Commemoration of Forty Holy Martyrs at Armenian Churches

On the fourth Saturday of Great Lent, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church commemorates the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

On March 14, 2026, the Armenian churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia celebrated the Day of the Martyrdom of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. During the Morning Service at the Cathedral of Saint George and Saint Etchmiadzin Church, candles decorated with flowers were lit in memory of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. The altar, adorned with forty burning candles, symbolically represented their unwavering faith in Christianity and their martyrdom, reflected in the bright crowns. The candle of the martyr who could not endure the torture and renounced his faith, left without a flower, represented his loss of both earthly and heavenly life.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, priests preached about the mystery of the day and encouraged those present, to follow the example of the Holy Forty Martyrs of Sebaste and to remain faithful to the faith of Christ despite all the hardships of life, to live in love, to be kind and ready for sacrifice, to overcome temptations and to lead a righteous life worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Afterward, the story of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste was read in churches.

At the end of the Liturgy, the clergy performed the traditional blessing of vegetable oil, which was then distributed to the faithful.