The Government of the Republic of Armenia

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended the ceremony of rewarding the winners of the competition devoted to St Sargis holiday which was held at the residence of Ararat of Patriarchal diocese. Chaired by Deputy Vicar of Ararat of Patriarchal Diocese Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan, the ceremony was attended by members of the board of Armenian Painter’s Union of the world. Tigran Sargsyan handed in certificates of honor to the winners of the exhibition - competition of creative youth.

Then the board of the Armenian Painter’s Union of the World awarded the Prime Minister with Momik Medal and conferred the rank of honorary member of the Union.

Addressing the event, Tigran Sargsyan stated in part: “Eminence, Dear Colleagues. I express my gratitude to the Union of Armenian Painters of the World for this high award. It obliges me to keep in focus the problems faced by our painters and create vaster opportunities for our gifted artists so that they can uphold the glory of Armenian art all over the world.”

The Prime Minister appreciated the restoration of St Sargis festivities: “This day is perceived as a beautiful holiday which is integral part of public life in the Republic of Armenia. We are pleased very much that we started to commemorate Armenian traditions and holidays following the Soviet era. This is very important as it can change our thinking and attitude to national values. There is much controversy today about the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church and its public doctrine. I estimate it very positively because it is an evidence of the attention given to these questions. This means we are in for a new stage, and the Armenian Apostolic Church will be given a wider a field of action, broader masses of the faithful will come to carry out its noble mission. Those initiatives implemented by the Ararat diocese under the leadership of Archbishop Navasard testify that the youth in Armenia has great interest in church affairs and the way of life preached by the Church.”