Catholicos of All Armenians Meets Pupils of Saturday Schools and Youth of Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
30.10.2017
On October 28, during the pastoral visit of His Holiness Karekin II to Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, a meeting was held with students of the Armenian Saturday schools; in the Events Auditorium of the Diocesan headquarters.
The meeting began with the singing of the Lord's Prayer. Deacon Hovhannes Gumruyan, Director of the "Little Angels" Saturday School, gave opening remarks. The students performed songs and played piano pieces. The pupils of the Armen Tigranyan Music School, arrived from Yerevan, who added to the events of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America with their beautiful and skillfully presented songs, also performing songs by Armenian composers during the meeting.
The students of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, who are alumni of the Harichavank Trbanjian Seminary, also performed. Following the artistic part of the meeting, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America; gave his remarks, evaluating the mission of the Armenian schools and urging them to keep their love towards the Homeland and Holy Etchmiadzin firm. Then, led by His Eminence, the students jointly recited their covenant to remain faithful to the faith of the church fathers, to love Armenia, remain faithful to Holy Etchmiadzin, and to love and preserve the Armenian language. Then the students sang the Pontifical Prayer.
At the conclusion of the meeting, His Holiness conveyed his blessing remarks, noting that God will hear the prayers of the innocent hearts of children, and will accept with kindness their covenant of faithfulness towards the homeland, Church, and the Mother See; and convey blessings to their lives so that they will live happily and in the love of their parents, the people of the nation and the homeland. Through the example and wonder of the Evangelical parable of the nobles, His Holiness conveyed a message to use the graces granted from God as best, and like the Great Armenians of history, become deserving children of the nation. His Holiness expressed gratitude to the school officials and teachers, parents, and spiritual servants for the mission undertaken in the education and upbringing of a new generation.
On the same day, the Catholicos of All Armenians met with the youth and young adults of the Diocese. His Holiness answered the various questions of the youth and encouraged them to live a faithful life, always love the Holy Church and Homeland and be worthy children of the nation. His Holiness emphasized the importance of the involvement of young people with new initiatives in the Church's mission, and Armenian-American youth pilgrims to the Homeland, to pass-on the memories of the ancestors, the national sanctities and become stronger in faith and patriotism.
