‘Salvation Will Come From Within, Because We Are Corrupted From Within’: Today Marks the 154th Anniversary of Tumanyan’s Birth

Today marks the 154th anniversary of the birth of renowned Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan.

Since 2008, the day of the birth of the great Armenian poet, February 19, has been celebrated in Armenia as the Day of Giving Books, initiated by former president of the Union of Writers of Armenia Levon Ananyan and decided by the Armenian government.

It is no coincidence that the Day of Giving Books is linked with Tumanyan's birthday, as many of us became acquainted with and bonded with books through his fairy tales, children’s poems, immortal quatrains, and poems.

Additionally, on this day, the Ministry of Education and Science quoted a passage from Tumanyan’s work “Bitter People.”

“There are thoughts that are extremely heavy, but you are condemned to think; there is no escape from them. They are like serious illnesses when you know you carry the cancerous sore, the bacilli of tuberculosis, or the poison of the plague in your body. You cannot ignore or bypass them, or they will overcome and kill you, or you must rise with all the means that human genius can provide against the pains and get rid of them, heal, of course, if you have enough courage and understanding.

Thus, if we possess national wisdom, the courage of the soul, and healthy instincts, it is impossible to close our eyes before this serious illness and not feel that our soul is very bitter, our inner self is very corrupted, and the first condition for fighting and healing against this is to sincerely confess and recognize our misfortune in both our hearts and before the world. Then the salvatory consciousness will follow the high desire for self-improvement and noble deeds.

There is no other way; salvation will definitely come from within, because we are corrupted from within.”