On New Year’s Eve, December 31, at midnight, the traditional Blessing of Pomegranates ceremony will take place at the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral. The event will be held at the Open Altar of St. Trdat and presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. The ceremony will also include the Republican Prayer Service.
On January 1, at 10:00 AM, the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral will host the Divine Liturgy and Pontifical Blessing. On January 5, at 5:30 PM, the Evening Prayer Service and Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy will take place. On January 6, at 10:30 AM, the Pontifical Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of Water ceremony will be held. Finally, on January 7, at 10:30 AM, the Requiem Service will follow the Divine Liturgy.
The Blessing of Pomegranates ceremony holds deep spiritual and cultural significance in Armenian tradition. The pomegranate, with its countless seeds, has long symbolized the unity and prosperity of the Armenian people. This unique ceremony at the Holy See offers a profound way to mark the beginning of the new year, blending faith and tradition.