On May 9, at the Armenian Church of Saint Blaise in Rome, five female students from Armenia who are pursuing higher education in the Italian capital received the sacrament of Baptism. The ceremony was conducted with the blessing and by the hand of His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Pontifical Legate of Western Europe and Representative of the Catholicosate of All Armenians to the Vatican.

In the months leading up to the ceremony, the young women had regularly attended Sunday Divine Liturgies and deepened their understanding of the sacrament of Holy Baptism. With great enthusiasm and heartfelt anticipation, they prepared themselves to be baptized and to embrace their Christian calling.

The godfather role for the five students was undertaken by five young men who have recently been actively involved in the life of the church community and in service at the altar.

Following the baptism ceremony, a festive gathering was held in honor of the newly baptized students. Their friends, together with young members of the local Armenian community, joined the celebration with warmth and joy around a fellowship table set in the open-air hall of the Pontifical Russicum College. The occasion also marked the first large gathering of around fifty Armenian young people in the community. View the video 📽

At the opening of the celebration, Archbishop Barsamian expressed his appreciation to the pastors, Father Athanas Sargsyan and Father Bsag Tepirjian, as well as to members of the church’s Ladies’ Association, Lusine Abrahamyan and Naira Kerobyan, for their organizational efforts, devoted service, and important mission of bringing young people together.

Addressing the young people gathered around the festive table, the Archbishop encouraged them to remain united, to treat one another with love and care, and to preserve their Armenian spiritual and national identity. He emphasized that they are the hope of both the present and the future, and that through them the rich centuries-old Armenian heritage will continue and be further enriched.

Archbishop Barsamian also urged the youth never to lose their faith and hope, noting that in times of hardship and uncertainty, faith and hope help a person remain steadfast and overcome challenges. He further called on them to stand in support of the prosperity and strengthening of the Homeland, and to take an active role in the life of the community and the Church.