On August 14, 2022, the Armenian Church celebrates one of its five Solemnities - the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary. Holy liturgies for this Solemnity were held in various parishes of ours. In the "St. Sahak St. Mesrop” diocesan church in Cologne celebrated the Holy Festive Liturgy HE Bishop Serovpé Isakhanyan, primate of the diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany. He was assisted by Cologne parish priest Vahridsch Baghdasaryan. The traditional blessing of the grapes then took place under the direction of Bishop Serovpé.

Excerpts from Bishop Serovpé's homily:

„The feast of the Assumption of Mary is one of the oldest and most important feasts of the Christian Church and has been celebrated since at least the 5th century. The Armenian Church has given this festival a particularly important meaning and made it one of its five most important solemnities...

Mary has an important and special role in the Creator's plan of salvation for man. Through Mary God's eternal Word takes shape: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14). When we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary by calling her "Mother of God" and "The Mother of God," we profess our belief that Mary gave birth and gave birth to no ordinary human being. Through the child born of Mary, the eternal Son of the eternal God becomes man “in the fullness of time” and assumes our human nature. God and man meet in Jesus Christ.

While respecting and venerating Mary, the Armenian Church unmistakably emphasizes that Mary is venerated in Christ. Worshiping Mary is directly related to honoring and glorifying Christ. In Christianity and in the church, Mary receives her highest status through Christ Jesus. As the Mother of the Lord, she is also the Mother of the entire Church, the Heavenly Mother of every believer. She is the eternal Advocate of every Christian with her only begotten Son. Among men, the Church offers Mary the highest respect and honor, while at the same time affirming time and again that there is salvation only through Jesus Christ. Mary is an important contributor to the divine plan of salvation, but Jesus Christ alone is Savior and Redeemer.

With her assumption into heaven, the Blessed Mother stands next to the throne of her Son and our Lord and intercedes for us. God not only gave us His only begotten Son, but with the incarnation of the Son He also gave us a wonderful heavenly Mother who accepted us all in Her Son Jesus Christ. And with this conviction we turn to God at the beginning of every Holy Liturgy and ask: "And by the intercession of the holy Theotokos, Lord, accept our prayer and save us." Amen.