On Sunday, March 22, the “Disciple’s Mission” of the Western Diocese, under the leadership of Mr. Hayk Madoyan, organized a pilgrimage of thirty-five participants to St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church of Rancho Mirage, where they participated in the Divine Liturgy of the Sunday of the Advent.
The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by the Very Reverend Fr. Gevorg Hayrapetyan, a member of the Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Superintendent of the Jarankavorats and Entzayaran Schools, and a visiting clergyman in the Western Diocese. Despite his scheduled return the following day to the St. James Monastery in Jerusalem—currently facing difficult circumstances due to ongoing military conflicts—Fr. Gevorg graciously accepted the invitation to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Garabed Church.
The pilgrims were warmly received by the spiritual pastor of St. Garabed Church, the Reverend Deacon Gevorg Gevorgyan, who, together with the Parish Council and members of the Ladies’ Auxiliary, had prepared a gracious and heartfelt reception.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the celebrant delivered a brief message for the day. This was followed, according to the program, by a bilingual lecture presented by Mr. Hayk Madoyan entitled “The Expectation of the Second Coming of Christ in the Life of the Christian.”
The lecture was followed by a fellowship meal, during which the pilgrims had the opportunity to engage with members of the local community in a warm and friendly atmosphere. They expressed their sincere appreciation to Deacon Gevorg, the choir, and the Ladies’ Auxiliary body for their generous hospitality. The first portion of the pilgrimage concluded with a commemorative group photograph.
Following their visit to St. Garabed Church, the pilgrims proceeded to the well-known Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which carried them to an elevation of 8,500 feet. Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, participants experienced in a profound and unique way the presence of the Lord, recalling the words of the Psalmist: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 18 (19):1).
The pilgrims returned safely to their homes later that same evening.
For nearly fourteen years, the “Disciple’s Mission” has organized similar pilgrimages throughout the Western Diocese. Founded in August 2012 by Mr. Hayk Madoyan, a staff member of the Diocesan headquarters, the program continues under the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese.
The purpose of the program is to familiarize the faithful with the many churches, affiliated institutions, and their members throughout the Diocese.
Within the diverse and multicultural environment of the United States, this initiative offers many benefits. It helps the faithful of the Armenian Church to become acquainted with and appreciate the spiritual and cultural heritage established by their forefathers in the Western Diocese —heritage that requires ongoing care and preservation—while encouraging vigilance against assimilation and the uncritical adoption of foreign spiritual values. The program also aims to inspire the many parishes of the Diocese to organize similar pilgrimages and to visit one another’s communities in a spirit of fellowship.
To provide a clearer picture of the program’s activity, it is worth noting that within the past seven months alone, the “Disciple’s Mission” has organized the following five pilgrimages:
St. Mary Armenian Church, Yettem (August 31, 2025)
St. James of Nisibis Armenian Church, Los Angeles (November 30, 2025)
St. James Armenian Church, Sacramento (December 13–14, 2025)
St. Mary Armenian Church, Costa Mesa (February 22, 2026)
St. Garabed Armenian Church, Rancho Mirage (March 22, 2026)
May our Lord continue to bless and guide the faithful pilgrims and keep under His almighty protection all the faithful of the Western Diocese.
Divan of the Diocese
March 23, 2026
