Conference Dedicated to the 150th Anniversary of the "Ararat" Magazine
19.12.2018
On December 19, with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; and through the initiative of the ‘Vatche and Tamar Manookian’ Library, a Conference on "The Scientific Giant of the Mother See” was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the "Ararat" magazine. The "Ararat" magazine, founded in 1868, was the first official Armenological periodical of the Mother See in the Caucasus, which has greatly contributed to the development of science.
The Conference began with the Lord’s Prayer, following which Rev. Fr. Ararat Poghosyan, Director of the ‘Vatche and Tamar Manookian’ Library and Publishing department made opening remarks.
Fr. Ararat stated that the "Ararat" magazine passed a long, complicated and difficult way, accepted the challenges of the late 19th and early 20th century, confronted and proved through centuries that he is unique and one of the bests, both as an Armenian religious press and meaningful in the history of journalism and is traditionally durable. He also stressed that the official newspaper has played an important role in the study of the Armenian Church, religion, morality and other related issues, having a great contribution in the development of Armenology.
Then, His Holiness Karekin II, conveyed his blessings to the Conference participants.
“Today you have come together to reassess the significant merit and legacy of the official magazine of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin through your reports and discussions.
During the reign of the late Catholicos George IV of All Armenians, the "Ararat" magazine, founded through his encouragement, set out to an important mission in the national-ecclesiastical life hundred and fifty years ago. As noted in the preface of the first issue of the magazine, the commitment of "Ararat" was to promote the moral and spiritual education of the nation through religious knowledge and presented studies and articles. The magazine had an important contribution in the development of the Armenian theological thought, Armenology and historical science. Led by His Eminence Archbishop Maghakia Ormanian, one of the great clergies, the clergymen of the new generation and young clergymen educated in Europe made serious scientific articles on theology, general theology and translations of prominent theologians works. Famous Armenologists also left memorable earnings in the “Ararat” pages. The magazine's list of valuable materials were enriched by publications on manuscripts, miniature paintings, comparative originals, art and culture. Still in that period, when the official writings of the Mother See were used mainly in Old Armenian (Grabar), it was preferred for the "Ararat" magazine to use Modern Armenian so it will be accessible to a wider range of readers.
It is also noteworthy that the "Ararat" magazine was published by edition of prominent clergyman as His Eminence Archbishop Abel Mkhitaryan; Rev. Fr. Khoren Stepanen; Rev. Fr. Karapet Ter-Mkrtchyan; Galust Ter-Mkrtchyan; Rev. Fr. Karekin Hovsepyan and others. We convey our deepest respect and gratitude to the Catholicos George IV of All Armenians, the honored editors of the magazine and all the devotees of "Ararat".
We are pleased to note that the "Ararat" magazine, with a special selection of published materials, became the first serious scientific magazine in the Caucasus during that period, where the Armenian theologian clergymen, scholars, and writers made an important contribution to the development of the science branches. Today also, the rich scientific materials of the “Ararat” magazine, as well as the Patriarchal encyclicals and orders, information on Synod writings, dioceses, settlements and ethnography are a useful source of knowledge for the readers and researchers”, stated His Holiness, expressing his appreciation to the management of the Matenadaran and to all those who have made good contributions to the implementation of the conference.
Following the Pontifical message, the Conference began its work.
During the first session presenting their reports were Dr. Vardan Devrikyan, Director of the Literary Institute after M. Abeghyan of the RA National Academy of Sciences (“The idea of ‘Echmiadzinism’ in the pages of ‘Ararat’”); Dr. Serzh Srapionyan, Lecturer of the YSU Department of Armenian Literature History (“Ararat’ as annalist of the Mother See”); Dean of the YSU Faculty of Journalism, Ph.D. Naghash Martirosyan (“Oration in the ‘Ararat’ magazine”); Ms. Haykanush Ghazaryan, Deputy Director of the RA National Library (“Ararat's’ reference to the library sector); and Dr. Viktor Katvalyan, NAS RA Director of Acharyan Armenian Language Institute (“Ararat’ magazine on the invention of Armenian alphabet and the celebration of the Pan-Armenian great jubilee”).
During the second session presenting their reports were Dr. Gevork Ter-Vardanyan, Chief Depositary of the Mesrop Mastots Matenadaran (“The half-century original earnings of the ‘Ararat’ magazine”); Dr. Edik Minasyan, Dean of the YSU Faculty of History (“Historical significance of the ‘Ararat’ magazine”); Dr. Arman Maloyan, Senior Specialist at the Department of Armenian Studies and Social-Cultural Subjects of the NAS RA National Institute of Education (“The contribution of the ‘Ararat’ magazine to the development of the Armenian pedagogical thought”); Dr. Arsen Harutyunyan, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the RA National Academy of Sciences and Matenadaran (“Lithography in the ‘Ararat’ pages”); Dr. Haykanush Mesropyan, RA NAS Senior researcher at the Acharyan Armenian Language Institute (“Issues on Armenian dialectics in the pages of the "Ararat" magazine”); Dr. Vasken Hambarzumyan, Head of Chair of Armenian Language at the Pedagogical University and Head of the Department of General and Comparative Linguistics at the Institute of Linguistics, NAS RA (“Armenian theory and regulation issues in the pages of the ‘Ararat’ magazine”) and Dr. Tork Dalalyan, Senior researcher of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography at NAS RA (“General characteristics of folklore materials published in the ‘Ararat’ pages”).
During the third session presenting their reports were Ms. Arpi Vardumyan, Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran Researcher, member of the Armenian Composers and Musicians' Union (“Komitas and the ‘Ararat’ magazine”); Dr. Susanna Hovhannisyan, leading researcher at the RA NAS Institute of Literature after M. Abeghyan (“Hovhannes Tumanyan and the ‘Ararat’ magazine: editors from Galust Ter-Mkrtchyan and Garegin Hovsepyan's friendship history”); Ms. Arpine Chantikyan, editor of the ‘Etchmiadzin’ magazine (“Religious and theological articles in the “Ararat" magazine”); Dr. Lusine Vardanyan, RA NAS Senior Researcher of the Armenian Old and Medieval Literature Department at the Institute of Literature after M. Abeghyan (“Sharakan Studies in the “Ararat" Magazine Pages”); Dr. Avag Harutyunian, Head of the Cinematographic Documentation and Insurance Copies branch of National Archives of Armenia (“The theme of the Armenian Issue and Armenian Genocide in the “Ararat" magazine pages”) and Dr. Karen Mkrtchyan, Leading specialist in the Department of Culture, Sport and Youth Programs of the Department of Pan-Armenian Programs of the RA Ministry of Diaspora (“The Armenian colony of Persia in the pages of the “Ararat" magazine at the end of the 19th century - and early 20th century”).
