“The Church and Care for the Poor” by Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepian of the Great House of Cilicia Republished at the Mother See

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin – September 2014

The Publishing Department of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has republished “The Church and Care for the Poor”, originally written by Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepian of the Great House of Cilicia, when he was a Deacon. The book was published as part of the Depth series of publications created by the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, and with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

This work has a unique and important place in the rich and multifaceted scientific heritage of Catholicos Karekin Hovsepian and is mainly influenced by the challenges faced by the Armenian people at the beginning of the 20th century. With this work, Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepian pursued the purpose of creating an atmosphere and ideological principles which allowed the Armenian Church to implement active and organized activities in the field of social services, as well as to adopt a precise position on the socio-economic problems of the time.

In the work, the eminent clergyman highlighted the primary focus of importance for people’s welfare were the vulnerable groups of society; the poor, orphans, minors, beggars, unemployed and those standing on the edge of moral decline. The review of the introduction has been written Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary and Rector of all Religious Educational Institutions of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The book is published under the patronage of the Sarkis Gabrielian Foundation and is designed for a wide range of readers.

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