“I know that you love me and will never forget me. If you want my spirit to rest in peace, love your country, people and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin…” Senior Priest Yeghishe
Sargsyan cited the Catholicos’s precept [said at the last minute of life] during a reminiscence soirée dedicated to the 129th Catholicos of All Armenians, Gevorg Chorekchyan. The event was held at Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU).
Aelita Dolukhanyan, Head of the Chair of Armenian Literature and its Teaching Methods, presented the biography of the Catholicos and the most important moments and episodes of his life.
Speaking about the most difficult years of his enthronement, the literary critic said, “Gevorg Chorekchyan’s activity exites us as we are still enjoying its fruits. He had the role of a leader for the Armenian people who had lost their statehood. He will be remembered in the history as a great devotee and highly merited figure.”
Aelita Dolukhanyan stressed that it is the sacred duty of each Armenian to keep alive the memory of national religious figures.
Father Vardan, Director of the Christian Education Center (CEC) of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presented in detail the spiritual activity of Gevorg Chorekchyan, the notable events and achievements in the spiritual life of the country during his tenure of office.
Father Vardan conveyed to the attendees the belief the Catholicos had throughout his life: to get to the desired harbor one should be noble, zealous and struggle hard.
Quoting an extract from the editorial of a magazine published in Etchmiadzin, Father Vardan said, “In his speech, the Catholicos always expressed the desire to see his people united and combined in his homeland, as well as the belief that his desire would come true one day. Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has had many spiritual leaders, starting from Saint Gregory the Illuminator but few of them have reached their peak in the spiritual life. Gevorg Chorekchyan was one of them.”
Father Vardan was glad to say that the commemorative event held at the ASPU was a kind of ‘oral liturgy’ for the Catholicos which made a reference to his dreams and thoughts.
The four-part choir of Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin conducted by Honoured Artist of Armenia Ruben Sharbatyan performed the spiritual works of Komitas, Antonio Vivaldi, Makar Yekmalian, Grigor Narekatsi and Alexander Harutyunyan.
.jpg)
