Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

CHRI STIAN EDUCATION

ANTELIAS PUBLISHES NEW RELIGION TEXTBOOKS

The Catholicosate of Cilicia recently published new textbooks in religion
and the history of the Armenian Church, fulfilling the long standing need of
Armenian schools in this respect.

The need for modern and contemporary religion textbooks has always been an
important issue on the agenda of the Religious Council. An initiative for
special courses in the history of the Armenian Church for more senior
students has also featured with high importance during the Council’s
discussions.

As such, the Christian Education Department of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
worked on publishing these textbooks under the high sponsorship of His
Holiness Aram I.

The first two volumes of modern religion textbooks for Armenian schools have
already been published. Prepared specially for the students of fifth and
sixth classes, these textbooks include pictures, activities, exercises and
detailed explanations on the Armenian Church’s traditions.

Although these books are considered for the students of the fifth and sixth
classes, they can be used for students of lower or higher classes according
to the corresponding literacy in Armenian language in the schools of various
dioceses.

Each pair of textbooks also has a teacher’s guidebook, which explains the
teacher’s room in the classroom and the lively method by which these topics
should be taught. The textbooks of the seventh and eighth classes and their
teacher’s guidebooks are also in the course of preparation and will be
published soon in the Antelias headquarters of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.

A brief record of the history of the Armenian Church, its rites and rituals,
its traditions and its differences in principle and ritual from other
churches, has been prepared by the late Ms. Manoushag Boyadjian, with the
aim of introducing the senior students of Armenian Schools to the history of
their church.

This volume is published today following the decision of the Armenian
Pontiff and with the funding of the Department of Armenian Affairs of the
Gulbenkian Foundation, both as an appreciation of Ms. Boyadjian’s dedication
to the Holy See of Cilicia and as a fulfillment of the need for such
textbooks in Armenian schools.

In addition to these projects, a special Bible for teenagers is underway in
cooperation with the Bible Society. The Bible will be published soon,
filling yet another need in the Christian education of the new Armenian
generation. A special Bible for kindergarten students is also being prepared
to encourage the students of Sunday schools.

The Catholicosate’s Christian Education Department has formed a special
committee to embark on publishing, educational and musical activities to
achieve the projects of Sunday Schools and their corresponding bodies.

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View the book covers here:
es88.htm
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
jurisdiction and the Christian Education activities in both the
Catholicosate and the dioceses, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.