On Sunday, July 2, Archbishop Anoushavan was present at the Divine Liturgy in Surp Kevork Church in Mughni, Armenia. Rev. Fr. Yeghishe Barseghian was the celebrant. A requiem service was officiated afterwards for the souls of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, of blessed memory, founder of the Medzn Nerses Charitable and Social Organization, and his relatives. Then, a madagh luncheon took place in the church yard. Rev. Fr. Karekin Arsenian, Pastor, welcomed Archbishop Anoushavan on behalf of Archbishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, praising the charitable work of Nerses the Great. The principal of the Karbi village school, Arsen Ohanian, expressed his gratitude and said that the contributions of Archbishop Mesrob remain indelible in the hearts of the local population.
Archbishop Anoushavan also addressed the audience.“It is a great joy for us that the Almighty and Beneficent God gave us the opportunity to celebrate the 30th and also the 35th anniversary of the Nerses the Great charitable institution on our native land this week, at the end of which we performed a memorial service today for the soul of Archbishop Mesrob,” he said. “He was the founder of this blessed charity, which spread faith, hope and love around him, in the life of our long-suffering people after 1988, and then, with the support of the families of the freedom fighter martyrs of the 1990s, as well as with the investment in various programs, the spirit of charity blossomed among us, which started in the Armenian Apostolic Church with the Patriarch Nerses the Great. If Gregory the Illuminator became the enlightener of our souls, then Nerses the Great became the enlightener of our hearts, in the same way Sahag and Mesrob became the enlightener of our minds.”
Archbishop Anoushavan also expressed his gratitude to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,as well as to the clergy hosting the event.
On the morning of Tuesday, July 3, the Prelate met with the organizers of the 30th anniversary celebration, expressing special thanks to everyone, especially the director of Nerses the Great, Tigran Galstyan, who organized the anniversary activities with diligence and zeal, strengthening the bonds with the Diaspora, especially between the Prelacy and Armenia, opening new horizons of service in the noble mission of nation building.
Tigran Galstyan, executive director of “Nerses the Great” Organization; Davit Amalian, singer; Karapet Shahbazian, director of the Hagop Baronian Theater; Archbishop Anoushavan; Prof. Suren Danielian, head of the chair of modern literature at the Khachatur Abovian Pedagogical University; Artur Sahakian, artistic director of the event; Arman Navasardian, MC of the event
The 30th anniversary celebrations received ample coverage by the local media.
Upon arrival in Armenia on Monday, June 27, the Prelate met with Catholicos Karekin II, who hosted him and extended his hospitality in the premises of Holy Etchmiadzin. Archbishop Anoushavan returned to New York on July 4 morning.