His Grace Bishop Meghrig Parikian conducted the Blessing of Water (Chrorhnek) ceremony following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, August 2nd at St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church with the newly blessed Holy Muron that has been brought from Bikfaya, Lebanon. Prelate Parikian will perform the Chrorhnek ceremony at St. Kevork Church this Sunday, August 9th and then at St. Mary Church on August 16th, St. Gregory the Illuminator Church on August 23rd and finally at St. Nishan Church on Sunday, September 6, 2015.

Holy Muron holds a very special place of reverence in the Armenian Church from the earliest days of Christianity. It is believed that St. Thaddeus brought holy oil to Armenia that St. Gregory mixed with Muron that he blessed. To this day, whenever a new batch of the holy oil is prepared and blessed, some of the old Muron is mixed into the mixture, thus preserving the centuries-old continuity. The newly blessed oil by Catholicos Aram contains Muron from the Holy Mother See of Etchmiadzin, as well as the remaining portion that was previously blessed by the Holy See of Cilicia.

“Take the finest spices….and make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil.” (Exodus 30:23-25)

“…You have been anointed by the Holy One, and all of you have knowledge.” (1 John 2:20)

Oh God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, let this Muron become a source of sanctification and an instrument of faith against the evils of the world.” (Prayer recited during blessing of Muron)

“This year is the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. It is, therefore, a spiritually enriching moment to consecrate the Holy Muron before the monument that symbolizes the martyrdom of one-and-a-half million Armenians, who were recently canonized as saints by our Church…. While consecrating the Holy Muron, we remember our martyrs and reaffirm our faithfulness to their sacred legacy: justice for the Armenian people and to all whose human rights have been violated. While consecrating the Holy Muron, we are called to recommit ourselves to working together for peace with justice, to work towards overcoming violence in all its expressions and to promote tolerance and mutual respect and understanding among religions, cultures and nations.”

Aram I
Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia