Католикосат Великого Дома Киликии
Шаблон:Universityt The Christian Education Department of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia http://www.cathcil.org/x04/index.htm
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
The Christian Education Department of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia was established with the patronage of His Holiness Karekin II Sarkissian Coadjutor Catholicos.
The opening of the Christian Education Department took place in the hall of the Catholicosate residence on October 26, 1977. The opening was chaired by His Holiness Catholicos Khoren I and overseen by His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II Coadjutor Catholicos.
The aim of this Department was to make the Armenian Church faithful communicate closely with the spiritual and cultural inheritance of their Church.
Rev. Fr. Gaurun Babian was chosen to be the first director of the Department. Later, the directors consecutively became V. Rev. Fr. Oshagan Tcholoyan, V. Rev. Fr. Sebouh Sarkissian, Archbishop Zareh Aznavorian (1984-April 2004). Currently the director of the department is Rev. Fr. Torkom Donoyan.
The Department is aimed especially at:
1: Expanding our Church’s spiritual-cultural activities and to assist more actively for the education of the youth.
2: Providing information and to answer to questions related to our Church, faith, rite and cultural inheritance.
The Department activities’ fields are:
I) Official:
1: Ordinary works
2: Religious-educational programming
3: Public chats
4: Preparation of publishable texts
II) Publications:
1: Educational-Moral
2: Childish-adolescent
3: Religious-Theological
4: Musical
5: Ritual texts, prayer books, prayers
6: Interpretative
7: Tapes, videos
III) Public:
1: Lecture series
2: Weeks devoted for spiritual culture
3: Fine arts enterprises
4: Courses on Holy Bible study and Auditory courses
5: Visit to the Dioceses, Regions and Churches
Sunday Schools
Main page
Historical Survey
In 1929, International Sunday Schools American Society organized a conference in Baalbek, Lebanon, to open Sunday Schools in the Biblical Lands. The Armenian Church was also invited to this conference. His Holiness Sahag I appoints H.G. Papken Gulesserian to represent the Catholicosate of Cilica at this Conference.
V Rev Fr Ardavazt Sourmelian and Rev Fr Theonisius Drezian accompanies Bishop Gulesserian to this conference to represent the Catholicosate of Cilicia and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. At this conference, it is decided to establish Sunday Schools under the auspices of the Armenian Church. Mr. Levon Zenian is appointed Director for the realization of this task. He immediately starts training teachers and preparing plans, and the Sunday School begins its educational mission. In the Fall of 1929, the first Sunday School is opened in Aleppo, Syria in the Forty Martyr’s Kindergarten hall.
In June 1930, His Holiness Sahag I introduces Sunday Schools in a Pastoral Encyclical and they start their mission under the auspices of the Armenian Church. Soon after, Sunday Schools are opened in Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, and afterwards in Iraq, Kuwait, Greece, The Americas (East, West, South), and Canada.
In the past 72 years, Sunday Schools gave to the Armenian people numerous believers, who on their part protected the church and our national values. Sunday Schools are magnificent cathedrals, where Armenian souls are opened to Almighty God.
Starting 1929, the following Directors served for the Sunday Schools.-
Deacon Levon Zenian 1929-1934
Deacon Levon Zenian 1936-1940
Rev Khoren Paroyan 1940-1941
Rev Papken Varjabedian 1942-1945
Rev Dadjad Ourfalian 1946-1947
Deacon Levon Zenian 1947-1952
Rev Papken Varjabedian 1956-1957
Rev Sahag Ayvazian 1957-1958
Rev Arsen Avedikian 1959-1960
Rev Vartan Demirdjian 1961-1963
Rev Yeznig Palayan 1963-1965
Deacon Noubar Berberian 1965-1966
Rev Dirayr Panossian 1966-1972
Rev Yeznig Palayan 1973-1975
Sarkis Poladian (assistant) 1975-1978
V Rev Sebouh Sarkissian 1978-2000
Rev Mashdots Chobanian 2000-2005
