Chess tournament on holiday of King Abgar
Ararat Patriarchal Diocese for the fourth time in this year will hold a chess tournament, celebrating holiday of King Abgar. Today at the meeting with journalists, Senior Priest of St. Sargis Church said that the tournament will be held on December 6. “As chess is considered to be royal game, four years ago the young people of our diocese decided to celebrate King Abgar’s holiday in this way. The tournament was named after him, as Abgar was the first king, who believed and accepted Jesus Christ while he was alive as son of God.” According to the words of the priest, the tournament is extending year by year, “If during previous years we invited people, today participants themselves come. Mainly employees from state agencies- municipality, chess schools adjacent to municipality, the Ministry of Defense, the educational complex of the police- take part in the tournament,” said Malyan, adding that they do not have age limitation. This year two GMs have been invited to the tournament- Karen Grigoryan and Artashes Minasyan. Senior Priest Petros Malyan added that the example of King Abgar shows how one can believe without seeing, and the holiday is based on that idea. “I would like our officials to think like King Abgar,” summed up the priest.
