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Catholicos of All Armenians Makes Pontifical Visit to India
16:59 26.09.2014
On September 25, 2014 His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians visited the Armenian Holy Church of
Nazareth, Kolkata. He was escorted by the wardens of the church, Mrs.
Susan Reuben and Mr. Sunil Sobti; Very Rev. Fr. Zaven Yazichyan;
Armenian Spiritual Pastor of India and Manager of the Armenian College
and Philanthropic Academy; Rev. Fr. Paruyr Avetisyan, Director of the
Intra Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin and guests. A special prayer service was performed on the
graves of the Church.
Thereafter His Holiness also visited St. Gregory the Illuminator
Chapel. There he met the community members and blessed the inmates
residing in the old-age home of the chapel with special healing
prayers. Later a special requiem service was held in the graveyard of
the chapel in remembrance of the Armenian ancestors who lived and died
in India.
Thereafter the Pontiff visited the seat of Armenian education in
India, the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy of Kolkata. The
students, teachers and staff had put together a warm welcome for His
Holiness. They greeted Him with a red carpet affair, respectfully
tinged with the Armenian tradition of offering bread and salt to the
guest of honor. He was then led to the school auditorium which had
been beautifully decorated by the students in anticipation of His
Holiness visit. The welcome program was initiated with the Lords
prayer, followed by the national anthem of countries, Armenia and
India, and finally the school song. Very Rev. Fr. Zaven addressed a
welcome speech to His Holiness; the students presented mementos to His
Holiness, and then commenced an elaborate cultural program prepared in
honor of His Holiness's visit to India and the Armenian College.
The school choir began the proceedings with wonderful rendition of
famous Armenian, Hindi and Bengali songs. Then the students presented
an Indian dance and recited the poem "Dance of Sasoon" by Gevorg Emin.
The teachers expressed their joy on this special occasion through a
Bengali song sung by teacher Mrs. Soma Sarkar. A PowerPoint slideshow
was also presented charting the history of Armenians in India from the
17th century to current day.
At the end His Holiness concluded the program by congratulating the
community, staff & students on the marked improvements and progress
made by the school over the last year. He also requested the staff of
the college to carry on the good and noble word of educating the
children of the new generation and advised the children to be
receptive and grateful for the knowledge being imparted to them.
The day ended with the students, teachers and guests sitting down to
lunch with His Holiness and a photo session to commemorate the
Pontifical visit to the Armenian College.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/09/26/catholicos-of-all-armenians-makes-pontifical-visit-to-india/
From: A. Papazian
16:59 26.09.2014
On September 25, 2014 His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians visited the Armenian Holy Church of
Nazareth, Kolkata. He was escorted by the wardens of the church, Mrs.
Susan Reuben and Mr. Sunil Sobti; Very Rev. Fr. Zaven Yazichyan;
Armenian Spiritual Pastor of India and Manager of the Armenian College
and Philanthropic Academy; Rev. Fr. Paruyr Avetisyan, Director of the
Intra Church Relations Department of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin and guests. A special prayer service was performed on the
graves of the Church.
Thereafter His Holiness also visited St. Gregory the Illuminator
Chapel. There he met the community members and blessed the inmates
residing in the old-age home of the chapel with special healing
prayers. Later a special requiem service was held in the graveyard of
the chapel in remembrance of the Armenian ancestors who lived and died
in India.
Thereafter the Pontiff visited the seat of Armenian education in
India, the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy of Kolkata. The
students, teachers and staff had put together a warm welcome for His
Holiness. They greeted Him with a red carpet affair, respectfully
tinged with the Armenian tradition of offering bread and salt to the
guest of honor. He was then led to the school auditorium which had
been beautifully decorated by the students in anticipation of His
Holiness visit. The welcome program was initiated with the Lords
prayer, followed by the national anthem of countries, Armenia and
India, and finally the school song. Very Rev. Fr. Zaven addressed a
welcome speech to His Holiness; the students presented mementos to His
Holiness, and then commenced an elaborate cultural program prepared in
honor of His Holiness's visit to India and the Armenian College.
The school choir began the proceedings with wonderful rendition of
famous Armenian, Hindi and Bengali songs. Then the students presented
an Indian dance and recited the poem "Dance of Sasoon" by Gevorg Emin.
The teachers expressed their joy on this special occasion through a
Bengali song sung by teacher Mrs. Soma Sarkar. A PowerPoint slideshow
was also presented charting the history of Armenians in India from the
17th century to current day.
At the end His Holiness concluded the program by congratulating the
community, staff & students on the marked improvements and progress
made by the school over the last year. He also requested the staff of
the college to carry on the good and noble word of educating the
children of the new generation and advised the children to be
receptive and grateful for the knowledge being imparted to them.
The day ended with the students, teachers and guests sitting down to
lunch with His Holiness and a photo session to commemorate the
Pontifical visit to the Armenian College.
http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/09/26/catholicos-of-all-armenians-makes-pontifical-visit-to-india/
From: A. Papazian