Blessing of Teachers in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

August – September 2014

On August 31, the Feast day of the Discovery of St. Mary’s belt, Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. Following the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, a Blessing of the Teachers service was offered under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; on the eve of the new 2014-15 academic year. The blessing service was attended by Mr. Armen Ashotyan, Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia; rectors of higher educational institutions, and secondary school principals.

At the conclusion of the blessing service, the Catholicos of All Armenians gave his message of blessings to the honorable people responsible for providing education, and said in part: “This tradition offers great guidance, that those responsible in the education sector of our country start the new academic year with a joint prayer at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The path of Armenian writing started at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to enlighten the soul of our nation with faith and knowledge, to develop with the love of science and knowledge, to launch on the right paths and strengthen and preserve our religious and national identity. For continuing this mission, we extend our Pontifical blessing and with contented heart congratulate You on the occasion of the commencement of the new academic year 2014-2015.

At this time, all the educational institutions once again offer an invitation to our loving children, to walk the garnering path of knowledge and wisdom, and to strengthen the national and spiritual image and the knowledge and love of culture.

Our people have always stressed the importance of knowledge and learning, contrary to their suffering, and they have had an essential and fundamental role in our national life and centuries-old culture. Today the responsibility of the citizen and the educated child is invaluable to the empowerment of our country, the welfare of the Homeland, the strength of our state borders, and the bright future for our nation, as according to the words of the scripture, “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Proverb 24:3-4).

Dear ones, it’s not a secret that the difficulties and challenges after Armenian-Independence have left their mark in the sphere of education. An entire generation of our country was raised during war and economic and social hardships. Today, it is encouraging to see that our nation, as well the government, makes all efforts with great care, so that our new generation will be highly educated, and engaged in individual achievements’’.

His Holiness also asked that God with His Grace empower those dedicated to education, and with the blessings of the Lord make inseparable the love of learning from children’s hearts. His Holiness wished that the efforts of the educators be richly successful for the sake of skillfully educating the new generation, with Christian values and upbringing; for the peaceful and happy future of the Homeland and the Armenian people worldwide.

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