Beirut, Lebanon

On Wednesday, the 29^th of September 2010, the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate received solemnly the copy of the Shroud of Christ.

This shroud is a gift from the Archbishop of Turin, Italy.

The reception ceremony of the shroud took place in Our Lady of Annunciation church in Geitawi, at 7:00 PM, under the presidency of His Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics and with the participation of the ecclesiastical order and a large number of believers as well as the members of AMCOR (Friends of the Oriental Churches) group coming from Italy. The Italian ambassador to Lebanon Gabriel Kikia was also present at the ceremony.

The ceremony started with a procession. Then, the Spiritual Father blessed the image with a prayer.

After the blessing, the spiritual leader of AMCOR group Msgr. Giuseppe Ghiberti made a speech in which he transmitted to them the kind regards of the Cardinal of Turin and he appreciated the presence of the believers.

Then, the Spiritual Father mentioned in a thank-you note his pilgrimage to Turin when the original copy of the shroud was located.

The ceremony ended after singing the canticle of «Khachi Ko Krisdosi» and saying the prayer of «Koum amenazor».

After that, the Spiritual Father welcomed the group coming from Italy in the guest room of the Patriarchate and he gave them souvenirs.

Let’s mention that in the process of preparing for the reception of the shroud, on Wednesday the 22^nd of September 2010, at 8:00 PM, a special historical videotape of the Shroud of Christ was shown in St. Savior Church, in Bourj Hammoud.