Under the Auspices of His Eminence, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate, the Armenian Prelacy of Canada’s annual tree lighting ceremony was held at the Prelacy on the evening of December 14, 2012.

After the official lighting of the grand Christmas tree adorned with the Prelacy’s official colour, purple, His Eminence wished the attendants a joyous New Year filled with God’s blessings, and announced that His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholicosate, had just declared 2013 the “Year of the Armenian Mother.”

Following the ceremony, a small reception, organized by the Prelacy’s Ladies Guild, was held at the Prelacy Hall, where Prelacy Executive and Religious Council members, World Assembly Delegates, Canadian Armenian National Assembly Representatives, Church Boards Trustees, donors, friends and representatives of sister organizations took the opportunity to get together before the Holidays.

This year’s ceremony was extra special, whereas attendants were presented with a pomegranate as a parting gift, which His Eminence explained was a common tradition in Armenia, where people upon arrival to their home, throw the pomegranate at the footstep of their dwelling after midnight, with the hopes that it will bring their household good fortune in the New Year.