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Agbu Armenia Newsletter Issue 32, September - December, 2014

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ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION AGBUAGBU ARMENIAARMENIA NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER Yerevan, Armenia IN THIS ISSUE Issue 32, September - December, 2014 AGBU President in Armenia (p. 1) AGBU PRESIDENT BERGE SETRAKIAN Groundbreaking Ceremony at VISITS ARMENIA Holy Etchmiadzin (p. 2-3) AGBU President Berge Setrakian visited Armenia on December 13-19. As part of his visit, the 5th Armenia-Diaspora Confer- AGBU President met with the RA President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians Ka- ence (p. 4-5) rekin II, RA Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan, RA Diaspora Minister Hranoush Hakobyan, AIEA 13th Conference (p. 6) French Ambassador to Armenia Jean Francois Charpentier, visited the Mother See of Holy AGBU’s 88th General Assem- Etchmiadzin, the construction site of the AGBU Headquarters in Yerevan and the AGBU Vahe bly to be held in Yerevan (p. 6) Karapetyan Center. th American University of Arme- On December 14 , President nia (p. 7-10) Setrakian was received by His Holiness Karekin II, AGBU Armenian Virtual Col- lege (p. 11-13) Supreme Patriarch and Ca- tholicos of All Armenians, AGBU Scholarships to UFAR at the Mother See of Holy Students (p. 14) Etchmiadzin. AGBU Supports Teach for During the meeting, the Ca- Armenia (p. 15) tholicos of All Armenians Syrian-Armenians in Armenia and the AGBU President (p. 18-19, 22) reflected on the current ac- Dilijan International School (p. tivities implemented by the 20-21) AGBU and possibility of new projects in both the 9th Republican Chess Tourna- Diaspora and the Homeland. ment (p. 21) Berge Setrakian Received by RA President Joint educational, social and Volunteers’ Day (p. 23) church building programs with the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church were also discussed. Children’s Centers (p. 24-25) His Holiness conveyed his blessings to the AGBU members for their constant support and as- NUR Expands Activities (p.26) sistance to the Armenian Church and especially to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Catholicos expressed his appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Setrakian, as benefactors of the Mother Artsakh Chamber Orchestra: See, for their devotion to the church and patriotic endeavours. Tigran Mansourian (p. 27) They also spoke about the various challenges facing national-ecclesiastic life; and the events Intercultural Dialogue (p. 28) dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. AGBU Scouts (p. 28-29) Following the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Berge Setrakian participated in the Divine Lit- Aram Sepetjian (p. 30) urgy in the Mother Cathedral, at the end of which a Requiem service was held for the peace of the souls of the deceased parents of Mr. and Mrs. Setrakian; Mr. Hmayak Setrakian and Mr. AGBU Sydney Renovates a Nubar Nazarian. School in Yerevan (p. 30) On December 17th, accompanied by AGBU Central Board Member Vasken Yacoubian and AGBU Aleppo Celebrates a Fall Filled with Music (p. 31) AGBU Armenia Interim Director Hovik Eordekian, Berge Setrakian visited the RA Diaspora Ministry and met with Minister Hranush Hakobyan. Minister Hakobyan stressed the great importance of the steps that the AGBU has taken to preserve the Armenian identity in the Armenian Diaspora under the leadership of Berge Setrakian. The parties discussed the perspective development of the Armenia-Diaspora partnership and further in- depth cooperation. The sides also covered the AGBU’s programs, as well as the upcoming youth events and discussed the implementation of events to be held in the Ar- menian Diaspora next year as well as the possibility of carrying out new joint programs and projects in the near future. AGBU Delegation at the RA Diaspora Ministry Page 1 AGBU ARMENIA NEWSLETTER ISSUE 32, SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER, 2014 THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY OF THE CANDLE-LIGHTING CHAPEL AND PONTIFICAL MAUSOLEUM The Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Candle-Lighting Chapel and Pontifical Mausoleum at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin The Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Candle-Lighting Chapel and Pontifical Mausoleum, being constructed alongside the main Cathedral at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, took place On November 14th, 2014 presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians and His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The Candle Lighting Chapel is constructed through the generous donation of the Mother See’s benefactors Mr. and Mrs. Karnig and Ani Yacoubian (USA). The Ceremony was attended by the Honorary benefac- tors Mr. and Mrs. Yacoubian, AGBU Central Board Member Vasken Yacoubian, Narek Sargsyan RA Min- ister of Urban Development and Chairman of the Archi- tectural Council of the Mother See of Holy Etch- maidzin, Arev Samualyan, RA Deputy Minister of Cul- ture, Bishops of the most recent Bishops’ Synod of the Armenian Apostolic Church at the Mother See, Mem- Mr. and Mrs. Karnig and Ani Yacoubian Signing the Commemorative Scroll bers of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, benefac- tors of the Mother See and other invitees. Architects of the Candle Lighting Chapel are Aslan Mkhitaryan, Hayk Mkrtchyan and Artavazd Naza- retyan. The construction of the Chapel is carried out by “Horizon 95” Construction Company. (Continued on p. 3) Page 2 AGBU ARMENIA NEWSLETTER ISSUE 32, SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER, 2014 THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY... (continued from p. 2) At the end of the Groundbreaking ceremony presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan, Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese, His Grace Bishop Mushegh Babayan, Director of the Administrative Office of the Mother See, read the commemorative scroll written in honor of the Ceremony. ”On November 14, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, Catholi- cos of the Great House of Cilicia, a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Candle-Lighting Chapel and Pontifical Mauso- leum was held, in the presence of the Bishop’s Synod, the Brotherhood of the Mother See, benefac- tors and the faithful. Deserving children of our Holy Apostolic Church, in this chapel being built by the heartfelt charity of the pious and patriotic Karnig and Ani Yacoubian, our faithful sons will offer their prayers to God with a lit candle, asking His bless- ings upon their lives, the Church and the nation. This place of prayer will also be a resting place for our Patriarchs’ remains and the prayers of our peo- ple will always be heard, here bringing peace to the Patriarchs’ souls. May the Lord keep our Apostolic Holy Church prosperous and bright, bless our Homeland and people, our benefactor sons and daughters, and always keep us under his Holy Right”. The Catholicos of All Armenians offered his bless- Karnig, Ani and Vasken Yacoubians with the Catholicos of All Armenians ings to the participants. “At this moment, our souls Karekin II and the Cathlicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I rejoice. By the blessings of God and prayers of the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Bishop’s Synod, members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, benefactors and the faithful; the Groundbreaking ceremony for the Candle-Lighting Chapel and Pontifical Mausoleum was held on the spot where our sons and daughters will gather to light candles and pray for God to raise their nation and Homeland. Their prayers will also resound for our 131Pontiffs by whose wise leadership our people who have faced difficulties now live under an open sky, again striving for the protection of our national existence”, said the Catholicos of All Armenians. In his speech, His Holiness expressed his appreciation to the Yacoubian family. With the assistance of national benefac- tors Mr. and Mrs. Karnig and Ani Yacoubian, the Vazgenyan Seminary became a reality with the construction of the new seminary. His Holiness Karekin II also extended his blessings to the architectural council members of the Mother See, the architects and the constructors for their devoted efforts, asking the Lord that the construction of the new building comes to a successful completion. His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia offers his remarks on this occa- sion, warmly welcoming this and all other pro- grams, that have been carried out in recent years in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Catholi- cos of the Great House of Cilicia stressed that every program concerning the nation, the church and the Homeland has a vital significance and pro- motes the development of the Church, strengthens the unity of the nation. To conclude the event, accompanies by hymns, a capsule containing the commemorative scroll was placed in the foundation of the building. Lowering the Commemorative Scroll into the Chapel’s Foundation For videos, please visit Groundbreaking Ceremony at Holy Etchmiadzin or www.youtube.com/AGBUvideo Page 3 AGBU ARMENIA NEWSLETTER ISSUE 32, SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER, 2014 THE 5TH ARMENIA-DIASPORA CONFERENCE The official opening of the 5th Armenia-Diaspora Conference, organized by the RA’s Ministry of Diaspora commenced at the Alexander Spendiaryan National Academy Theater of Opera and Ballet on September 19. The plenary session began with open- ing remarks by the RA Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan and President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan. His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, Patriarch-Catholicos Nerses Petros XIX of the Armenian Catholic Church delivered their blessings to the participants of the conference. Speeches were made by the President of the
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