On June 16, 2016, the Diocesan one-day Armenian school students, their parents and teachers were gathered together in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi.

Following the Evening Service, Eugenia Markosyan, Director of the Educational department of the Diocese, welcomed and congratulated the 2015-2016 academic year 35 graduates of “St. Gregory of Narek” Saturday and “St. Yeghia the Prophet” Sunday schools, who by demonstrating sufficient knowledge of the Armenian language and Armenian Literature, as well as the History of Armenia, and successfully passing their final exams, received certificates of basic Armenian knowledge.

After certificates were handed out, Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, transmitted to the graduating students the paternal love, blessings and congratulations from the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan. Father Khoren praised Eugenia Markosyan, Director of the Educational department of the Diocese, teachers Tamara Gaboyan, Roza Zohrabyan and Revik Karapetyan, for their dedication and professional skills to bring many children of Armenian nation back to their roots. Father Khoren referred to the message of the feast – Feast of the Holy Translators - and asked St. Sahak Partev and St. Mesrop Mashtots for their intercession. Very Rev. Father Khoren congratulated the graduating students on successful completion of the course and for receiving a certificate, encouraged them to make an oath in this church to bring up their children and grandchildren Armenian speaking.

Graduates of one-day Armenian school, Sergey Charukhchyan, Sofia Smbatyan, Vitaly Brezhnev expressed their gratitude to the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and Educational department of the Diocese, for the chance to learn Armenian language, gems of Armenian poetry and the History of Armenia. The aforementioned students recited works of Vahan Teryan and Avetik Isahakyan.

To close the event Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan led the people present in a prayer.

The award ceremony was attended by Rev. Father Narek Ghushyan, Pastor of the Saint Etchmiadzin Church; Sacristan of the church, Rev. Father Manuk Zeynalyan; poet and translator Givi Shakhnazari; the President of the “Vernatun” Union of Armenian Writers of Georgia, Zhora Snkhchyan; and others.