Concluding his pontifical visit to Fresno, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I arrived in San Francisco on the morning of Friday, November 7, 2025. He was greeted by the local spiritual pastor, V. Rev. Fr. Artsakh Badoyan, and other church officials.
His Holiness proceeded to St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, where he was welcomed by the Prelate, His Eminence Arch. Kegham Khatcherian, and a congregation of the faithful. His Holiness entered the church to the singing of the hymn “Hrashapar.”
In his welcoming remarks, the Prelate emphasized the significance of the Catholicos’s visit. He noted that despite His Holiness’s numerous previous journeys, he continues to approach the Armenian community of San Francisco with unwavering vitality and a profound desire to be among his people.
Addressing the congregation, His Holiness expressed his immense joy at being with the Armenians of San Francisco for a fourth time. “Your large presence here today is not only a source of great joy for me,” he stated, “but also a profound source of strength, because the people are the axis of our life and the goal of our service, which is informed by the presence of Christ.”
The Catholicos spoke on the critical importance of uniting around the church as a community. Directing his words to the students present, he urged them to love the church, the nation, and the homeland, and to be shaped by their spiritual identity.
Following his inspiring message, His Holiness conveyed his blessings to the faithful through a traditional ceremony of the right-hand kiss.
