faithful, marking the victory over death that is central to Christian belief. The transition from the liturgy to this announcement builds anticipation and culminates in the joyous declaration of the Resurrection, traditionally welcomed by the congregation with expressions of faith and devotion.

Easter Celebration Begins with Ճրագալույց

The Holy Saturday Evening Liturgy is considered the service that formally begins the Feast of the Resurrection. While Easter Sunday itself is the main day of celebration, the Ճրագալույց service on Saturday evening serves as its official inauguration. It is during this liturgy that the spiritual preparation of the faithful for Easter reaches its peak, and the focus shifts from the events leading up to the crucifixion to the imminent celebration of the Resurrection. This timing is deeply rooted in the liturgical calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Church and other Christian traditions, reflecting the narrative of Christ’s time in the tomb before His rising.

Resurrection Liturgies Across Armenia on Sunday

Following the commencement of the Easter celebration with the Ճրագալույց liturgy on Saturday evening, Resurrection Liturgies will be served in all functioning Armenian churches on Sunday, April 20, 2025. These Sunday liturgies are the main communal celebration of Easter, where the faithful gather to participate in the Holy Mass, which is filled with hymns and readings that rejoice in Christ’s resurrection. Churches across Armenia and around the world, where the Armenian Apostolic Church has a presence, will host these services, uniting the Armenian faithful in the celebration of their most important religious holiday. The serving of liturgies in all functioning churches ensures that the opportunity to celebrate the Resurrection is widely available to the community, allowing for collective worship and spiritual renewal on Easter Sunday.