�No one can shake our faith, neither angels nor men, neither sword nor fire, neither water nor any other sharp stroke. �We aren't any better than our forefathers who lost their properties and bodies for the sake of this faith��. Inspired with the convictions of Vartanants warriors, on Tuesday, the 1^st of March 2011, at 10:30 AM, the students of the Armenian Catholic Mesrobian High School celebrated the feast dedicated to St. Vartan in the �Hovhannes Boghossian� Hall. There were the students of Mesrobian High School and Technical College, the representatives of teaching staff and administrative staff, members of the parents' committee and guests.


The celebration began with the Armenian and Lebanese national anthems as well as the school official anthem. After that, Tsoline Shahinian, a twelfth grade student, said in her opening speech: �Vartanank were the 1036 holy martyrs who sacrificed themselves �for the sake of faith and Armenians� during the battle that took place in the year 451 in the field of Avarayr and was leaded by the Armenian commander-in-chief Vartan Mamigonian. The battle of Avarayr symbolizes the Armenians' general revolt, endless sacrifices and conscious martyrdoms against the violence done to the people's conscience, faith, particularity and freedom. It is an instructive chapter of heroism and self-sacrifice both for the old and new generations�.

The opening speech was followed by a beautifully prepared artistic program that included a performance given by the school choir, a solo dance, a recitation, a Kung Fu show. Moreover, the students played the flute, the piano and the clarinet as well as a music video was shown, based on the literary work �Vartanadon� of Jacques Hagopian. The school guitarists' band gave also a performance.

The guest speaker of the day Mr. Hagop Havatian made a speech in which he said: �Perhaps when we were your age, we too were thinking why we celebrate this date with such an enthusiasm each year. Dear students, Vartanants Day is one of our sublime and holiest holidays, because if there weren't the Battle of Vartanants and its heroes, believe that we wouldn't be here and we wouldn't be Armenians. We must always keep Vartanank alive in our hearts and our souls�. Then, Mr. Havatian continued his speech by saying: �You are the future leaders of Vartanants and you are the army who keeps Vartanants alive, here, in the Armenian school. The Armenian student who goes to a non-Armenian school is deprived of today's occasion. Until the next commemoration of Vartanants Day, let's try to show our neighbor and our close relative the importance of going to an Armenian school�.

In order to make the closing speech of the celebration, the school principal Mr. Gregoire Kaloust was invited on stage. First of all, he congratulated the students on carrying the names such as Vartan, Vahan, Karekin, Khoren, Ardag, Arsen as well as other masculine names who participated in the Battle of Vartanants. Then, he specially congratulated His Excellency Bishop Vartan Ashkarian on carrying the name. Mr. Kaloust was thankful to the speaker of the day for giving an instructive message. He was also thankful to all the students and staff who worked on the program of the day and participated in the artistic program. At the end of his speech, Mr. Kaloust said: �We are not celebrating an ordinary feast today. I demand or rather I ask you to not forget Vartanants message, on the contrary, live it every day. Each one of us is invited to become a messenger in our lovely country Lebanon and especially in the lovely region of Bourj Hammoud to say �no� to all kinds of dangers and adversaries doing harm to the Armenians. I ask you to live as Armenians by spreading Vartan's spirit wherever you live�. Then, the audience stood up and sang the song �Oukhd Vartanants� of Arek Lousinian (music) and Sister Arshagouhi Maldjian (lyrics), in order to end solemnly the celebration dedicated to St. Vartan.

The twelfth grade students Sarkis Gudjelian and Aline Saboundjian organized the feast of the day.