News

On April 21, in the Vatche and Tamar Manoukyan Library, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; received the members of the Democratic Liberal Party, who had arrived in Armenia on the occasion of the second congress of the party.

Mr. Hakob Avetikyan, representative of the Democratic Liberal Party, presented the activities of the congress in Yerevan to the Armenian Patriarch, noting that the congress aims to find solutions to overcome the problems in the party and establish final unity. He emphasized the dedication and love of all the members of the Party towards the Homeland, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and her Patriarch, expressing joy that the spiritual center of all Armenians, due to wise and nation-building activities of His Holiness, constantly strengthens and prospers.

On March 31, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; an international Symposium titled “Traditional Values: The Spiritual and Moral Development Milestones of Contemporary Society” was held at the Vatche and Tamar Manookian Library of the Mother See.

The Symposium was organized thorugh the initiative of the Society of the Friends of the Mount Athos Charitable Foundation from Russia and with the support of the Mother See, the Russian Orthodox Church, as well the Women’s Union of Russia. The Symposium was attended by 150 representatives of state officials, social organizations, and members from religious and the scientific sphere from Russia and the Republic of Armenia.

On July 4, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; met with the delegates of the 3rd Pan-ACYO World Assembly in the lecture hall of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library.

At the beginning of the session, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; presented the agenda of the Pan-ACYO World Assembly; highlighting the efforts of the Mother See and the youth for the effectiveness of the ACYO mission.

On July 2, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America and Director of the Pan Armenian Church Youth Organization (ACYO), the 3rd Pan-ACYO World Assembly was launched in the auditorium of the Vatche and Tamar Library of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Assembly was opened with the Lord’s Prayer and the singing of the hymn “Holy God”. Rev. Fr. Maghakia Amiryan, spiritual servant of the Armenian Diocese of Argentine, read passages from the Holy Gospel.

On May 27, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; an International Symposium “Church and State in Cilician Armenia (Interior and Exterior Perspectives)” was held in the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library. The Symposium was dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the birth of Karekin I Hovsepian, Catholicos of Great House of Cilicia and Member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The three-day Symposium was organized by the joint efforts of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Republic of Armenia National Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Oriental Studies, and Republic of Armenia State Committee of Science. The Symposium was attended by 23 scientists from Armenia and abroad.

 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.

On May 30, Charles, the Prince of Wales, who was in Armenia for a private visit at the invitation of the "Yerevan, My Love" charitable foundation, visited the Spiritual Center of All Armenians the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, welcomed the Prince to the Mother See.  His Holiness spoke to the Prince of Wales about the historic mission of the Armenian Church in the life of the Armenian nation, and its crucial role in maintaining the national identity and re-establishing an independent statehood.  The Catholicos of All Armenians also reflected on Inter-Church Relations, specifically mentioning the present cooperation between the Armenian and Anglican Churches.

On October 18, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the opening of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library was held. The ribbon cutting and opening ceremony was held under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; with the participation of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargisyan, and benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Vatche and Tamar Manoukian.

On September 22, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians offered the Service of Blessing the Foundation, for the new　Vatche and Tamar　Manoukian　Manuscript Depository (Matenadaran)　at the Mother See. The new Matenadaran is being built through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Vatchй and Tamar Manoukian of London, England. Present for the ceremony were Mr. Tigran Sargsian, Prime-Minister of the Republic of Armenia and the benefactor Mr. Vatchй Manoukian. The architect is Mr. Artak Ghulian and the building is being constructed by the Spitak Toun company of Armenia.