Author Nelly Rafayelyan

The freedom fight for Artsakh opened the door for Armenians to new opportunities in exploring the Armenian spiritual culture so ruthlessly being destroyed by Azerbaijan. The literature reads out about nearly 5000 monasteries, churches and castles, thousands of manuscripts and other cultural values, which were principally destroyed by the Soviet Azerbaijan, specifically in 1930-ies. Those who dive deep into the culture of Artsakh ocassionally publish their findings featuring some both well-conserved, as well as extinct samples of early and middle-age Armenian culture. The topic raised in the pavilion is discussed by the senior researcher of Matenadaran (manuscript library) Tamar Minasyan and Director of the Museums of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Father Asoghik Karapetyan. 

 

Archaeologists Hamlet Petrosyan and Artak Gnuni talk about the work of archaeological expeditions in Artsakh over the last two decades. What do the academic circles know about liberated territories, what testimonies exist in Artsakh, how are these preserved and presented? 

 

Numerous miracles are told about Tegher Monastery. Especially many couples, who don’t have children, come here for pilgrimage. Up untill recently, the 12^th century Church Complex century was destroyed and not functioning. Owing to the benefactors, today the Monastery doors are once again open. They tell the story themselves – Mikayel Mikayelyan, Lyova Khachatryan, Samvel Khachatryan, Mikayel Ghazaryan, Khachik Hovhannisyan, Armen Maghakyan and administrator of the Monastery – Deacon Arman Aharonyan.

The Armenians of Saint Petersburg say, that “People tell about Agarak in such a way, that one might think it to be the capital”. After the construction of Holy Mother of God Church, life in Agarak changed completely. The benefactor is Hrachya Poghosyan from Agarak, who is a businessman in Saint Petersburg, reserve major.
“The village should have a Church, a school and a monument dedicated to the memory of war victims”, - says the benefactor. All three were built in Agarak in his own initiative.

The RA Law on Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church adopted in 2007 contains a provision on the rights of the Armenian Apostolic Church to have a permanent representative in hospitals, in care facilities, orphanages, military units and detention centers. What’s the aim of the chaplain in the army, what’s the basis for appointing a priest as a chaplain of Armed Forces, how does the presence of a priest affect the interpersonal relations between the soldiers? The topic is discussed by the 4th Army Corps Commander, Major-General Andranik Makaryan and Chaplain of the Armed Forces of Armenia Fr. Koryun Karapetyan.  

Armenian Church Youth Organization widens its geographical coverage and develops new inter-diocesan cooperation program. Recently, the ACYO – widespread in practically all dioceses of the world, convened a unprecedented meeting in Italy. 

 

Another media-discussion organized within the scope of the initiative “Armenia and neighbors: in pursue of peace” of WCC Armenia Round Table Foundation was devoted to the Armenia-Turkey relations. 

Will the Armenia-Turkey relations develop regardless the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Karabakh conflict? Is the civil society capable of supporting the dialogue to happen? The topic is discussed by Pagrat Estukyan, editor of Armenian pages, Agos Daily and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly for Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan.