Christmas Greetings And Blessing Of The Water Service At Providence St. Joseph Medical Center

On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Diocesan Primate, visited Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, where he presided over the traditional Blessing of the Water Service in observance of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The visit brought the prayers and presence of the Armenian Apostolic Church to patients, families, and healthcare professionals within the hospital community.

Archbishop Derderian was accompanied by Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan and Rev. Fr. Yeremia Khachatryan. Together, they conducted the sacred service, which commemorates the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan and proclaims the sanctification of water and all creation. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Blessing of the Water Service is a profound expression of renewal, healing, and God’s abiding grace, especially meaningful in places where human frailty and hope intersect.

In his remarks, His Eminence explained the spiritual significance of the ceremonial service and emphasized the Church’s mission to be present where suffering and healing coexist. He then expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the hospital’s administration, staff, physicians, and nurses for their dedicated and selfless care of the patients entrusted to them, commending their daily service as a living witness of compassion, dignity, and love in action.