Participation of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the educational and administrative activities of Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages

Abstract

The Institute of Oriental Languages (Lazarev Institute) throughout its existence (1815-1921) has undergone a number of transformations, namely, having started its activity from a private school, it achieved the status of a state higher educational institution. Understanding a special role of religion in preserving the ethnic characteristics of the Armenian nation in the absence of statehood, prominent Russian public and state figures of Lazarev contributed to strengthening the status of the church within the walls of the institute. Representatives of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) provided all possible assistance to the educational process, first at school, and then at the institute. The apogee in 1841 became the legal consolidation of the rights of the AAC to directly participate in leading the institute and obtaining the status of the honorary member of the institute by the Catholicos. Many Armenian clergies have made a significant contribution to the development of the educational institution, acting as a guarantor of the cultural foundations of the Armenian people. With the assistance of the church, new directions acted at the Lazarev Institute, scholarships were established, and literature was published. The materials obtained during the research can serve as a basis for further studying the role of church organizations in the educational life of secondary and higher educational institutions of the country.