RE-BUILDING OUR KHATCHKARS
Odette Bazil
Wednesday, 16 November
Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom
Although repeated protests have been lodged by the Armenian
Authorities, petitions have been taken by various groups or sent by
numerous committees and individuals to most UNESCO offices worldwide
complaining about the systematic destruction of our Khatchkars, but
the issue remains ignored and every effort to preserve or renovate
our Khatchkars appears fruitless.
A modern Khatchkar with traditional Armenian symbolism Maybe we,
Armenians in the Diaspora, can create and build our own Khatchkars in
all the cemeteries of the world where Armenians have to be buried, by
erecting a Khatchkar instead of a Headstone upon which all the details
to be engraved on the headstone can be transferred, making it a unique
display which will remain forever for future generations to see.
Khatchkar Stone Cross at Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC In every
cemetery where an Armenian has to be buried, the headstone carries the
name, date of birth and death of that person and invariably a Cross
is always included, making that grave a recognisable Christian grave.
WHY DON’T WE, ALL ARMENIANS IN THE DIASPORA, REPLACE OUR HEADSTONES
WITH A KHATCHKAR?
Khatchkar in Krakow, Poland I am confident that each community can
sponsor and support financially its resident Khatchkar Maker invited
from Armenia and instead of commissioning a Headstone, we can erect
a Khatchkar engraved with our own choice of design. The Armenian
Clergy being involved with each Armenian burial, will be therefore
the appropriate Authority to organise that commission.
I see sometimes strange engravings and objects displayed on various
headstones: there is even one where a stethoscope has been engraved,
in memory of the doctor buried underneath. Therefore Khatchkars –
which are a work of CHRISTIAN ART – will always be allowed, by the
Councils managing the cemeteries, to be installed on Armenian graves.
Khatchkar carver’s workshop – Yerevan Let the Azeris and the Turks
and the Kurds destroy our Khatchkars. We will build them again and
again – and in countries where the destroyers will have no access
for impunity and demolition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
