Armenians in Stepanakert have celebrated Christmas during a ceremony at the Cathedral of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenian Church celebrates Christmas on 6 January. The Christmas and Epiphany service was led by the Head of the Armenian Church in Nagorno-Karabakh, Bishop Abrahamyan. Amongst those attending the service were the prominent leaders in the territory, including the president of the self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Arayik Harutyunyan, Minister of State Ruben Vardanyan, former presidents Arkadi Ghukasyan and Bako Sahakyan.
As part of the Christmas celebration Armenians greet each other with the words: "Christ was born and revealed", to which the reply is: "Blessed is the birth of Christ, great news for us and for you".
After the liturgy, a water blessing ceremony is performed in memory of Jesus' baptism. The cross is lowered into the water and blessed, as Jesus blessed the water with his baptism. The liturgical priest drops holy light Myro into the water and blesses it. According to tradition, the people take this water home as a blessing. After the Christmas, the priests visit the houses of the believers to announce the birth of Jesus Christ by performing the blessing ceremony.
This year's christmas celebration has a special significance for the Armenian population of Stepanakert due to the current stand-off on the Lachin Corridor that hinders the free movement of people and goods from the Armenian parts of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.