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Shnorhali's work, "Explanation of Seven Catholic Letters," was donated to the Matenadaran
A ceremony of presenting the theological and manuscript-based work of Sargis Shnorhali, "Meknutyun 7 Katoghike Tekhtots," to the Matenadaran, which has exceptional theological and manuscript value, was held at the "Aram Khachaturian" Concert Hall ahead of the RA Independence Day.
The event was attended by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, President of the Constitutional Court Arman Dilanyan, President of the Supreme Judicial Council Artur Atabekyan, Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia Anna Vardapetyan, Director of the Matenadaran Ara Khzmalyan, representatives of executive bodies, the scientific community, and ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Armenia.
On July 31 of this year, a decision was made at the RA Government session to allocate about 93 million drams to the Matenadaran, with which the theological and manuscript-based work of the prominent medieval manuscript writer Sargis Shnorhali, "Meknutyun 7 Katoghike Tekhtots" (13th-14th centuries), was acquired. As a result of months of negotiations with the Matenadaran Directorate, it became possible to remove the manuscript from the auction and reduce the initial price. The entry of the manuscript into the Matenadaran will be an exceptional event in all respects. One page of the great manuscript was kept in the Matenadaran and was added to the manuscript during today's ceremony.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan noted that it is a great honor for him to be present at this ceremony today, as a significant manuscript will be placed in the Matenadaran, dedicated to Mesrop Mashtots. "This is the second such decision by the Government in recent years, of course, with the mediation of the Matenadaran and with the assurance that the manuscript really has a special significance. Understandably, when this sentence is heard, we cannot think for a long time. Our thoughts are centered on the fact that the Republic of Armenia should become the home of the most important monuments of our identity, namely, our manuscripts. We are guided by the ideology that our state is our identity. Our state is our identity," the Prime Minister emphasized.
According to the head of state, today's event is directly related to the implementation of this concept, because initially, during the period of the adoption of Christianity, before that, our state conditioned our identity. Still, then, due to circumstances known to everyone in our history, with the end of statehood, our identity, in fact, spread throughout the world. "And now, when the state and statehood are at the core of our ideology, our state is once again finding the role of the core of our identity, and therefore, the most important monuments for our identity, such as manuscripts and various samples, should be housed in our state, because our state should be the epicenter of our identity. Why am I saying this? Because, of course, what happened here, being next to this manuscript, is in itself a very moving and emotional moment, I am sure for all of you.
But I want to say that these decisions are not just emotional decisions, because they are conscious decisions, and we understand what these allocations from the state budget are for, which, by the way, were not clearly planned, what they are for," the Prime Minister said.
Nikol Pashinyan reminded that the draft concept of the aesthetics of the Real Armenia was recently published, and there have been many discussions since then. What does the aesthetics of Real Armenia mean? The Head of State noted that the aesthetics of the Real Armenia means, including today's event, and that the Republic of Armenia, including our cultural identity, our aesthetic identity, should be the epicenter and axis, and that is the policy that the Government is pursuing.
"We indeed say thank you to the government, of course the government makes the decisions, but the expression is very apt that in reality, including for today, we should completely and unreservedly redirect that gratitude to the citizens working in the Republic of Armenia, creating results, paying taxes prescribed by law, because the words of gratitude that are addressed to the government, I perceive as simply all those taxpayers, tax payers," said Nikol Pashinyan, adding that the Government perceives itself simply as a representative of those people, who are the real recipients of gratitude. The Prime Minister emphasized that all words of appreciation should be addressed to the citizens working in the Republic of Armenia, creating results, paying taxes prescribed by law, because they are the real authors of today's event, and, in fact, the point is about practically, if not all, then at least the majority of people present in the hall.
"Starting with our esteemed musicians, who pay income tax from their salaries, and our other representatives, some as businessmen, some as employees, and without undue modesty, I truly, sincerely think that the real recipients of this gratitude are you, and I want to sincerely thank you for dedicating this book to us, to you, to the Republic of Armenia, and for returning it to the Republic of Armenia," Prime Minister Pashinyan concluded his speech.
A concert dedicated to the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia was held next, performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.
