Pontiff of All Armenians Awards the Order of “St. Sahak and St. Mesrop” to Tom Samuelian
07.10.2006
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has decorated Tom Samuelian with the Order of "St. Sahak and St. Mesrop". The award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the head of the Armenian Church on faithful sons and daughters who have greatly contributed to the literary, scholastic and cultural life of the Armenian Nation.
The event took place on August 30 in the Pontifical Residence on the grounds of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and began with welcoming remarks by Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian of the Catholicosate of All Armenians. His Grace Bishop Sion Adamian, Primate of the Diocese of Armavir, presented the biography and works of Mr. Samuelian, noting that his creative efforts have accompanied his life from a very early age.
His Excellency John Evans, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia, thanked His Holiness for paying such a tribute and honoring an exemplary citizen of the United States and a true son of Armenia. The ambassador stated that "Tom is a man within whom the worlds of knowledge and practical life are unified".
Academician Rafael Hambardzumian presented his thoughts, highly evaluating the virtues and dedication of Mr. Samuelian, noting that "Our literature, culture and science have always progressed due to individuals like Tom. He is one of the brightest and best representatives of our people." Mr. Hambardzumian also expressed his gratitude to His Holiness for recognizing individuals within the spheres of science, culture and the arts in such a high manner.
As the Hover Chamber Choir sang the church hymn "Etchmiadzin", the Pontifical Encyclical of the Catholicos of All Armenians was brought into the hall and read by Bishop Adamian. In the encyclical, His Holiness Karekin II highly commends the manifold and multifaceted works of Mr. Samuelian, who for decades has willingly brought his service to the parishes of the United States, taught Armenian language classes in Philadelphia, Boston and New Jersey, and actively participated in the progress of national and ecclesiastical life of the Armenian American communities.
The encyclical states in part, "…your readiness to contribute your abilities to the strengthening and progress of our homeland, and your kind motivation to always see the national and church life of our people bright and prosperous, directed your paths to Armenia, where you continue to enrich your nation-helping and church-building legacy under the blessings of our Lord. Happiness envelopes our Pontifical soul, that your fidelity to our national values and traditions is manifested in your achievements and accomplishments, in service to our Christ-loving people, homeland and Holy Apostolic Mother Church.
"We reflect with pleasure on your academic, literary and creative labors. Due to your years of diligent work, your scholarly essays, books, dictionaries, textbooks and translations are available for the reader. These have truly earned you the recognition and title of ‘intellectual’. Through your translations, non-Armenians and English-speaking Armenians now have the opportunity to know literary monuments such as the ‘Book of Lamentations’ by St. Gregory of Narek, ‘Refutation of the Sects’ by Yeznik of Kolb, and others…"
Following the reading of the Encyclical, His Holiness Karekin II decorated Mr. Samuelian with the Medal of St. Sahak - St. Mesrop. Mr. Samuelian, in his remarks, expressed his deep gratitude to the Pontiff of All Armenians for honoring him in this manner.
The event concluded with the message of His Holiness Karekin II. Recalling the words of Catholicos of All Armenians Vasken I of blessed memory, His Holiness stated, " ‘On the path of searching for God, I found Holy Etchmiadzin and my Homeland…’ Searching for God has been the way of life for our nation and people. Our parents, holding the hands of their children in their palms, have always led them to church, so that the child, from the earliest of years, would learn to walk on the road that leads to God, to search for God and to find God through His unending mercy. For they realized and recognized the great sacred mystery that the guarantor of Armenian identity, existence and being is found within God." His Holiness noted that this was the same in Tom Samuelian’s case as well, who on his path of searching for God, found Armenia and became a worthy child of our nation.
His Holiness extended his blessings to all assembled, thanked the Hover Chamber Choir for their musical presentations throughout the evening and once more commended the dedication, love and faithfulness of Tom Samuelian to the Armenian Church and Nation.
