On March 29, 2016, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, in the company of Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, Pastor of Kvemo Kartli region at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, and the Head of Legal Affairs and Cooperation Department, Michael Avakian, paid a visit to Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan.

The meeting with the theatre management and creative team was attended by poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari, the Editor of the “Vrastan” Newsletter (“Georgia”) Van Baiburtyan, the leading actors of the theatre Melania Barseghyan, Robert Hovhannisyan, Romeo Matiashvili and others.

The Primate offered his blessings and congratulated the actors on the occasion of Easter. The Bishop congratulated the Artistic Director and the creative group of the theatre on winning the Artavazd Theatre Award recently in Yerevan. The performance “Ordinary Story” by Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan was announced the Best Youth Performance of the Year.

Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan appreciated the work of drama school, which provides generational change among actors; the company is actively replenished by young talents from the theater school.

The Diocesan Primate, in his remarks referred to the restoration of Armenian theatre, emphasized that during the visit of Georgian Prime Minister to the Cathedral of Saint George on the occasion of Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Armenian community drew Georgian PM’s attention to the restoration of Armenian theatre and the theatre’s role in the Armenian community. The Bishop wished that Tbilisi State Drama Theatre after Petros Adamyan would continue to organize annually the traditional Sayat-Nova Vardaton (Feast of Roses), with the support of other community-based organizations.

Artistic director of the Tbilisi Armenian Drama Theater Armen Bayanduryan expressed his gratitude for the Primate’s visit to the theatre and wished that Bishop’s blessings and prayers would always accompany and support the Armenian theatre.

The challenges facing the theatre and future plans were discussed during the meeting. The actors asked the Primate to help with organization of theatre tours to different Diaspora Armenian communities. Another issue raised was the proper celebration of the 160th anniversary of the theater.

The meeting was held in a warm and spiritual atmosphere.