Anniversary of the enthronement, anointing and enthronement of Karegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians

Catholicos Karegin IINamed after Gregory the Illuminator, the first Catholicos of Armenia, the Armenian Church became Armenian-Gregorian. And the residence of the Catholicos, that is, the Supreme Patriarchs of all Armenians, was the Mother See of Echmiadzin.

The word Etchmiadzin means “the only begotten Son of God has come down.” This is how the cathedral and the nearby monastery were named. Saint Gregory had a vision in which he saw the only begotten Son of God. He descended from heaven with a golden hammer in his hand and, hitting the Armenian land, indicated the place of construction of the first cathedral. This altar was later erected on the spot where the golden hammer of the Son of God touched the ground. A beautiful cathedral was created around the altar.