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A two-day All-Armenian conference entitled “The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia along the Paths of History: From Sis to Antelias" started at ASPU on September 8. The conference funded by the State Committee of Scienceis is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the University. About 30 scientists from different academic institutions of Armenia will make reports during the two-day event.
ASPU Rector Srbuhi Gevorgyan stressed the importance of the conference, specifically emphasizing the fact that it reflected on the history of Armenia in the context of global challenges, covered its uncovered aspects and emphasized its identity. The ASPU rector expressed hope that the conference will contribute to the development of Armenian studies and reveal issues in pedagogical education.
His Grace Bishop Anushavan Jamkotchian of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Dean of the Theological Faculty of Yerevan State University, conveyed the blessing of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, who expressed hope that by looking back at the historical past, it will be possible to learn lessons for creating a bright future, if there is wisdom. He added that Armenology, which is extremely fragile nowadays, should be strengthened through such conferences.
Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia sits in Antelias, Lebanon, Director of Matenadaran, in turn, conveyed the blessing of Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I, who expressed hope that the conference participants would study [with an objective and comprehensive approach] the key role the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia played in the most decisive years of Armenian history, especially during World War I, the Armenian Genocide and other important periods.
Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian assured everyone that the revaluation of the historical role of the Armenian Church is highly important. Then he added that for the first time in the history of the Republic of Armenia, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and its historical mission have become subject of serious scientific discussions. In his report, the archbishop presented the history of Catholicosate (in 1914-1939) with historical studies, archives and important facts.
Edgar Hovhannisyan, Dean of the Faculty of History and Social Sciences, stressed that the theme of the conference is presented to the scientific community for the first time.
He added that today it is even more important for historians to address the issues of the Armenian Church as the only structure for the preservation of Armenian identity and to study them objectively and scientifically. Then he presented the process of the transfer of e Dioceses of Jerusalem of the Catholicosate and its significance.
In her report, ASPU Professor Aelita Dolukhanyan emphasized the importance of the work about the Catholicosate of Sis by famous French Armenologist Victor Langlois stressing that the facts presented by the scientist cannot be found in any other work on Armenology.
Professor Victor Katvalyan presented the dialect of Cilicia, the views and characteristics of the language based on historical and comparative methods, and spoke about some linguistic issues.
Professors Suren Danielyan and Vazgen Hambardzumyan presented the historical and philological studies of Catholicos Karekin I Hovsepian, as well as Cilician Armenian as a canonized version of the middle Armenian. Vardan Devrikyan, Doctor of Philology, made a report on "Sis in the Armenian bibliography of the 12th-17th centuries".
During the conference, the speakers also addressed other issues related to the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia.
The conference will continue on Friday, September 9.
