Archbishop Khajag Barsamian was invited by the Gulbenkian Foundation, to take part in the official ceremonies on the occasion of the Founder’s Day on 20 July in Lisbon.
During his visit to the Gulbenkian Foundation on July 20, Archbishop Barsamian first had the opportunity to meet with one of the Board members Martin Essayan (the grandson of Calouste Gulbenkian’s sister Rita) and Mr. Razmig Panossian, the Director of the Armenian Saction of the Foundation. Then together they met the newly elected President of the Foundation Professor Antonio Feijo. During about half an hour meeting at the President’s office, Archbishop Barsamian congradulated Professor Feijo wishing him and all the board members good health to continue the important mission of the Foundation. Then they spoke about their good friend the late Vartan Gregorina. Professor Feijo met with Dr. Gregorian while he was studying at Brown University and later they became good friends. After the meeting, together they walked to the gardens of the Foundation and place flowers in front of the statue of Caloust Sarkis Gulbenkian.
On the same day at 12:15 pm there was a mess at Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario Fatima in memory of Calouste Gulbenkian. Archbishop Barsamian was invited to be present at this celebration and at the conclusion to offer remarks and prayers. In his remark Archbishop Barsamian reminded the Board members and the staff of the Foundation a passage from the opening pages of the Bible: from the Book of Genesis 1:27-28
“Therefore God created humankind in His own image… God blessed them, and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish and of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing.”
Archbishop reminded every one present that this passage from the Bible testifies of the great possibilities that God gave to mankind—right from the very beginning.
An he continued saying “today, as we remember the extraordinary life and accomplishments of Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, we can testify that he understood this miraculous passage from the Bible.
Indeed, it shaped his credo: What might be thought to be impossible becomes POSSIBLE when human ingenuity connects with the words of the Bible.
Calouste Gulbenkian’s deep faith played a major role in his monumental accomplishments. He felt that his God-given abilities were an empowerment—at the very heart of his business successes and the Foundation he established.
Calouste Gulbenkian was able to overcome the hardships of being an immigrant—a stranger in a strange land—and transform that experience into the larger work of an architect who joined East to West.
Our world today needs individuals like Calouste Gulbenkian. He was very proud of his identity as an Armenian, very comfortable in expressing it. But he was also a global personality. His many international philanthropic endeavors – establishing schools, hospitals, and churches – made him a good steward and citizen of the whole world.”
Then he expressed his appreciation to the past and present Board members of the Gulbenkian Foundation who continue to promote the arts, charitable benevolence, education, and science in countless cultures and countries – empowering people worldwide while consistently serving as stewards of the Armenian Community as well.
In the afternoon of July 20, Archbishop Barsamian with Ambassador Garen Nazarian, the Armenian Ambassador to the Holy see and Portugal and his wife Nana, visited Arshile Gorky and Jorge Quiroz Exhibition at the Gulbenkian Museum.
