Hayern Aysor’s correspondent sat down for an interview with Principal of the “Little Angels” Armenian Saturday School of the Saint Ghevondyants Church of the U.S. Western Diocese, Deacon Hovhannes Gumruyan to discuss the School’s activities, as well as the issues on national and church life in the Diaspora and preservation of the Armenian identity.

Hayern Aysor: Deacon, where did you receive your spiritual education and when did you start serving the U.S. Western Diocese?

Deacon Hovhannes: I was born in Vanadzor (Kirovakan), Armenia into the family of an intellectual. I studied at the Gevorgyan Spiritual Lyceum of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, after which I obtained my Bachelor’s Degree from Hovhannes Tumanyan State Pedagogical University of Vanadzor. I have worked at the German Center in Vanadzor, the GNP Charitable Foundation and have also lectured at the Armenian Catholic Prelacy in Yerevan and the Sargis Tevosyan State Polytechnic College of Vanadzor, after which I moved to the United States of America.

Since 2010, I have been the Principal of the “Little Angels” Armenian Saturday School of the Prelacy. I also teach Armenian and Armenian history at the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School. As a deacon of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church, I provide my services at the Western Diocese, particularly the St. Hovhannu Karapet Church in Hollywood.

Hayern Aysor: Please, tell us about the “Little Angels” Armenian Saturday School of the St. Ghevondyants Church of the Prelacy in detail.

Deacon Hovhannes: The School was founded in 2000 and was the idea conceived by the Blikians. In 2010, with the blessing of Primate of the U.S. Western Diocese, His Grace, Fr. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, it was moved to the St. Ghevondyants Church.

Currently, there are 250 students between the ages of 6 and 14. They study for six years. The classes are divided according to language proficiency, and the language of instruction is Eastern Armenian. The lessons are conducted with the textbooks of general education schools in the Republic of Armenia.

With respect to the textbooks, we collaborate with the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, and for this I would like to give special thanks to Minister Hranush Hakobyan for her support. In 2015, our school was recognized as the best Armenian Saturday school in the Diaspora, received the grand prize and the first degree diploma during the Awards “For Notable Contribution to Preservation of the Armenian Identity” organized by the RA Ministry of Diaspora, the World Armenian Congress and the Union of Armenians of Russia.

The School always hosts ceremonies, cultural and national events, meetings and has a choir.

The Eastern Armenian-language curriculum, which is divided into six classrooms, includes the teaching of Armenian history, culture, music and literature based on the Common Core State Standards of California. The academic year is 10 months. It starts in August and ends in May. The classrooms are distributed according to language proficiency.

Every August, the School hosts training courses for all the teachers and invites specialists from Armenia and the U.S. The School has established a beautiful tradition. According to that tradition, on the Saturday close to April 24^th, our teachers and the teachers of other Armenian Saturday schools gather near the cross-stone dedicated to the memory of the holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide erected in the yard of the Prelacy and lay flowers. The students also join us.

This year, we organized a special clay-drawing event for the students. We gave them the freedom to choose their topics and suggested that they draw different images devoted to Armenia and Armenians in the churchyard. With this, we are trying to instill in the children the idea that April 24^th is also a day of renaissance.

Hayern Aysor: Do the students learn their native language with pleasure?

Deacon Hovhannes: Frankly, almost all Armenian children in Los Angeles think in English, but we do our best to make sure they have a love for and an interest in Armenian, Armenia and the Armenian people.

Thanks to the hard work of the School’s staff, they manage to overcome the linguistic barriers and fundamentally improve their knowledge of Armenian.

During their six-year study, our students are able to reach the level of fifth grade of general education schools in Armenia.

The graduating students of “Little Angels” receive certificates that are recognized by state colleges as a certificate of a second foreign language. In addition, we collaborate with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia.

Hayern Aysor: Are there students who see their future as spiritual servants? What steps does the School take in that direction?

There is a special program for young people. After receiving mandatory theological education in the United States of America, with the blessing of the leader of the Diocese, they visit the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin where they participate in courses at Gevorgyan Spiritual Lyceum, after which those wishing to become clergymen are ordained with the blessing of the Supreme Patriarch and start serving at our Diocese.

Hayern Aysor: What are the criteria for selecting the teachers?

Deacon Hovhannes: We have thirteen teachers. “Little Angels” Armenian Saturday School is open for specialists who have received a relevant philological education at universities in Armenia. We also pay attention to the teachers’ knowledge of English and their experience in working with children in American schools.

The best students are encouraged. They receive discounts on tuition fees, certain scholarships and obtain motions to get accepted to universities.

Hayern Aysor: It is important to know your opinion on the major mission of the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church for preservation of the Armenian identity in the Diaspora and for consolidation of the potential of the nation as a clergyman.

Deacon Hovhannes: Back in the 5^th century, Armenian historian Yeghishe described it by saying that the father of the Armenians is the Holy Bible, and the mother is the Armenian Apostolic Church. For centuries, it has been proven that whenever the Armenians haven’t had statehood, the Church has always carried out the functions of a state. Even today, the Church continues to accomplish its mission in the Diaspora by consolidating the crowds and leading them to Armenia.

In this regard, clergymen play a special role. The community has great expectations from us clergymen. Our Diocese works prolifically in all directions, starting from consolidation of young Armenians around the Church and ending with the organizing of programs for cognitive visits to Armenia, the implementation of Armenian school events, cultural and literary events and the transmission of theological knowledge.

Upon graduation, the students join the Diocese’s youth programs. When they visit Armenia, they participate in construction, renovation, church cleaning and other works through a volunteer program.

Hayern Aysor: What problems does an Armenian clergyman face in the Diaspora?

Deacon Hovhannes: The first problem is the problem with helping young Armenians preserve the Armenian identity, spiritual security and introduction to Christian values.

It is also very important to keep them away from the danger of mixed marriage since the number of mixed marriages is growing.

In this sense, we regularly visit families and introduce young people planning to get married to the sacred ceremonies of the Armenian Church, etc.

Over the past years, the Armenian community experienced a great awakening in light of the construction and consecration of the St. Ghevondyants Church held with the participation of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians in 2010.

The Zoryan Museum, which is one of the Armenian museums that doesn’t operate much in the Diaspora, is also located in the Church and serves as a place to showcase ancient church samples, antique and handmade works and crosses. Armenian cross-stones and sculptures of ancient churches are placed in the yard of the Church and the Prelacy. In a word, it is a unique museum under an open sky.

Hayern Aysor: My next question is a question that I traditionally ask my interlocutors who are clergymen. Living abroad, how strong is your longing for the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin?

Deacon Hovhannes: Of course, I always long for it. After all, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin is my home where I spent my teenage years and received my spiritual education.

I am certain that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin disperses its light around the world like the light of a beacon as the Bethlehem of the Armenians and warms the hearts of all Armenians around the world.

Interview by Gevorg Chichyan