Attempts have been made throughout history to destroy Armenian identity from within and from without: Catholicos Aram I

Throughout history, both internal and external attempts have been made to destroy our identity. This was stated by Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, in an address at the theological seminary.

“Nations live, survive, grow stronger, flourish and attain eternity through their identity. It follows that it is a unique identity that preserves a nation, and loyalty to the nation that guards this identity intact against the storms and dust of history. National identity is shaped by values, symbols, traditions and ideals. All of them revolve around identity and give expression to it. Identity therefore remains strong and undefiled for as long as a nation’s values and traditions remain untouched in its collective life.

The identity of a nation is not a label, an abstract theory or merely a legacy of the past. It is a process of constant creation, becoming, strengthening and flourishing. Identity flourishes when a nation takes on the commitment to preserve it and embody it in its own life with devotion.

The formation of our people’s identity began with the spiritual revolution of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, which was later joined by the cultural revolution of Saint Mesrop Mashtots. As a result, the spiritual, the national and the cultural merged into a single whole: an inseparable yet unblurred monolithic unity.

History clearly shows that when this unity is strong, our national identity remains unshakable. Over the course of history, attempts have been made, primarily external but also internal, to destroy this unity by sowing internal discord.

Yet our people, aware of their history and remaining faithful to the spiritual and national testaments of the Illuminator and Mashtots, held firmly to their identity. And today our Church, in this case the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia with its seminary and brotherhood, is fully dedicated to preserving, strengthening and perpetuating national identity, embodying its values, ideals and symbols in the collective life of our people,” he said.