The Prelate Presided Over The Evening Service At St. Mary
Armenian Apostolic Church In Glendale Calling The Feast
“The Feast Of The Armenian Christian Family.”
On Friday evening, February 13, 2026, all churches of the Western Prelacy celebrated the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple, known as Dyarnentarach, with a special service commemorating the forty days of the infant Jesus’ earthly life and His presentation at the temple by Simeon the Elder.
The service was attended by a large congregation, including parents and grandparents, who brought their young children and grandchildren before God and, following tradition, presented them to the Lord. This offering symbolized the hope that their little ones may grow and flourish under God’s blessing, live a God-pleasing life, and serve the Church.
H.E. Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the United States, presided over the evening service at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale. Archbishop Khacherian addressed the congregation, highlighting the feast’s significance and honored the parents and grandparents who brought their children to dedicate them to Almighty God.
In his message, Archbishop Khacherian noted that the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple is rooted in two foundational values: the ancient pre-Christian popular traditions and the faith in the Light of Christ. On this occasion, the Prelate declared, “The Presentation of the Lord to the Temple is the Feast of the Armenian Christian Family.”
Following the sermon, guided by the clergy, parents presented their children to the temple of God. After the service, the congregation participated in the traditional torch procession around the church. The Prelate then lit a candle from the altar, sharing the Light of Christ with the children, who in turn lit their own candles from the Holy Light and carried it to their homes.
