Under the blessing of His Grace Bishop Mikael Ajapahyan, leader of the Shirak Diocese, youth gatherings with the diocesan clergy will now occur regularly at the Shirak Diocese Youth Union.
The first discussion within this initiative was held in the courtyard of St. Mary Holy Mother of God Cathedral in Gyumri, featuring Deacon Ararat Sargsyan, who spoke on the theme: "Who is a Christian?"
"When you love God, that love also extends to people. At that point, what once seemed like sacrifice is no longer a burden but a source of joy because you love someone. Love makes you willing to do anything for the one you cherish. When we read about the lives of martyrs, we are amazed that they endured extreme suffering—having their hands cut off, tongues removed, or skin flayed—without renouncing God. To us, this may seem absurd, but they had reached a state where they fully experienced God's presence," shared Deacon Ararat.