The birthday of the great Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanyan was on February 19. Armenians of Tbilisi traditionally visit the Tbilisi Pantheon of the Armenian Writers and Public Figures “Khojivank” and lay flowers on the tombs of the greats of our nation on the special occasions.

On February 19, 2017, following the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Avlabari, the Armenians of Tbilisi, young and old alike, headed to the Pantheon of the Armenian Greats, where Hovhannes Tumanyan is buried. It was a tribute of love and respect of the Armenians of Tbilisi for the national poet of Armenia, a bow to his memory. Tbilisi’s Armenian intelligentsia, poets and writers, translators and journalists, literary, cultural and social figures decorated with flowers the gravestone of the Great Tumanyan and the tombs of the Greats of the Armenian nation.

The Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan presided over the repose of the soul service.

Director of the Cultural Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan addressed the attendees and emphasized that the Armenians of Tbilisi must cherish the memory of the Armenian Greats buried in the Pantheon and pass it on to future generations. The speakers: the famous artist from Yerevan, Mayis Mkhitarian, the editor of “Vrastan” (Georgia) newspaper Van Bayburtyan, journalists Artyom Kirakozov and Susana Khachaturyan, poets and translators Michael Ananov, Gary Kalamkarov, Marina Kirakosyan-Mosesova, Georgian poet Levan Tsalughelashvili, teacher Manana Karapetyan and others - reflected on patriotic, national, dedicated to the victory of kindness and beauty, heartfelt and moving poems of Hovhannes Tumanyan, wise and always contemporary Tumanyan’s ideas.

Roza Zohrabyan, the teacher of “St Yeghia” Sunday school at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, presented a recitation of poems, quatrains by the great Armenian writer born in the Lori region.

At the end of the ceremony, Bishop Vazgen addressed his remarks to the people in attendance, with a message to keep memory of Hovhannes Tumanyan and the Armenian Great buried in the Pantheon alive, to be proud and respect this national structure. The Diocesan Primate spoke about the public activities of the national poet of Armenia, who having undertaken the patriotic mission in the days of the Armenian Genocide set to give refuge, care and food to the refugees and orphans, who took practical steps to strengthen and develop friendship and brotherly relationship between Armenian and Georgian peoples.

The tradition of giving books on the birthday of Hovhannes Tumanyan was initiated by the greatly lamented, Levon Ananyan, many years ago. Anahit Bostanjyan introduced and spread this idea among the Armenians of Tbilisi. According to a tradition, books were gathered in pile on the gravestone of Hovhannes Tumanyan. After the untimely death of the poetess the beautiful tradition has not been broken. Anahit Bostanjyan’s daughters, Gayane and Marina, gave books to the attendees, most part of them were written, translated or published under the editorship of Anahit Bostanjyan.

Tradition of giving books was a call to love books, do not stop reading and to get involved in this nice tradition.