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When the oldest living Armenian priest described his years living in the Holy Land as a seminary student, I gave close attention to his explanation of the spiritual significance of the paths our Lord walked.

I listened to him speak about where Jesus preached, healed, gathered his apostles, and spread the gospel; where he was unjustly tried by the Roman authorities, and where he was crucified and buried in a tomb; where he rose from the dead, and offered his followers life eternal.

I listened to it all carefully, with an intrigued heart. Especially because that priest happens to be my dad, Fr. Diran Papazian.

With his help I took part in the pilgrimage of a lifetime to celebrate Holy Week and Easter in Jerusalem. The trip was sponsored by the Eastern Diocese as the culmination of last year’s “Save the Tomb” campaign to help support the restoration of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

With the blessing of the Diocesan Primate, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, and the welcome of the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manoogian, our group of pilgrims from throughout the Diocese and elsewhere came together to walk in the footsteps of our Lord.

Blessed by the leadership of Fr. Vazken Karayan and Fr. Mardiros Chevian, our group included Fr. Tateos Abdalian, Fr. Diran Bohajian, and 64 pilgrims from all walks of life, connected through faith, common values, and prayer.

Prayer and biblical discovery were a daily part of our experience. The high point of our visit was to worship in both the magnificently restored Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the breathtaking Sts. James Armenian Cathedral. There were many other holy sites we visited: the Chapel of the Ascension, Church of the Nativity, the Armenian Monastery, the Western wall (considered the last remnant of the Jewish Temple), the Pool of Bethesda, the River Jordan, the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on water. We even swam in the Dead Sea as we shared a day of rest.

More personally, my most treasured moments included our relaxed visit with the Armenian Patriarch, where we had the opportunity to ask questions and share thoughts in a Christian family atmosphere; the Good Friday burial service, where I could feel how moved the clergy and congregation were as they celebrated the badarak; and our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, a few days after Easter, when we sang and rejoiced in our Lord’s resurrection.

All this filled me with new vigor and spiritual energy. which I shall carry in my heart forever.

Other pilgrims shared their thoughts with me. Former Jerusalem native Zarouhi Kedjidian said: “I have not visited my birthplace for almost 50 years. I enjoyed going back, especially with Fr. Mardiros as a terrific guide and the entire wonderful group.”

Rose and John Kardashian said: “We felt blessed being a part of the amazing Armenian Church pilgrimage and sharing spiritual moments with fellow faith-filled Armenian pilgrims.”

Dina Hovanessian called the experience “truly enlightening, both spiritually and personally.”

And Donna Lafian–who like me was inspired to go on pilgrimage after listening to my father–said: “After hearing Der Diran, I knew I had to be part of this pilgrimage. And now that I have, I feel so blessed.”

All of us who went to the Holy Land felt that the end of our pilgrimage would be the gateway to a richer spiritual life. It is amazing what can transpire though love and peace in the name of our Lord. To quote Fr. Chevian: “We are all ambassadors of the Jerusalem pilgrimage.”

I personally feel blessed to learn the truth of the advice my dad gave before I left for my trip: “You are about to be part of another world, and when you return, we will share stories of an unparalleled spiritual journey.”

–Elise P. Papazian

To view pictures of the pilgrimage, click here.