Schools in historic Armenian village
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YEREVAN, Armenia — The Bible Society in Armenia began its work in the Aragatsotn region of northwestern Armenia this year by targeting young people living in the historically significant village of Oshakan.

Oshakan is the burial place of Saint Mesrop Mashtots, an Armenian monk who in the early fifth century invented the Armenian alphabet. This in turn made it possible to begin translating the Bible into Armenian. In anticipation of marking the 1,600th anniversary of this event in 2004, members of the Bible Society’s ecumenical board, in collaboration with the World Council of Churches Armenia Round Table, visited Oshakan and met 37 school principals. This visit was the latest in the Bible Society’s collaborative Bringing the Bible to Schools program, which aims to establish an ongoing relationship with educational institutions, teachers and students. In 2002, initiatives undertaken under this program included a visit to Gyumri, Armenia’s second-largest city (see World Report 374/27).

The delegation that visited Oshakan was welcomed by the Very Rev Fr Bagrat Galstanian, the Primate of the Diocese of Aragatsotn, who was presented with a special illustrated edition of the four Gospels. In thanking the Bible Society, its partners and the principals for their commitment to the success of Bringing the Bible to Schools, he emphasised the importance of people from a range of different backgrounds working together to witness to the power of the Bible. “We are here to express our unity,” he said. “This gathering for me is a unique one and must serve as an example for all of us.”