On November 29, Armenian Apostolic Church to commemorate first  illuminators of Armenia,  Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew

ArmInfo.  On November 29, the Armenian Apostolic Church will commemorate the first illuminators  of Armenia, the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. By the sacred encyclical of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, this feast is also  established as a Day of Pilgrimage to the Holy Spear of the Lord,  Saint Geghard.

According to the Chancellery of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, the  Holy and Immortal Liturgy will be celebrated in the Cathedral of the  Descent of the Only-Begotten at 10:30, during which the Holy Spear of  Geghard will be solemnly brought forth and will remain in the  Cathedral for the veneration of the faithful until 18:00.

On the eve of the feast, November 28 at 17:30, during the Evening  Service, a pre-festive rite will be held, during which the relics of  the Holy Apostles St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew will be brought  forth for veneration.

The apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew are considered the first  illuminators of Armenia. They brought the light of Christianity to  Armenia. They arrived at different times and preached independently.  However, there is a legend that they once met in an Armenian  settlement, which, in memory of this event, the people called Otyats  Khach (Cross of Refuge). The Holy Lance is the relic with which a  Roman soldier pierced Christ. It was brought to Armenia by Apostle  Thaddeus.