His Holiness Catholicos Aram I officially opened the cultural and educational Khoren I Center on Thursday, 14 March in the greater metropolitan area of Beirut, which will host several Catholicosate departments. The complex is the result of the renovation of the former Karagozian and Souren Khanamirian schools, which involved architectural work to repurpose the older buildings, adjacent to the housing projects of the Fanar Leylavan district.
In his speech during the opening ceremony, His Holiness said the center bears the name of Catholicos Khoren I as he built the schools now transformed into the new center and the public housing next to it in the 1960s-1970s.
The new center will host the Armenian Studies Center of the Catholicosate, the Khatcher Kalousdian Educational Center, the Armenian Church University Students Association, the Shnorhali and Naregatsi choirs, as well as other departments of the Holy See, including the Cilicia Library and conference halls.
With the new center, the Holy See will be able to expand its mission as it will contribute to developing the education of the Armenian community. “Wherever our people need spiritual nourishment and the renewal of our cultural values, the Holy See, together with its Brotherhood, Prelacies, and public structures, will be there.”
Reverend Fr. Zaven Nazarian has been appointed the director of the Khoren I Center. Arrangements have been made to benefit the children of the 300 Armenian families of the neighborhood and involve them in the activities of the new complex.
His Holiness had special words of praise for the benefactors who made the project possible, including the Eastern and Western Prelacies of the United States as well as the Prelacy of Canada.
Upon the conclusion of his speech, the Catholicos led the attending dignataries and people in a visit of the new center.
His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate; Col. Aram Sarafian, Prelacy Executive Council chairman, and Very Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian, director of the Khoren I Center, in the room of the Armenian Church University Students Association, sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy.