The Hamazkayin Nicosia “H. Oshagan” Chapter held a cultural evening on December 6, 2024, dedicated to the Nerses IV Shnorhali (the gracious) (1166–1173) on the occasion of the 850th anniversary of the death of the catholicos and writer.
The catholicosal vicar, the member of parliament for Armenians in Cyprus, the parish priests of Limassol and Nicosia, and representatives of national bodies and sister organizations were among those in attendance.
Arto Tavitian, on behalf of the chapter executive board, presented the speaker for the evening, Archbishop Gomidas Ohanian, who presented the life and accomplishments of the great catholicos in a skillfully prepared lecture.
The archbishop started with the conditions under which the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia was established, its development and how it flourished thanks to a core of intellectual clergymen, chief among them Catholicos Nerses IV of Kla.
Archbishop Gomidas listed the spiritual and cultural spheres in which Nerses Shnorhali had a role. He said Nerses could rightly be considered Armenia’s second illuminator—after the founder of the Armenian Church, Saint Gregory the Illuminator (257–331).
The audience listened to the archbishop with great interest. The presentation included two videos: a sharagan (spiritual song) composed by Nerses and a clip about the kingdom of Cilicia.
The discussion continued during a reception that followed the presentation.
