On December 1, 2018, under the leadership of the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia to Adjara, Guria and Imereti Yeghishe Sargsyan with his spouse, representatives of Jinishian Memorial Foundation, as well as members of delegation accompanying the Diocesan Primate attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated in the Saint Savior (Surb Prkih) church in Batumi. During the Divine Liturgy, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan properly preached about the mystery of the day, highlighted the importance of participation of faithful in the rituals of the Armenian Church. His Grace blessed the paintings gifted to the church as icons decorating the Saint Savior church. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the guests moved to the Alexander Mantashev Center of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia to participate in the opening ceremony of personal exhibition of Honorary Artist of the Republic of Armenia, Professor, painter Susanna Mkrtchyan. The painter who is well known with her wide pallete, miniatures painted at the cloth, representing the life of God's son from the tidings of his birth to His Ascension to Heaven, which was also an expression of Susanna Mkrtchyan's keeping of Great Lent as a Christian. Before the exhibition was represented in this coastal city, it also took place in Tbilisi, Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda. The Pastor of Armenians in Adjara, Guria, Imereti and the Saint Savior church in Batumi Rev. Father Ararat Gumbalyan gave opening remarks, appreciated the purpose of making the art of famous painter known to Armenians in Batumi. Consul General Yeghishe Sargsyan and Executive director of Jinishian Memorial Foundation's Yerevan office Armen Hakobyan spoke about these unique works of art. At the conclusion of the event, the talented artist expressed her deep gratitude to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia for his support in demonstrating her works in various cities. The Diocesan Primate summarized the exhibition blessing the attendees and expressing his appreciation. His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan highly appreciated activity of Susanna Mkrtchyan, who not only created artworks, but also gave an aesthetic education to the rising generation for four decades, teaching them different types of art and crafts. The Diocesan Primate announced that the exhibition is dedicated to New Year and Christmas holidays. The Diocesan Primate's two-day visit to Adjara and meetings with local Armenian communities were concluded with this exhibition.
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