Armenian peacekeepers receive communion before leaving for Afghanistan

PanARMENIAN.Net - On July 31, celebrated in 2011 as the Transfiguration of Christ (Arm. Vardavar) by the Armenian Apostolic Church, 40 Armenian peacekeepers on a NATO mission to Afghanistan made their communion in the town of Hanau in Hesse, Germany.

The service was headed by archimandrite Serovbe Isahanian at Walloon-Dutch kirk, for the absence of an Armenian church in the town.

In June 2010, St Thaddeus Church, built through the efforts of Armenian peacekeepers, was consecrated in Germany, Blagovest Info reported citing Hesse’s Armenian community administration.

Armenian peacekeepers will serve in Afghanistan for 6 months as a part of German troops of German-led ISAF Regional Command – North.

On May 11, Armenian parliament ratified an agreement on regulation of legal issues with NATO in reference to Armenian Armed Forces' peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan. The agreement envisages extension of deployment term till December 31, 2012 with the peacekeepers' number to be increased to 130. At present, 45 Armenian peacekeepers are serving in Afghanistan.