Following the tradition that was established a couple of years ago, the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia provided further assistance to the Armenian communities of Georgia, including the Alexander Mantashov Center for Education, Culture and Youth in Batumi. The Ministry provided audio-visual devices, microphones, a computer, a printer and other technical devices, as reported the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, according to Hayern Aysor.

The technical devices were transferred by Primate of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese, His Grace, Fr. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan. On this occasion, on 2-4 December 2016, the leader of the Diocese was in Batumi where he met with the teachers of the Center led by Sona Hovhannisyan, witnessed the activities that the Center had completed, praised the efforts of the staff and distributed the gifts of the Armenian Prelacy to the teachers.

During the visit, His Holiness also met with members of the parochial council. His Holiness conveyed his blessing to pastor of the Holy Savior Church of Batumi, the Armenians of Ajaria, Guria and Imereti, Rev. Fr. Priest Ararat Gumbalyan for the work that had been completed and encouraged him to continue to work with the community and the Center to consolidate the Armenians around the Church and increase the number of believers.

Bishop Vazgen also participated in church ceremonies. On December 3, His Grace participated in the morning liturgy dedicated to the memory of Apostles, Saint Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew and conveyed the spiritual message about the symbol of the day to the believers.

On December 4, Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, His Grace, Fr. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan officiated a Divine and eternal Liturgy at the Holy Savior Armenian Church in Batumi.

During the Divine and eternal Liturgy, His Holiness gave his Patriarchal Blessing and conveyed his message to the believers and expressed his joy for the fact that the pastor, the Center’s teachers and the members of the parochial council had been able to combine their efforts and gather several believers at the church.

After the liturgy, the diocesan leader expressed his gratitude to the RA Ministry of Diaspora led by Minister Hranush Hakobyan, who always keeps the cultural and educational issues of the community’s young members in her focus. The diocesan leader also praised the pastor of the Holy Savior Armenian Church of Batumi, the members of the parochial council and the staff of the Alexander Mantashov Center for their religious activities and efforts for national preservation.

During the trip to Batumi, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia was accompanied by Head of the Administrative-Economic Department of the Diocese Karen Yeritsyan and assistant to the pastor of the St. Gevorg Armenian Church, Deacon Gevorg Antonyan.

The building of the Alexander Mantashov Center for Education, Culture and Youth of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese in Batumi was obtained through the material assistance provided by the Government of the Republic of Armenia, particularly the Ministry of Diaspora. Repair works were carried out under the sponsorship of the Jinishian Memorial Foundation. The items for interior design were procured through the funds provided by the Government of Georgia and with the support of the Prelacy of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia and the parochial community of the Holy Savior Church.