The collection of Eastern and Western Armenian literary masterpieces, “Orhnerkoutyoun Medzaskanchin” published last year by the Catholicosate of Cilicia, dedicated to the Armenian language, was presented on July 17 to educational officials from around the Armenian Diaspora gathered in Antelias to attend the second Pan-Diaspora Conference on Education.

The event, sponsored by His Holiness Aram I, was to re-evaluate the “Year of the Armenian Language” declared by the Catholicosate of Cilicia in 2007, during which several initiatives throughout the Diaspora brought the Armenian Language at the center of attention. The volume was edited by Lebanese-Armenian intellectual Sarkis Giragosian, also lecturer on the Armenian Language and Literature at the Seminary and an intellectual. It had been published towards the end of the year.

In his opening remarks, Deacon Father Mesrob Sarkissian talked about the educational mission of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, which coexists side-by side with its spiritual, religious mission. Seminary students then recited poems praising the Armenian Language.

Lebanese Armenian poet Hagop Manoukian delivered a comprehensive account of the content of the volume and the editorial work involved in its preparation. Mr. Manoukian presented to the audience poetic and literary excerpts from the volume, speaking about the uniqueness of the collection.

In his speech, His Holiness Aram I once again upheld the essential importance of the Armenian Language. Speaking about the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s initiatives to bring important issues to the center of public attention, His Holiness talked about the Year of the Armenian Language in 2007. “However, for each Armenian the Armenian Language is a daily existential struggle. The Armenian Language is one of the Holy values of our nation and one that can not be forgotten, not only because the discovery of the Armenian letters was made by a Saint, but because the Language acquired a value equal to that of sanctity in Armenian life. Is there an Armenian intellectual who has not realized the important value of our language? Is there an Armenian clergyman, who while conveying the Word of God, does not realize the sacred value of the Armenian Language?” wondered His Holiness. On this occasion the Pontiff also highly praised editor Sarkis Giragossian, the Cilician Brotherhood members who organized the conference, the Seminary students who participated in the program and the Seminary’s management. The cultural entertainment program continued with performances by Seminary students and a reception by the Seminary’s management.

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