Conference Held at the Mother See on Catholicos St. Hovhannes of Otzoun
05.12.2017
On December 5, a conference on “Catholicos St. Hovhannes of Otzoun the Philosopher and His Time” was held in the Komitas Auditorium of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
The conference was dedicated to the 1300th anniversary of the enthronement of Catholicos St. John of Otzoun, and was organized by the initiative of the Diocese of Gougark, the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, and the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library.
The conference began with the Lord's Prayer, following which Rev. Fr. Garegin Hambardzumyan, Dean of the Gevorkian Theological Seminary, gave opening remarks. Rev. Fr. Ararat Poghosyan, Director of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library, welcomed the Conference participants.
The Catholicos of All Armenians conveyed his message and blessing to the attendees, welcoming everyone to the conference dedicated to Catholicos St. Hovhannes of Otzoun. His Holiness stressed that the conference will provide an opportunity to evaluate the contributions of Catholicos St. Hovhannes to the history of the Armenian Church and people, to value the rich heritage, his devoted efforts to maintain the purity of the Christian faith, and the care and attention to keep his people lossless. The Catholicos of All Armenians also noted that it was an opportunity to be renewed through the church-devoted and patriotic spirit of the Catholicos St. Hovhannes of Otzoun.
“Our people have sanctified Catholicos Hovhannes of Otzoun and have named him “The Philosopher”. Love for knowledge and science, as well as a life full of virtue and spiritual deeds best describe his character. He was a person with the features of a courageous theologian, a delightful preacher and an orator, wise leader and diplomat. He is remembered as "the Second Voskeberan”, a great philosopher and a new apostle who continues the work of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew and Gregory the Illuminator.
The Patriarch was a great reformer. One of the glorious pages of our Church is his ten-years of enthronement, during which St. Hovhannes of Otzoun consistently struggled for the preservation of Christianity in Armenia, theoretically substantiating the religion and ritual of our Church. Through his sermons, liturgical rules and their interpretation, preparation of the Book of Canons, even with incomparable hymns and spiritual songs that bear the mark of his theological thought and breath of his faith, Pontiff St. Hovhannes of Otzoun is rightly considered one of the pillars of our Orthodox faith.
In the absence of Armenian statehood, Patriarch St. Hovhannes of Otzoun was also a wise and brave leader. With his wisdom and spiritual character, he was able to gain the trust of the Arab Caliph and shielded his people from new difficulties in a time full of great wars, and united them under the auspices of the Church. And indeed, today also when the imperative of the day is to resist the various ideologies which are aimed at removing our children from Church, religion, and sacrament and to undermine national unity, St. Hovhannes of Otzoun’s activities gain a new and important guidance for redefinition and revaluation.
The 1300th Anniversary of the Patriarch is an invitation to keep bright his holy memory and vibrant love, through which the Armenian Patriarch kept the light of the Armenian Church bright and through his life added brilliance to our spiritual home. This is his greatest message, fatherly advice and discipline to us. And there is no greater appreciation for his life and work than our faithfulness to the invaluable heritage and mission that he has left for us”, stated Catholicos Karekin II.
His Holiness expressed his appreciation and blessings to the organizers of the conference and all the participants of the conference.
Asking for blessings of the Almighty, His Holiness wished a productive process and success to the conference activities.
Following the Pontifical greetings, the plenary session of the conference began, which was presided by His Eminence Archbishop Sepuh Chuljian, Primate of the Diocese of Gougark.
The following reports on the era, life, activity and bibliography of St. Hovhannes of Otzoun were presented at the session: “St. Hovhannes of Otzoun: social-philosophical and managerial foundations of ‘Book of Canons of Armenia’” (RA NAS Academician Yuri Suvaryan and Dr. Valery Mirzoyan); “Within the evaluation issue of the "contract" signed in Damascus by St. Hovhannes of Otzoun” (Dr. Seyran Zakarian) and the Armenian translation of the 14 titles of the Byzantine Book of Canons and ‘Book of Canons of Armenia’” (Dr. Azat Bozoyan).
Following the plenary session, parallel sessions were held in the Komitas hall of the seminary and in the Matenadaran.
At the conclusion of the conference, the presentation of the book “Glory to the Pontifical See” by Doctor of Architecture, Professor Garnik Shakhkyan will be held.
