ANTELIAS: Year of Christian Education

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

THE SEMINARY HOLDS A LECTURE ON THE YEAR
OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

The administration and Student Council of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s
Seminary organized a lecture on March 7 on the Year of Christian Education.
Held in the "Prapyon Doumanian" lecture theatre, the event also featured a
cultural program. The speaker was the Director of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia’s Christian Education Department and teacher of Christian ethics and
religious music at the Seminary, Rev. Father Torkom Donoyan.

Deacon Alexsan Kalaydjian delivered the opening remarks highlighting the
importance of Christian education generally and in Armenian reality in
particular.

Seminary student Michael Sarkissian read sections of His Holiness Aram I’s
Pontifical Encyclical which announced 2008 to be the year of Christian
Education.

In the first part of his lecture, Rev. Donoyan spoke about the moral
principles in pre-Christian times, pointing to the linkages between
religious feelings and morality. He then focused on the Christian period,
talking about the conversion of Armenia to Christianity and the Christian
principles rooted in our nation’s life as a result.

In the second part of his talk, Rev. Donoyan stressed the important role of
the Christian Education Department in the life and mission of the
Catholicosate of Cilicia- a department, which has worked from the day of its
establishment on the formation of the Armenian Christian and on Armenian
education. In this context, he also spoke about the thirst for Christian
education among the youth, "for the satisfaction of which all efforts are
being exerted with guidance from the Pontiff."

"Christian education does not recognize age. It is nourishment for the
spirit for our people, whether they are old, young or children. Biblical
truths do not die out; rather they give light to people of all ages to
enlighten the path of their life. The nature of man to make mistakes also
does not know age, therefore Christian education has something to give
starting from children to the most experienced of people," he said.

Seminary Dean V. Rev. Shahe Panossian concluded the event stressing the
importance of Christian Education in the life of man. He said Christian
education cannot be achieved only through reading and praying but should be
brought to life.

"Jesus Christ as himself an Instructor. Christian education is not only to
educate the mind, but to form personality on the basis of moral principles.
We expect that in this religious environment, Christian Education become
part of your lives," he concluded.

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View the photos here:
tos/Photos212.htm
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Theological
Seminary of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Arme
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/Pho
http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS