The Choir at Ejmiatsin Cathedral
Today is a religious holiday (The Feast of the Holy Cross, which is dedicated to the historical event of the return of the cross from captivity, its rising and glorification.) which meant two things: Ejmiatsin Cathedral was full of worshippers as well as tourists; and the Catholicos was likely to make an appearance. Ejmiatsin is the holiest of holy for Armenian Christians, and this is where their head of church (Catholicos - their equivalent of our Archbishop of Canterbury) resides. Although the church is pretty old (the oldest place of worship in Armenia, built in 303), the most interesting part of our visit was meant to be the liturgy (the traditional service performed by a choir) but turned out to be two old men. The church was pretty atmospheric, with devotees of every age and status lighting candles and the monks in black robes with pointed hoods processing through the church.
There was a rumour that the big man himself was going to make an appearance (that is the Catholicos, not JC) and so everyone hung around outside the church, including one old chap who was getting more excited than a child at Christmas. He was driving all the officials crazy with his badgering and touching of the monks and robed priests (or whatever they were, I didn't learn to differentiate the different outfits). Eventually the cavalcade of monks, priests and the head honcho appeared and the buzz was electric. The elderly devotee was bouncing off the walls at this stage and when his time came for the Catholicos to bless him, he grabbed his arm and was kissing his hand. The look of sheer bliss on his face afterwards brought a tear to my eye and totally made my day!
The Choir at Ejmiatsin Cathedral
Today is a religious holiday (The Feast of the Holy Cross, which is dedicated to the historical event of the return of the cross from captivity, its rising and glorification.) which meant two things: Ejmiatsin Cathedral was full of worshippers as well as tourists; and the Catholicos was likely to make an appearance. Ejmiatsin is the holiest of holy for Armenian Christians, and this is where their head of church (Catholicos - their equivalent of our Archbishop of Canterbury) resides. Although the church is pretty old (the oldest place of worship in Armenia, built in 303), the most interesting part of our visit was meant to be the liturgy (the traditional service performed by a choir) but turned out to be two old men. The church was pretty atmospheric, with devotees of every age and status lighting candles and the monks in black robes with pointed hoods processing through the church.
There was a rumour that the big man himself was going to make an appearance (that is the Catholicos, not JC) and so everyone hung around outside the church, including one old chap who was getting more excited than a child at Christmas. He was driving all the officials crazy with his badgering and touching of the monks and robed priests (or whatever they were, I didn't learn to differentiate the different outfits). Eventually the cavalcade of monks, priests and the head honcho appeared and the buzz was electric. The elderly devotee was bouncing off the walls at this stage and when his time came for the Catholicos to bless him, he grabbed his arm and was kissing his hand. The look of sheer bliss on his face afterwards brought a tear to my eye and totally made my day!