KHACHATUR ABOVYAN ARMENIAN STATE PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY

After capital renovation that lasted 6 years, the Etchmiadzin Cathedral (Mother Cathedral) will open its doors, with the Blessing of the Holy Muron and re-anointment of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral scheduled to take place on September 28th and 29th, respectively.

Ahead of the upcoming events of pan-Armenian significance, cenobite of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Supreme Archimandrite, Father Zakaria Baghumyan delivered a lecture entitled “The Symbol of the Holy Muron” at the Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) today.

The aim of the event, which was organized at the initiative of the ASPU Faculty of History and Social Science, was to present to the future historians and pedagogues the traditions and rituals of the Armenian Church once again.

Dean Edgar Hovhannisyan is certain that the interesting lecture will help add to the students’ knowledge, and that learning interesting details about the symbol of the Holy Muron, its preparation and application from a high-ranking clergyman will help strengthen their knowledge of this sector. “Events playing a pivotal role in terms of identity will become a major start for the Armenian people, somewhat of console after the tragic events. Nowadays, as we face different problems, it is important for us to solve them with the help of the Church as well,” he said.

Father Zakaria Baghumyan considered the upcoming events truly historic, adding that the Etchmiadzin Cathedral is being reanointed centuries after it was anointed in 303. The Holy Father talked about the symbol of Holy Etchmiadzin and the restoration efforts. He admits that the renovation helped reaffirm for him the Armenian historians’ descriptions of the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, adding that it is the ‘birthplace’ of our soul, has unique energy and also sparks interest among foreigners.

Father Zakaria also talked about the upcoming Blessing of the Holy Muron, the preparation and symbol of the Holy Muron and the ceremonies, emphasizing the fact that it has a unifying power and adding that no matter where we Armenians live, we become one and establish a connection with our first patriarch — Gregory the Illuminator (Grigor Lusavorich), and, according to tradition, also to Saint Thaddeus the Apostle. “We are dealing with a phenomenon that links us to the past, the present and the future. The symbol of the Holy Muron is inextricably linked to Holy Etchmiadzin; in the words of people these days, it is the carrier of our historical memory,” the speaker noted, adding that being a member of the Armenian Apostolic Church is not only about a spiritual value system, but also our essence and identity, within which our spiritual heritage was created and existed.

The Holy Father urged the future pedagogues to know their identity and, as apostles of education, bear within themselves the values and transmit them to the generations. At the end of the lecture, the attendees addressed their questions to Supreme Archimandrite, Father Zakaria Baghumyan.