1996_03 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper March 1996

              4 CathollCOS Special   HyeSharzhoom
March 1996
Catholicos, from p.l
Catholicos. Many were deeply
moved by the experience even
though it was brief. From the Student Union the some supporters
followed to the Residence Dining
Hall for a reception in the
Catholicos' honor. The event was
noted by a gift the His Holiness
brought from Erevan, Armenia. A
wooden khatch kar, carved to represent the monumental stone
crosses that decorate the grounds
of Catholicos' church in
Etchmiadzin.
From there Karekin I
taped a broadcast of hye talk in the
Speech Arts television studio. Professor Barlow Der Mugrdechian
interviewed the Catholicos on his
visit, some of the specifics in his
lecture, and the course that he in
tends to pursue in the future. Following the taping he retired to his
hotel before performing an evening
mass at the St. Paul Orthodox
Church.
Through it all the man
behind the robe maintained his energy. Not only did he maintain it he
gave it away. A influence followed
him around that day you could see
it in everyone he touched. Perhaps
it was the sparkle in his eyes, the
intensity in his manner, or the pur-
posefulness of his devotion- however one describes it- to be certain
it was apparent that one had been
touched by a great human being,
Christian, ambassador, and Saint,
Photos by Gina Kaklikian Garo
Historic Visit at Fresno State
Catholicos speaks to
Fresno State
By Jacqueline Arikian
His Holiness Karekin I
visited California State University,
Fresno to deliver a message of religious education and revival. He
centered his speech around the importance of educating Armenians
in the homeland, where Christian
education has been virtually nonexistence over the past several
years. "Fortunately faith has been
kept in the hearts of the Armenian
people,'' saidtheCatholicos. Ironically Armenia was the first Christian nation yet in the present they
lack religious knowledge. What
happened to the Armenian people
who once had devoted religious
teaching?
In the not so distant past
communism took its toll. "It was
official communist policy to eliminate religion from the life of the
people," explained His Holiness to
the students, faculty and community of Fresno State. Armenia is
now a free and independent nation.
With their new found freedom, has
come new found religious education thatpromises toprovideknowl-
edge to the youth and residents of
Armenia.
The message of the
Catholicos not only had religious
impact on the audience, but provided insight on the true meaning
of education. "Christian education
is not a function ofthe church. The
church is the education of life. It is
a spiritual and intellectual uplifting," explained His Holiness. He
went on to say, 'Teaching is a matter of life, not the transmission of
ideas." He enabled the audience to
grasp that knowledge is not only
formal education, rather the fusion
of traditional education and personal experience. It is with the
combination of both, that one is
able to better understand the ways
of life, and with the interjection of
Christian education one is able to
obtain greater light in understanding the purpose of life.
The insightful, youth focused, message of His Holiness,
did not stop at Fresno State. The
following morning it continued at
St. Paul Armenian Church, where a
special breakfast was held in honor
of His Holiness Karekin I. His
Holiness, sitting at the head table
with the many other priests, had
heartfelt smile upon his face, a smile
that lit up my heart and touched my
soul. Their was something pleasing about his very presence and the
happiness he experienced as he
watched the little servants of God
Karekin I presents Armenian Studies Department with khatch kar
(cross icon) from Yerevan, Armenia
perform a heartwarming presentation, consisting of traditional Armenian songs and contemporary
musical pieces, clearly expressing
the love of God that the children
had within their hearts.
As the performance ofthe
children grew to
an end, the people
knew that the visit
of the Supreme
Patriarch and
Catho-licos of all
Armenians would
soon be coming to
an end as well.
However, their
was one last message to be delivered. "If anyone
asks me if Armenia is a nation of
the past, I would
say if you were in
St. Paul's Hall on
February 10th,
you would know
that this nation is
a nation for the
future, not of the
past."
Reflecting on His Holiness during his four day visit, it is
obvious that one was not only listening to a man who was elected as
the head of the Armenian Church,
but listening to a man of great in
sight and knowledge, not only in a
religious aspect, but in an aspect of
everyday life, where "the truth is
always within."