Pope Francis has lunch at Our Lady of Armenia convent
and orphanage
(Vatican Radio)
Following celebration of Holy Mass in Varanans Square on Saturday morning, Pope
Francis visited the convent and orphanage of Our Lady of Armenia -
Boghossian Education Centre for lunch with around 60 hungry youngsters.
The orphanage is run by
the Congregation of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, who
also run the Diramyer Vocational School and a day-care center housed on the
same campus.
At the end of the visit, a
photo opportunity with the orphans helped by the Sisters of the Immaculate
Conception, benefactors, and several former residents of the orphanage along
with their children provides a highlight to the event.
The History of Our Lady
of Armenia Center
With the independence of
Armenia, the dream of the Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception to
serve in the homeland became a reality. Following the horrible earthquake of
1988, the Sisters had already come to Armenia to console the grief of our
nation. Today, the Order has an orphanage, a Vocational School and a day-care
Center for the Elderly in Gyumri, a day-care Center in Tashir, a summer camp in
Tsaghkadzor and a Convent in Javakhq, Georgia. The Sisters teach catechism and
do pastoral work in many of the Catholic villages of the regions of
Shirak, Tashir, and Southern Georgia.
Initially, the Sisters worked
in Spitak. In 1992, the Covent was formally established in the village of
Arevig and the apostolate of the Sisters consisted in teaching catechism and
doing pastoral work in the villages or Arevig, Panik and Lantchig. At the end
of 1993, the Sisters moved to Gyumri while continuing their service to the
three villages. It was during their religion classes that the Sisters witnessed
the deplorable state of many orphaned children. They had lost their parents
either during the earthquake or the battle of Nagorno-Gharabagh.
In an effort to provide a
brief respite to these children, the Sisters organized a summer camp program in
1994. First, the Sisters used rented facilities in Hankavan and Byuragan until
the Foundation Alliance Armenienne of Geneva, Switzerland, donated a complex in
Tsaghkadzor. Some 850 children, ages 8 to 15 spend a 16-day vacation at the
Diramayr Hayastani Jambar.
The success of the camp
program is at the genesis of the Our Lady of Armenia-Boghossian Educational
Center. It was the wish of Robert Boghossian & Sons family, that an
educational Centre be established to house the orphans all year long.
Construction works began in 1996
and the beautiful complex was inaugurated on September 16, 1998. The whole
complex is the gift of Fonds Robert Boghossian & Fils and the Sisters are
deeply grateful to the generous benefactors who continue to partially fund the
running expenses of the Center.
Recruitment of the children
is done in different ways. Priority is given to abandoned children, orphans of
both parents, children whose fathers have abandoned them and the mother is not
capable of providing for the needs of the child.
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