Graduates of Yerevan State Pedagogical Institute Visit the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On April 8, in the “Vache and Tamar Manoukian” Library and Manuscript Repository of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, welcomed the graduate students from the Faculty of Armenian History of the Yerevan State Khachatur Abovyan Pedagogical Institute. Accompanying them was Mr. Ruben Mirzakhanyan, Rector of the Pedagogical Institute.

Mr. Mirzakhanyna introduced the graduates of the Faculty of Armenian History to the Catholicos of All Armenians, reflecting on the symbolism of meeting with His Holiness in the newly opened scientific and cultural center of the Mother See, the “Vache and Tamar Manoukian” Matenadaran, where students are given the opportunity to work on their scientific theses. The Rector of the Institute exhorted the Catholicos of All Armenians to extend his blessings and message to the young people to be productive in their professional field.

His Holiness Karekin II offered his congratulations and best wishes to the graduates on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, noting the importance of the visit of the future teachers and specialists of Armenian History.

“You have a great and responsible mission on your shoulders, as national values are more comprehendible through the study of history. You provide the biography of the nation to generations, who learn of the culture of our nation and become the bearers of national dreams and aspirations. People become more responsible when they learn about the history of their past, know the path people have traversed, and identify with their historical origins and roots. Therefore all the Armenians, who are aware of their people’s past and historical timeline, are more responsible in their lives, taking pride in their glorious history”, noted His Holiness.

Discussing the Christian value system of the Armenian people over the crossroads of its history and the important role of the Armenian Church, the Catholicos of All Armenians remarked, “All the values that make us proud were forged with the Christian faith, thus all of you must be able to properly convey to the new generations the role of the Christian faith and the Armenian Church in the history of the Armenian people, as through Christian faith we have persevered and persisted throughout history”. The Catholicos of All Armenians urged the young historians to always direct their path towards the Mother Church, where they will find light, inspiration and spirit vibrantly radiating into the national life, so that the Armenian people can develop their talent and turn them into God- pleasing endeavors.

During the meeting the Catholicos of All Armenian held a question and answer session with the future teachers, regarding the support that the Mother See shows to the Syrian Armenians, the teaching opportunities of the “History of the Armenian Church” in higher educational institutions, the relationship of the Armenian Church with denominations and other religious organizations, and the lecture projects of the Mother See.

Present at the meeting were His Grace Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Director of the Office of Ecclesiastical Issues of the Mother See; and His Grace Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, Rector of All the Religious Educational Institutions of the Mother See and Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary. At the conclusion of the meeting the graduates visited the Ruben Sevak Museum.

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