“Path of Light” Abovyan days took place in Tbilisi

On June 24, 2023, the “Hayartun” Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia hosted the delegation from Yerevan within the framework of the “Path of Light”: Abovyan Days in Tbilisi" program.

“Path of Light”: Abovyan Days in Tbilisi" event was dedicated to the 175th anniversary of Abovyan's disappearance and the 85th anniversary of the foundation of Khachatur Abovyan House Museum in Yerevan. For this purpose, exhibits representing the history of the house museum were demonstrated in the Center's Galust Gulbenkian Hall.

The guests were greeted with a warm welcome by Eugenia Markosyan, Head of the “Hayartun” Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia and David Ter-Mkrtchyan, Cultural Advisor of RA Embassy in Georgia.

It was remarkable that Suzanna Khojamiryan, director of the house museum, gave an interesting and meaningful speech about the unknown pages and works of Khachatur Abovyan, who entered the field of Armenian literature almost two centuries ago and opened the first page of the bibliography of new Armenian literature. Many episodes of the life of Khachatur Abovyan, who spent a certain part of his life in Tbilisi, presented by the director of the house museum, were really unknown facts for the Tbilisi Armenian public. Among them was the odyssey of the statue, sculpted by Abovyan in France, which, after a long period of wandering, reached the city of Batumi, Georgia, and found its final place in the motherland. The other story was about the creation of the photograph of Khachatur Abovyan by Friedrich Barrot, and other little-known similar circumstances.

It is worthy of mention that as a result of the activities of the house museum, the poems of Khachatur Abovyan were brought up, which were turned into beautiful and heartfelt songs based on the music of composer Margarit Sargsyan, professor of the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan. The presentation of the videos of the songs "Vatan" (Motherland) and "Green-Red" performed by the talented singers Andranik Malkhasyan and Hripsome Sukiasyan was warmly welcomed by the present public.

The event was full of beautiful lyrical performances. The brilliant and professional performances of folk songs "Horovel", "Oror" (Barsegh Kanachyan), "Everything will pass" and "Life and Fight" (Hamo Sahyan) were performed by Hripsime Sukiasyan, Andranik Malkhasyan and Tsolak Harutyunyan and inspired patriotism and national pride.

Rev. Father Kirakos Simonyan summarized the event. He conveyed the blessing and good wishes of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, Rev. Father Archimandrite Kirakos Davtyan, highly appreciated the implementation of this project. He highlighted that figures who have taken their place in the pantheon of Armenian literature are the singers of patriotism, advocates of dedication to the motherland, love, and dedication to keeping and maintaining national values with their works and becoming the basis for making the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church a pillar of inseparable connection with the motherland with the noble ideas of maintaining and strengthening its statehood.

At the conclusion, the director of the house museum Suzanna Khojamiryan, highly appreciating the great organizational work implemented by Vahagn Zakaryan, gave letters of thanks to the head of the "Hayartun" Center Eugenia Markosyan and TV journalist Edgar Barseghyan for their support in the implementation of the “Path of Light”: Abovyan Days in Tbilisi" event.