Armenian Reporter:

Karekin II speaks at the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy

In his own words

Published: Monday November 24, 2008

Catholicos Karekin II. Liz Chater

Many of us have gone back in time today to past centuries, when Armenians moved to Kolkata and brought the Armenian Church here and the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy, and strengthened the Armenian life and culture, through their spiritual, educational values, and they created their good name and high reputation of our people in India.

Others went back in time to their youth when they were students here. They were sent as students here and they overcame their financial difficulties and their economic difficulties, and now they sweetly remember those days in the past and they bless the efforts of those who invested their time to make their education successful. Today, those young men and women are alumni, and they're established and successful with their own families, and they contribute to the life of this institution.

Regardless of what has brought you here and what you remember, I am sure that the feelings of happiness of joy are living in our hearts, because we see Armenian life alive and continuing in Kolkata. We see the Armenian Church alive. We see the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy alive. All this inspires with faith and with confidence, and we hope tomorrow is going to be better than today.

We extend our appreciation, our respect, our blessings, especially to our forefathers who sacrificed so much and built this school, had the vision of this school, of the church and the Armenian life in this faraway land, and our appreciation, also, to those who kept and protected this institution throughout time.

At one time, the students who studied here were local Armenians. Then it became a place for other diaspora-Armenians from Iran and from the Middle East to study. And now we see Armenians from Armenia who are coming here to study alongside their diaspora brothers and sisters.

This is all due to the vision of our spirit and vision of our ancestors that today from Armenia, from Iran, from Iraq, our sons and daughters are receiving their education from this academy.

The institution has seen very difficult times in the past, as well as during the years of our pontificate. We almost came close to begin the possibility about closing it due to the great dangers we felt were standing before of our children. We felt that difficult situations they would have in their lives if their education and their health were not secured right now. But we praise God in Heaven that he has always been for our people, and once more through his direction guided us through these difficult times, and today you all see the progress being manifested and being made.

I express my appreciation to the Armenian Church Committee members, who have always been ready in recent years to care for this institution both financially and morally. My words of appreciation to the principal and the manager of this institution, who became not merely the builders and renovators of this facility, but the builders and the creators of the lives of these students. Our appreciation to Father Ghevon and to all the priests who preceded him and succeeded him, Father Oshagan Gulgulian, Deacon Tigran Baghoumyan, Father Ghevon Ghevontzian, Father Ktrij Devejian, all those who had their contribution in the turn around we see here in this facility.

We highly commend the clergymen, the Armenian community members, the church members, the instructors, the principals, and all those who continue to sustain this institution with a spirit of devotion in their souls. Our appreciation also to the former students, our alumni, for their ongoing contributions, a commendation to the administrative body of the ACPA and the instructors.

We encourage you to make it an exemplary educational institution in India to create the luminous future for the children we have trusted to you. Naturally, our commendation is to our students and their parents, who trust us, and who trust this school. We have children before us who know how to overcome obstacles; we ask god to provide them the courage, the will, the maturity that they become confident that through God's mercy they will become among the best of our national lives.

May god keep and protect the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy, from where Armenian life in India receives its rebirth. May the ACPA become the guarantor of future life in India. It has an important mission in our Armenian life, in our national life. We conclude our words of gratitude for the Indian government and the hospitable and philanthropic Indian people who secured this possibility of refuge.

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