The event was attended by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, Armenian Defence Minister Vigen Sargsyan, high-ranking military officers and religious leaders.

The religious leader of the Armed Forces, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, presented the history of its establishment and the Service’s accomplishments in the past 20 years.

In his speech, Minister Sargsyan said that during the centuries when Armenians had no statehood, it was the Armenian Church that had assumed the role of bringing our people together, educating and taking them to the battlefield when necessary. “The church cannot be separated from either the state or the army. It is in our Constitution, legislation, and most importantly, in the heart of every Armenian. For us, the battlefield has also associated with those clergymen who never stood behind and often led Armenian troops. This Religious Service was established under Catholicos Garegin II, and it is getting stronger under Catholicos Garegin II. It is the force which should make our army unique, it is the force that should become an important means of forming a national spirit and a new environment in our armed forces,” Sargsyan said.

The festive event continued with a concert, featuring religious and classical music performed by the Armed Forces Military Band, the Narekatsi Orchestra, the Tsakhkazard choir and the choir of the Gevorgyan Seminary.

The Armed Forces Religious Service was established on November 13, 1997 on the joint initiative of Catholicos Garegin II and Minister of Defence Vazgen Sargsyan, taking into consideration the exclusive role the church has played in the defence of Homeland.

The main tasks of the Service are to educate the servicemen on the principles of the Christian faith, implement Christian morality and national patriotic spirit.