Asbarez: Vatican to Commemorate St. Nerses Shnorhali

A special event marking the 850th anniversary of St. Nerses Shnorhali’s passing will take place at the Vatican.

A committee formed to organize the event met on Tuesday in Rome to make the preliminary preparations and announce the events, slated to take place in the fall of this year.

The organizing committee meets in Rome on Mar. 21

The organizing committee is comprised of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, representing the Catholicosate of All Armenians, Archbishop Nareg Alemezian, representing the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and Bishop Vartan Boghosian of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate of Cilicia, along with a representative of the Vatican.

The events marking the anniversary include an ecumenical prayer at the St. Peter Basilica, and international conference at the Pontifical Oriental Institute dedicated to the legacy of St. Nerses Shnorhali’s legacy and a concert featuring his hymns and liturgical music at the Sistine Chapel.

The committee will provide more information as it becomes available.


Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS