The Diocese
Posted: 12/22/2016
To celebrate the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, on December 17, 2016 the Little Angels Saturday School students of St. Leon Armenian Cathedral held a Christmas program in the Cathedral’s sanctuary.
The ceremonial program consisted of delightful musical performances as well as recitations by the students of the largest Armenian Saturday School in the world.
In his remarks, the Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian commended the pastoral leadership of the Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan as well as the dedication of the school’s principal Deacon Hovhannes Gumruyan and the school’s teachers for their invaluable roles of instilling in the hearts of the youth the love and appreciation for the Armenian language and culture.
About Little Angels Saturday School
The “Little Angels” Saturday School curriculum is designed to teach Eastern Armenian. The school consists of six grades and includes such subjects as Armenian literature, grammar and music. The classes are conducted with RA (Republic of Armenia) accredited secondary school textbooks.
Throughout the six-year educational program (taught in Eastern Armenian), students are taught various courses ranging from the instruction of the Armenian alphabet to Armenian literature, history, culture and music. The curriculum meets the Common Core State Standards of the State of California. The highly qualified instructors routinely participate in workshops and seminars organized by the Headquarters of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.
With an enrollment of over 250 students, the Saturday School is the largest of its kind in the world.
