Bibles for the People of Armenia

Bibles for the People of Armenia The following article was supplied by Dag Smemo, Bible Mission Director at the Norwegian Bible Society, who visited Armenia at the end of 1997.

YEREVAN, Armenia — When Hratsch Sarkissian took over as General Secretary of the Bible Society of Armenia two years ago, he began a complete reorganisation of the Society. They are now building up the production capacity with translators, computer staff, design and printing, and there are 12 Scripture titles in progress, including Bibles, Children’s Bibles and study books.

Students at the Theological Seminary in Etchmiadzin, Armenia, examining the Scriptures

“Today, production has first priority”, says Mr Sarkissian. “After the 12 new titles have been published, distribution will be given higher priority.” When the Bible Society was first established, there were no Bible products in East Armenian – the language spoken by Armenians living in Armenia. The first Bible in East Armenian was published three years ago.

Challenges

Having faced many challenges while setting up the office, Mr Sarkissian says, “The Bible Society must be a national enterprise: we must not be considered as foreign and non-Armenian.” Mr Sarkissian is an Armenian who was born in Cyprus, raised in Lebanon, educated in the USA and has worked in Canada. Before he was elected General Secretary of the Bible Society, he worked as a teacher at the Theological Seminary in the Armenian Church, where he is now a deacon, and his close ties to his church make Bible work easier for the Society.

The leader of the Armenian Church, Catholicos Karekin I, dedicated the last Sunday in October as an annual Bible Sunday, thus confirming the importance of Bible work within the church. And when something is approved by the church, it is easier to gain the approval of the people.

Extracts from the sermon given by the Catholicos on Bible Sunday in 1997 appear below:

“For two thousand years the Word of God has been an important part of people’s lives in Armenia. At first they did not have a liturgy, a church building, or written texts. But they had the truth they believed in: the Word of God, which was preached to them. It was this Word that conquered resistance and governments.

Bread of God

Later, the Word was written down in a book – the Bible, and the Armenian word for ‘the Word of God’ is ‘the Bread of God’. The Bible is the most important tool for spreading the Gospel in Armenia, and the most powerful way to teach people about God.

The Armenian alphabet was created because our people wanted the Word of God in their own language. Mesrop, who created our alphabet, was physically ill when he saw that the people did not have the Word of God in their own language. He therefore created an alphabet and the Bible was translated into Armenian. The Bible was our first book, and remains the most important book of all times.

Imprinted

As our church forefathers said, the Word of God should not only be written in a book but imprinted in the hearts of God’s children. It is our responsibility to communicate the Good News by living out its message in our lives. By declaring the last Sunday in October as a Bible Sunday for the whole church, we hope to increase the faith of the people of Armenia and provide them with spiritual nourishment. We give thanks to God for making it possible for us to celebrate the Bible today. I wish that everyone could understand the importance of the Bible today.

The people of this country have suffered many times throughout history: monasteries, churches and biblical manuscripts have been destroyed. But the Word of God lives on. The Bible offers guidelines for the present and a promise for the future. We must allow God’s Holy Spirit to speak to us through His Word. The Bible message is as important for our souls as the flow of blood is for our bodies.” (WR 330/7 - 4.98) [PHOTOS]

This page was last updated on Wednesday, 8th April 1998.