With the blessings of His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in Georgia, and His Grace Bishop Michael Ajapahyan, the Primate of Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as at the invitation of Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan, Pastor of Armenians in Adjaria, Guria, Imereti, and the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior), and Sona Hovhannisyan, Director of the Alexander Mantashyants Center, from 12 to 19 July, 2017, 22 students of the Shirak Diocese Social- Educational Center, accompanied by the Center’s Director Karine Jadukyan and the volunteers, visited Batumi.

The students of the Shirak Diocese Center together with leisure activities were engaged in the spiritual life of the Armenian community of Batumi. Every day they attended church services conducted in the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior), showed diligence in learning church hymns, prayers and commandments, participated in spiritual conversations with great interest.

The main goal of the visit of the students of the Shirak Diocese Center to Georgia was to increase communication between the Armenians of Batumi and the youth of the region. During those days, the children from Shirak region were swimming in the Black Sea and were absorbed in cheerful and interesting games.

The children’s everyday life in the Alexander Mantashev Educational Cultural Youth Center at the Armenian Diocese in Georgia was interesting and exciting. With the initiative of the Director of the Alexander Mantashev Center, Sona Hovhannisyan, the teachers and activists, meetings, discussions, games, different concerts were organized almost every day. 2 children from Shirak region were baptized by Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan in the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior), which was the highlight of the trip.

Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Batumi Yeghishe Sargsyan received the children at the Consulate General of Armenia in Batumi. A reception had been organized for all gathered.

At the end of their visit the children of the Shirak Diocese Social-Educational Center received from the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) and the Alexander Mantashyants Center, the Children’s Bible and other souvenirs as a gift.

The parish of the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior) provided shelter for the guests from Shirak region. For the second year in a row, the children from Armenia spent their summer vacation in Batumi through the support of the “Hay Art Production” company.

The children and youth from Shirak region, and the people accompanying them give thanks to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the Primate of the Shirak Diocese, the Pastor of the Surb Prkich Church (Saint Savior), the staff of the Alexander Mantashev Educational Cultural Youth Center and the faithful of the church, for warm hospitality and eight carefree days of summer vacation.