Spiritual Manuscript Centres: A Strategic Highlight At The International Armenological Congress

On 24 July 2026, as part of the 3rd International Armenological Congress, a customary round-table discussion was held with the participation of senior staff members from Matenadaran and representatives of Armenian spiritual and manuscript centres. The discussion brought together representatives from various Armenian spiritual and manuscript centres, including the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, the Mekhitarist Congregation, and the Bzommar Patriarchal Congregation. Among the distinguished guests were Razmik Panossian, Director of the Armenian Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and Tigran Zargaryan, Advisor to the Director of the Fundamental Scientific Library. The discourse covered a wide range of topics, such as modernising manuscript preservation systems, digitisation processes, and scholarly research. All participants reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to continue existing joint initiatives and to develop a strategic plan for future activities. Special emphasis was placed on the outcomes of the mission at the Mekhitarist Congregation in Venice, the expert assistance provided to the newly established infrastructure of the Bzommar Patriarchal Congregation, and the restoration efforts of a 10th-century Gospel originating from the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. The administration of Matenadaran was formally invited to visit Antelias and Bzommar. Participants underscored the exceptional importance of the International Armenological Congress as a vital institutional platform for collaborative analysis of pressing challenges and for fostering ongoing cooperation. At the conclusion of the meeting, a two-year agreement was duly signed between Matenadaran and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, aimed at ensuring continued collaboration on the development of a Consolidated Manuscript Catalogue.