His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian, Locum Tenens of the Armenian Church Diocese of Canada attended the 650th anniversary celebration of the Armenian Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary of Lvov, Ukraine on September 15, 2013.
Our Archbishop was specially invited to take part in the celebration of this historic milestone and officially represented His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. On this occasion, the Blessing Ceremony of “Golgotha” in the courtyard of the Cathedral was held followed with Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral celebrated by the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Ukraine His Eminence Archbishop Grigoris Bouniatyan. Matagh was served to the present dignitaries and faithful.
At night, a formal concert of Jivan Gasparian at Lvov’s Opera House took place where His Eminence Archbishop Nathan conveyed the greetings of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Archbishop Nathan then Father Nathan was the first Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Ukraine reorganized in 1991. During his tenure, the Cathedral of the Assumption of St. Mary of Lvov, Ukraine was returned to the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in 1999. Built in 1363 and modeled after the Cathedral of Ani in the ancient Armenian capital of Ani the Armenian cathedral in Ukraine is a jewel of the sacred sites of the Armenian Church.
