Hovhannes Tumanyan’s Birthday Celebrated in Tbilisi

February 19 marks the birth anniversary of the All-Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan. In accordance with the tradition established in the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, the occasion was commemorated with a visit to the Khojivank Pantheon of Armenian Writers and Public Figures in Tbilisi, where the beloved poet rests.

At the pantheon of the prominent Armenian writers and public figures, admirers of Hovhannes Tumanyan’s works gathered - representatives of different generations who grew up with the works of the great national poet and were nurtured on his fairy tales, poems, sayings, and proverbs. Especially noticeable were the children, who love Tumanyan’s tales and poems and recited them by heart.

The attendees laid flowers on the grave of Hovhannes Tumanyan and laid flowers at the resting places of other distinguished sons of the nation. Rev. Father Kirakos Simonyan then conducted a requiem service for the peace of the souls of Tumanyan and the other eminent figures buried there, censing in reverence their immortal memory.

Years ago, the birthday of Hovhannes Tumanyan was proclaimed “Book Giving Day” by the late Levon Ananyan, President of the Writers’ Union of Armenia. Through the initiative of the prematurely departed poet and translator Anahit Bostanjyan, this beautiful event was also established in Tbilisi. This meaningful and educational celebration, which has become a cherished tradition, has been held continuously for more than a decade and a half.

The event dedicated to the birth anniversary of the Armenian national poet was not only festive but also rich in educational value, emotional depth, and a poetic spirit.