Today is the Feast of the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin

One of the great feasts of the Armenian Church is the celebration of the founding of the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, as revealed in a vision to St. Gregory the Illuminator. According to tradition, after his release from imprisonment in Khor Virap, St. Gregory the Illuminator has a vision where the Only-Begotten descends from Heaven, immersed in glorious light, and strikes the earth with a golden hammer, indicating the place where the temple of the Armenian holy faith should be built. This is where the name “Etchmiadzin” originates, meaning “the Only-Begotten has come down.” St. Gregory the Illuminator recounts his vision to King Tiridates of Armenia. Under the king's patronage, the Mother Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin, dedicated to the Holy Mother of God, is constructed. At the place of Christ's descent, the Holy Table of Descent is also built.

King Tiridates and Queen Ashkhen also participate in the construction of Etchmiadzin alongside the people. According to the "Ritual Vocabulary" of Patriarch Maghakia Ormanian, “cathedral” signifies a mother church that is endowed with a cathedra, and this title has been specifically given to the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin. However, in another sense, the term cathedral has referred to all churches with a dome in general, and in theology, this designation represents the symbol of the universality of the church. All three of these meanings correspond to the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, as it is a cathedral church, domed, and universal for all believers.

The Feast of the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin is celebrated 64 days after Easter or on the second Sunday following the Feast of Pentecost. On this festive day, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated, and during the services, among other hymns, the notable hymn “Etch Miadzin i Hore” is also sung, written by the 8th-century Catholicos Sahak of Dzorapor. The hymn is about the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator and the construction of the cathedral.