As part of his pontifical visit to the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Church of North America, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I presided over the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at the Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church in Encino, California.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada. During the service, a Prayer for the Pontiff was offered, led by His Eminence Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy, in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Aram I.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by Archbishop Khacherian, who expressed heartfelt joy at the Catholicos’s presence, noting that His Holiness’s visit brings renewed inspiration and vitality to the life of the Prelacy.
Delivering his Pontifical Message, His Holiness Aram I reflected on the sacrament of baptism and the foundational Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love. He explained that baptism is one of the most profound mysteries of the Church, marking the beginning of a Christian life grounded in these sacred virtues, symbolized in the priest’s question to the godfather—“What does the child ask for?”—and the response, “Faith, hope, love, and baptism.”
His Holiness emphasized that faith gives purpose and meaning to human life, hope directs the believer toward God and eternal truth, and love—the very essence of God—forms the heart of Christian existence.
Turning to Christian and Armenian education, His Holiness underscored the vital role of the family, Church, and school in nurturing faith and preserving national identity.
The service was attended by the Prelates of the Western and Canadian Prelacies, clergy, members of the Diocesan Executive Council, community leaders, and a large congregation of faithful who gathered to receive the Pontifical Blessing and hear the inspiring message of His Holiness.
