Preservation of the national identity and religion is the key objective for every Armenian community of the Diaspora, and this objective is best met with the two main pillars, that is, the Armenian Church and Armenian schools.

This was brilliantly expressed during the open lesson devoted to the history of the Armenian Church and held at the St. Mashtots Armenian Sunday School on Odessa. The Master of Ceremonies was servant of the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, stole-bearer Edmon.

The lesson was a unique test of knowledge since it was devoted to the beloved church holidays, that is, St. Sarkis Day and Tyarndarach. The pupils had not only learned about the holidays in class, but had also witnessed and participated in the celebrations at the cathedral.

After the Lord’s Prayer, the idea and symbol of each holiday were presented through question-and-answer sessions. The learners were told that most of the Armenian church and national holidays had the same name and that the ceremonies are the same, just like Tyarndarach and the fire of Trndez. The attendees were informed that the fire is the sign of the presence of God, and St. Sarkis, the patron of youth and love, was not only a brave fighter, but also a pious Christian endowed with the unwavering faith in God. The learners were also told that they must also be kind, apologizing, pious and God-loving in life.

It is no wonder that, by tasting Armenian dishes, one can learn the history of the Armenian nation, and that history is an inseparable part of the history of the Armenian Church. Consequently, the décor of the open lesson was the table set in line with the topic and symbol, and even the heaps of aghandz (roasted grains of wheat) were in the shape of Mount Masis…

Besides interpreting the ritual dishes, the learners presented the concept of the “Hats Hanapazorya” (Daily Bread) with sayings, kind wishes and four-line poems.

Sharing his opinion and impressions of the lesson, pastor of the Armenians of Odessa, Fr. Priest Abgar Gilijian said the following:

“This spiritual lesson was the expression of the symbol of each of the marvelous holidays, but the important thing is to not only gain knowledge, but also be guided by the symbol of the holiday and the holiday in life. Diaspora Armenian children and young Diaspora Armenians need to realize that they shouldn’t be obsessed with everything foreign when we Armenians have such wonderful rituals and holidays.”

Expressing her gratitude to the organizer and the beloved pupils for the open lesson, the school’s director Elen Poghosyan also expressed gratitude to the gifted and duteous parents. In her turn, she promised and, it is safe to say, made a pledge to make sure the school organized more events like this since they instill in the souls of Armenians spiritual and national values and serve for implementation of the inmost task of preserving the Armenian identity. “This is the great mission of our school,” the director emphasized.

The sounds of familiar Armenian melodies were heard in the classroom.

The lesson/event ended with a nice reception.

The lesson/event reaffirmed the truth that the Armenian nation has preserved its image and national identity for centuries thanks to the Armenian Church and Armenian schools.

Narine Muradyan

Odessa, freelance correspondent for Hayern Aysor