On the morning of 8 October, in observance of Holy Translators’ Day, the St. Hovsep Arematatsi Church of the Holy Savior Monastery hosted a Divine and eternal Liturgy held with the participation of spiritual superintendent of the Armenian community of Shahinshahr city, Fr. Archimandrite Anania Gutchanian, the priests and scholars of the Diocese and the Komitas Choir of the Monastery. The liturgy was served by newly appointed Patriarchal Vicar of the Armenian Diocese of Isfahan, Fr. Supreme Archimandrite Sipan Kechetchian.

As reported Yeranoush Tahmazian to Hayern Aysor from New Djulfa, among the attendees were representatives of national authorities; teachers, students, administrators and parent councils of Armenian schools and other members of the community who have respect for the translator archimandrites. After the church ceremony, students gave speeches near the busts of St. Mesrop Mashtots and Archimandrite Khachatur Kesaratsi placed in front of the Archimandrite Khachatur Kesaratsi Museum. Among the students were the children of the Armenian National Pre-School of New Djulfa, the Armen Co-Ed Elementary Educational Complex and Kananian All-Girls and Katarinian All-Male Middle Schools. Deputy of the Armenians of Isfahan and Southern Iran in the Islamic Parliament of Iran Zhorzhik Abrahamian gave a keynote speech.

During the event, commemorative gifts were granted to the female students having read the most books of the St. Nerses Shnorhali Library of the Monastery and the libraries of schools, including Nelly Ghazarian, Cynthia Poghosian, Adrin Torosian, Ervin Baghramian, Arame Khachatrian, Tesil Galstanian, Marine Khachatrian, Melvin Torosian, Arpine Movsisian, Lilit Hovsepian and Vanand Isaghulian, as well as Anayis Babaian, who won the “Heroes of Fairy Tales” painting competition hosted by the St. Nerses Shnorhali Library.

At the end, Fr. Supreme Archimandrite Sipan Kechetchian conveyed his message to the attendees.

After the blessings and congratulatory remarks, the event ended near the tombstone of founder of the Kananian All-Girls School Varvare Kananian in the yard of the Monastery. According to tradition, the students of the school, along with the teachers and superintendents, laid flowers and said a prayer in memory of the benefactor.

Photos by Yeranoush Tahmazian