The Yerevan Office of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, in cooperation with the Yerevan State University Faculties of History and Theology, on September 10, 2024, sponsored a pan-Armenian conference titled, “The Role of the Armenian Church in the Absence of an Armenian State.” The conference was held at the Faculty of History.
The conference began with the Lord’s Prayer.
Bishop Anushavan Zhamkochyan, dean of the YSU Faculty of Theology, read a blessing from Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
Addressing the conference with words of welcome were Zakar Keshishian, chairperson of the Central Executive Board of Hamazkayin; Academician Ashot Melkonyan, director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia; Artashes Shahbazian, a member of the Hamazkayin board; Ruzan Arakelyan, Hamazkayin’s local office manager; and Mkhitar Gabrielyan, dean of the YSU Faculty of History.
Participants spoke about the important role of the Armenian church during the centuries when Armenia was not a state and in strengthening the Armenian state when it was formed again.
The conference was held in two sessions.
The first session was chaired by Dr. Melkonyan of the Academy.
Papers were presented by Prof. Gevorg Stepanyan, Prof. Aram Hovhannisyan, Prof. Khachatur Stepanyan, Dikran Jinbashian (former director of the Djemaran in Lebanon), Rev. Fr. Ararat Poghosyan, PhD, Prof. Melania Balayan, Prof. Minasyan, Dr. Haikanuish Mesropyan, Marine Harutiunyan, PhD, and Deacon Narek Gasparyan.
The second session was chaired by Professor Edik Minasyan.
Papers were presented by Prof. Arman Yeghiazaryan, Mariam Hovespyan, PhD, Karen Mkrtchyan, PhD, Prof. Arshak Balyan, Armen Karapetyan, PhD, Hasmik Amirjanyan, PhD, Arpine Bablumyan, PhD, Prof. Mikayel Malkhasyan, Knarik Petrosyan, PhD, Lilit Kosyan, Hovik Avanesov, and Nelli Zhamkochyan.
At the end of the conference, an open discussion with questions and answers, was held. Prof. Minasyan and Ms. Arakelyan summarized the proceedings.
The proceedings will be published as a separate volume.
Hamazkayin Yerevan Office
Story by Hermine Avakyan
See Yerkir Media coverage here.
