On November 18, 2017, the St. Gregory of Narek Educational, Cultural, Youth and Spiritual Center in Rustavi (Armenian Diocese in Georgia), hosted a literary and musical event paying homage to Holy Translators. Among the participants were the students of the senior and junior classes of the St. Yeghishe Sunday School, the Berkri choir and the Nemrut Dance Ensemble. Teacher of Armenian language and literature, Margarita Shatarevyan organized the event.

In attendance were the councilor at the RA Embassy in Georgia, Artak Grabsky; President of the Union of Armenian Businessmen of Georgia, Samvel Aghekyan; Director of the Cultural Department of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Levon Chidilyan; Eugenia Markosyan, Director of the Educational Department of the Diocese; Susana Khachaturyan, Director of Press and Media Department of the Diocese; representatives of the Armenian community of Rustavi, parents, guests from Tbilisi and nearby regions.

The occasion was honored with the presence of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan.

The event began with the Lord's Prayer and the blessings of the Diocesan Primate.

Curator of the St. Gregory of Narek Center and Pastor of Armenians of Rustavi and Marneuli region, Rev. Father Narek Ghushyan; gave opening remarks, referring to the Feast of the Holy Translators, who gave the nation the keys to writing and literary creation, development of Armenian culture, paved the way for the rise of civilization.

Armenian students, bearers of foreign languages, who has been learning the Armenian alphabet only for two months, though with strong foreign accent, but in native language presented the life and work of the Holy Translators, read their commandments, bringing satisfaction to the people present.

Progress was evident in the Center’s work. The students presented a program of poetry recitation and musical and dance performances, singing Armenian sharakans and performing beautiful and graceful national dances, so masterfully taught by Choreographer Stella Selepanova and choirmaster Inna Davitashvili.

The recitation of Armenian poetry instilled the teenagers with love for the nation and patriotism, inspiring them to have pride in being Armenian.

Guests shared their impressions about the event. The speakers unanimously stressed the importance of the patriotic initiative of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia to establish educational, cultural, youth and spiritual center and bring the Armenians of Rustavi, where there is no Armenian church or school, back to their roots.

At the conclusion of the event, the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan offered his blessing remarks and expressed his appreciation. The Primate spoke about the importance of using language understandable to the faithful when preaching the Word of God. In Armenia and the Diaspora it is spread through the Alphabet created by the Holy Translators, is preserved in our precious language and serves as the main guarantee for preservation of the Armenian identity. “Indeed, the Center through its activities proves the necessity of its establishment. These children, who spoke about Mesrop Mashtots, Sahak Partev, Eghishe, David Anakht, Movses Khorenats, recited the poems, were inspired with Armenian, and this event will teach them patriotism, national ideology, instill Christian faith. This is the mission and the goal of this Center,” noted the Diocesan Primate. The Bishop extended his appreciation to the event organizers, the Pastor and the Armenians of Rustavi who support the Center.

The event ended with a recitation of the poem “I Love My Sweet Armenia's…” of Yeghishe Charents, as if taking an oath to love mother language and the Homeland.