Opening of an Exhibition of Archival Documents and Materials; and a Symposium Entitled “Soviet Armenia 100: The Church and The State” in the Mother See
11.06.2021
On June 11, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; through the initiative of the Archive of the Mother See, and the support of the “Konrad Adenauer” Foundation; an opening of an exhibition of archival documents and materials, and a Conference entitled “Soviet Armenia 100: The Church and The State”, were held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
The exhibition featured archival documents, materials, books related to the topic of the conference, as well as one of the paintings of the National Gallery of Armenia as a typical work of art of Soviet Armenia.
The conference began with the Lord's Prayer, and the opening remarks of Rev. Fr. Asoghik Karapetyan, Director of the Museums and Archives of the Mother See. The attendees were also welcomed by Dr. Thomas Schrapel, Director of the Regional Program “Political Dialogue South Caucasus” of the “Konrad Adenauer” Foundation; and His Eminence Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian, External Relations and Protocol Department of the Mother See.
In the first part of the Conference entitled “National State from Sovietization”, lectures were delivered by Dr. Avag Harutyunyan (“Religious Politics in Soviet Armenia from the 1920s to 1930s”); Dr. Amatuni Virabyan (“The Leaders of Soviet Armenia and their Attitude towards the Church from the 1920s to 1930s); Dr. Gohar Avagyan (“Activities of the Church and other Structures in the Armenian SSR, in favor of the Establishment of the Homeland-Diaspora ties (1921-1945)”); and Rev Fr. Ararat Poghosyan, Director of the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library of the Mother See (“The Issue of Reopening of the Armenian Churches in the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1960”).
In the second part of the Conference entitled “Independence from National Awakening”, reports were presented by Doctor of Sciences in History, Professor Edik G. Minasyan, Dean of the Department of History of Armenia of YSU (“The National Revival and the Armenian Church in the 1960s”); Doctor of Arts, Professor Anna Asatryan (“The Art and the Culture of Soviet Armenia); Vice President of the Armenian National Congress Mr. Aram Manukyan (“The Historical Compromise of 1920”); Director of the “Armenpress” State News Agency, Dr. Aram Ananyan (“Reinterpretation of the History: the Study of the History of Soviet Armenia in the Current Context”).
Following the reports, discussions were held related to the materials presented.
