On Sunday, March 22, 2026, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias welcomed a large gathering of faithful and pilgrims who assembled to observe Antelias Pilgrimage Day.

The day’s festivities featured a Divine Liturgy, a Pontifical Procession carrying the relics of St. Gregory, universal church relics, and Armenian Church relics. The traditional Blessing of the Water ceremony was also held, adding spiritual significance to the event.

Antelias Pilgrimage Day honors the descent of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the Armenian Church’s patron saint, into the pit of Khor Virab. Catholicos Aram I presided over the solemn ceremonies, leading both the procession and the Blessing of the Water. Archbishop Shahe Panossian celebrated the Divine Liturgy and delivered a sermon to the congregation.

During his address, Archbishop Panossian commended the congregation for fulfilling their pilgrimage and participating in the commemoration, despite the ongoing security challenges, as Lebanon remains at war. He underscored the importance of Antelias Pilgrimage Day for the Armenian Church, describing it as a symbol of unity and the steadfast embrace of the faithful around its Holy See. He stated, “The Armenian Church perfectly reflects the will of the Armenian people everywhere around the world.”

 After the Divine Liturgy, the Pontifical Procession—led by the Catholicos and accompanied by the sacred relics—circled the Catholicosate and returned to the altar. At the altar, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I conducted the Blessing of the Water ceremony. The relics of St. Gregory the Illuminator, St. Sylvester, St. Nicholas, and St. Barsauma were displayed on the altar, allowing the faithful to venerate them.