Month: February 2015

TENSIONS CONTINUING TO MOUNT BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

The Examiner
Feb 5 2015

by Bon Knudsen

The situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan looks to
be flaring up again, amidst increasing violence and rumors of western
powers, including the United States, funding rebels in the area. The
situation looks to be on a path toward an all-out war between Armenia
and Azerbaijan over a century old land dispute.

First, a little background on the situation. The setting is the two
former Soviet countries nestled in between Turkey, Iran, Georgia and
Russia.The Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan has been disputed
by Armenia and Azerbaijan for nearly a hundred years, starting at
the creation of the Soviet Union. When both countries were made a
part of the communist empire, a deal was made with Turkey, themselves
coming into their own after centuries as the Ottoman Empire, who had
a contentious relationship with Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh would be
made a part of Azerbaijan rather than Armenia, a decision that has
been unpopular ever since.

Under Soviet control, the region was pacified for decades, barring
the occasional small-scale skirmish. However, when the dissolution
of the Soviet Union began in the late 1980s, so did the reemergence
of violence from separatists who wanted independence. The region is
some 95 percent ethnic Armenians, and they speak the Armenian language.

They have long considered themselves to be Armenian, and many resented
what they considered an occupation of their lands. In 1991 a vote
was held that indicated a desire for independence, though Azerbaijani
citizens rejected the outcome. War broke out and lasted for about three
years, when a cease-fire was declared between Armenia, Azerbaijan,
and Nagorno-Karabakh.

Since then the situation has been tense, to say the least. Accusations
of war crimes on both sides, including ethnic cleansing, led to United
Nations condemnations and demands of troop withdrawals by Armenia.

Peace talks and negotiations have been ongoing since, mostly with
Russia acting as a third-party intermediary.

Which brings us to the present. Violence has been escalating over the
last few months, and it looks to be picking up steam. Mediators from
France, the United States, and Russia have met with both countries
and pleaded for the cessation of hostilities.

“The rise in violence that began last year must stop,” the mediators
said in a joint statement. “We called on Azerbaijan to observe its
commitments to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. We also called
on Armenia to take all measures to reduce tensions.”

Trust is something that is in short supply, however. One top
Azerbaijani official made a statement Wednesday claiming that the
United States is involving itself in the conflict by arming the
rebels. Adding Russia’s recent belligerence in nearby Ukraine and
Georgia, plus their continuing military funding of both countries,
and you have a recipe for disaster.

More violence is expected as we approach the one hundredth anniversary
of Turkey’s genocide against Armenians. It seems unlikely that anything
will be resolved anytime soon in the conflict either, which has the
potential to burst into an all-out war between the two countries and
the region, much like it did in the early 90s.

MEET YOUR CAPTAINS: SAM BABAYAN

The Captain’s Log
Feb 5 2015

If Sam Babayan only had thirty seconds to tell you his life story,
he’d do it in five. “My life is me being torn between things,” the
sophomore said, although that’s not actually as terrible as it sounds.

The first thing Babayan is torn between is which of his parent’s
cooking he prefers. His mother is Dominican and his father is
Armenian, so Sam grew up eating traditional dishes from both of their
homelands. Just don’t ask him to pick a favorite, because he won’t
be able to choose.

In all honesty, such a dilemma has “given me a love of diversity. I
had the privilege of being raised speaking both of their
languages–speaking Armenian and Spanish; that’s actually something
I’m really grateful for,” said Babayan.

Babayan learned English in school, where one day he eventually picked
up his love for psychology and biology–the other things he can’t
choose between. “I really love science a lot, and how quantifiable
everything is, and how there’s a concrete answer to everything. As
difficult as calculus can be, I really like that sometimes…. but then
I go to a psych class and get a multiple choice question where there’s
all kinds of different right answers. It can be really ambiguous,
but I really enjoy it.”

Sam is currently double majoring in cell/ molecular biology and
psychology, and is well aware of what his post-CNU future holds. “I’m
definitely going to grad school. It’s necessary. Med school is an
option, but it’s going to be hard…. Maybe I’d do a doctoral program
for neuroscience, if everything works out.”

But Babayan has no desire to take his practice too far afield. “I
don’t see myself anywhere other than the DC metro area,” he said. “I
was born and raised there; I like the city and there are a lot of
things to experience.”

For the time being, Babayan wants to focus on making it through
undergrad. Unfortunately, this comes with a few tough decisions.

As a freshman, Babayan was a member of the Presidential Leadership
program, but in the beginning of his sophomore year he had to withdraw
to accommodate both of his majors.

He also gave up football–one of his primary reasons for applying to
CNU. “I was originally going to play football for CNU,” he said. “I
played all of high school, and it was an awesome experience that
lead to friendships I’ll have for the rest of my life. That was
something I wanted to continue and hone, but I chose CNU because I
didn’t want the stress of having to play on scholarship.” Ultimately,
things didn’t work out, and Babayan had to walk away from his dreams
of being a Captain on the gridiron.

As it turned out, walking away from one dream opened the door for
another opportunity. “I was approached by a bunch of older guys on the
rugby team who invited me to a few of their practices,” said Babayan.

“It took some getting used to, because [rugby and football] are two
very different sports. They brought me out, and it was the same kind
of brotherhood that I’d found with football in high school.”

Some of his favorite memories concerning rugby involve their public
philanthropy. “We did Dude Looks Like a Lady last year, and it was
really cool to play a full-contact rugby game in dresses.”

Another perk of rugby is that “it isn’t as life consuming as varsity
football was.” So with his free time Babayan participates in a couple
committees for the Delta Upsilon brotherhood, and he also serves as
the fraternity’s IFC representative.

In addition to his time with DU, Babayan is an RA for York River East,
2B. He spent his own freshman year on hall 4A. “I’ve lived in the
same building for half of college,” he jokes. But being an RA “has
been an amazing experience. I wouldn’t trade the relationships that
I’ve built with my residents for anything. They make it all worth it.”

THE WASHINGTON TIMES HOSTS CONFERENCE ON US-AZERBAIJAN RELATIONS VIDEO

The Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency
Feb 5 2015

04.02.2015 [09:01]

Washington, February 4, AzerTAc

The Washington Times has hosted a conference on the US-Azerbaijan
relations.The event saw speeches by Azerbaijan`s Ambassador to the
United States Elin Suleymanov, Chairman of Azerbaijan`s Parliament
Committee for International Relations and Interparliamentary Ties,
head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe (PACE) Samad Seyidov and MP Asim Mollazade. “We
are talking about the essence of the strategic vision of the United
States of America, about the Southern Gas Corridor. This is not a
corridor of gas and oil; this is a corridor of freedom,” said Samad
Seyidov.Ambassador Elin Suleymanov explained that without an overall
strategy, the U.S. is wasting efforts to fix a crop of smaller problems
in the region.”The lack of clearly pronounced strategic outlook it’s
basically working with immunity deficiency disorder.

Because if you have no immunity, you come up with measles, or
whatever. That strategic outlook is the immune system. If it doesn’t
exist, all small the things pop up,” Mr. Suleymanov said.”America,
unfortunately today from the strategic point of view, has much less
friends in the region than it had before,” Mr. Seyidov said. “That’s
why we would like to see more attention to the region, more strategic
vision to the region.””Unfortunately in the western world, especially
from Europe, we see existence of these double standards. I’m talking
about different approaches to the same kind of conflicts,” Mr. Seyidov
said. “Nobody even thinks about sanctions against Armenia that did
the same crime against a neighboring country.”Mr. Seyidov argued
that if Western nations continued to pick and choose which countries
were subject to international law, then aggressors would continue to
violate those laws without fear of retaliation.”If we are thinking
about normalizing relationships in the world, we should restore
international law.” Mr. Seyidov said. “We should implement the same
requirements for those who violated international law.Mr. Suleymanov
and Mr. Seyidov both stressed that U.S. allies in the region needed
reassurance that the U.S. would continue to provide support against
Armenia. The conflict has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of
people since fighting began in the late 1980s, and displaced more than
1 million, many of whom have been living as refugees for more than 20
years.”The bigger issue is if the United States is committed to its
friends, if it works with them to reinforce the partnerships. Then
they feel more secure and the discussions and conflicts are resolved
in a much more peaceful manner,” Mr. Suleymanov said.

ARMENIA TO OPEN KURDISH CONSULATE AND AIR LINKS

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 4 2015

04 February 2015 11:48 (Last updated 04 February 2015 11:49) Yerevan’s
ambassador to Baghdad says Armenia will open a consulate in Erbil
in June.

ANKARA

Armenia is set to open a consulate and an air route to service the
in Kurdish regional government in Iraq, an official said on Wednesday.

Armenia’s Baghdad ambassador, Karin Gregorion, who was meeting the
Kurdish region’s prime minister, Nechirvan Barzani, said that Yerevan
will open a consulate in the Kurdish region’s capital Erbil in June.

Barzani welcomed the Armenian plans adding that the country’s
businessmen and investors were welcome in Iraq and would be helped.

Content-Type: MESSAGE/RFC822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Description:

MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
From: Katia Peltekian
Subject: ANKARA: Armenia to open Kurdish consulate and air links

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Feb 4 2015

Armenia to open Kurdish consulate and air links

04 February 2015 11:48 (Last updated 04 February 2015 11:49)
Yerevan’s ambassador to Baghdad says Armenia will open a consulate in
Erbil in June.

ANKARA

Armenia is set to open a consulate and an air route to service the in
Kurdish regional government in Iraq, an official said on Wednesday.

Armenia’s Baghdad ambassador, Karin Gregorion, who was meeting the
Kurdish region’s prime minister, Nechirvan Barzani, said that Yerevan
will open a consulate in the Kurdish region’s capital Erbil in June.

Barzani welcomed the Armenian plans adding that the country’s
businessmen and investors were welcome in Iraq and would be helped.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“PERINCEK’S DISCRIMINATIVE DISCOURSE AFFECTS TURKEY’S ARMENIANS”

BIAnet.org, Turkey
Feb 5 2015

Murat Celikkan from Truth Justice Memory Center claimed bianet that
the real reason behind Perincek’s conviction by Swiss Courts was not
denying the “genocide” but his discriminative discourse.

Elif Akgul Ä°stanbul – BIA News Desk

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) Grand Chamber admitted
the expert opinion request of International Genocide and Human
Rights Studies Institute, Human Rights Association, Truth Justice
Memory Center regarding the effect of Armenian Genocide discourse
on Armenians in the case of Perincek vs Switzerland case. The
aforementioned request has been submitted on 15 October 2014.

Celikkan: Real motive is promoting discrimination

Murat Celikkan from Truth Justice Memory Center claimed bianet that
the real reason behind Perincek’s conviction by Swiss Courts was not
denying the “genocide” but his discriminative discourse.

“Considering Perincek’s statements before and after the trial clearly
shows that discrimination and racism are the real motives and they
could cause deadly consequences and dangers to Turkey’s Armenian
minorities,” he said.

“Denial affects Turkey’s Armenians”

“On the top of everything, ECHR’s Hrant Dink/Turkey verdict points
out that the denomination of Armenian Genocide as a lie is linked with
the oppression towards Turkey’s Armenians and certain life dangers.

Why is Perincek’s discourse discriminative?

“In this context,” Celikkan defends that “Perincek’s statements
are discriminative and racist towards Armenians as his definition
of Armenians as ‘traitors’ and ‘aggressor to Turks’ as well as his
legitimization of 1915-17 Ottoman massacres overtly, Istanbul 13th
High Criminal Court’s leading position to provoke Armenian hatred
through the citation of Dogu Perincek’s terms “psychological war”
and the aforementioned court’s other comments on Hrant Dink and other
minority murders.

What happened?

In 2007, Lausanne Peace Court convicted Turkey’s Labor Party (IP)
Chairman Dogu Perincek for violating Swiss Penal Code Article 261 on
“discrimination based on race” when he said “Armenian Genocide is a
worldwide-spread lie”.

Swiss Vaud Appeals Court also declined the motion on the verdict issued
by Lausanne Peace Court on Perincek. Perincek’s advocate applied to
ECHR after reaching no results from the federal court.

In 2013, ECHR ruled that Switzerland violated Perincek’s freedom of
expression with majority vote, finding Perincek’s conviction reasons
insufficient.

“The punishing of opinions with no consensus causes a bouncing effect
on their discussion,” the court ruled.

On January 28, the grand chamber of ECHR reopened the case. While
Perincek was represented by Mehmet Cengiz and Christian Laurent Pech;
Switzerland by Daniel Thurer; Turkey by Stefan Talmon and Armenia by
Amal Alamuddin Clooney and Geoffrey Robertson. (EA/BM)

From: A. Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
Yerevan 0033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:

January 30, 2015

Armenian Genocide thriller `1915′ to be released in 2015

Yerevan–Production companies Bloodvine Media and Strongman announced
on January 28 their co-production of 1915, a psychological thriller
set against one of the most terrifying events of modern history.

1915 is the feature film debut of writer-directors Garin Hovannisian
and Alec Mouhibian. Together with producer Terry Leonard (Before I
Disappear, Cold Comes the Night, Amira & Sam, Hounddog) and an
international cast including Simon Abkarian (Casino Royale, The Cut,
Gett), Angela Sarafyan (The Immigrant, Twilight), Sam Page (Mad Men,
House of Cards), Nikolai Kinski (Aeon Flux), and Jim Piddock (HBO’s
Family Tree, The Prestige), 1915 was filmed on location in Los
Angeles.

Set on the single day of April 24, 2015–the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide–the film follows one man’s controversial and
dangerous mission to bring the ghosts of a forgotten tragedy back to
life. The movie will play a leading role in the global movement this
spring to shed light on all genocides of the past century. “1915” was
produced in partnership with the Armenian Center for National and
International Studies (ACNIS).

Grammy Award winning musician and human rights activist Serj Tankian
(System of a Down) has composed the cutting-edge original score for
1915. For more information, visit and our social
media pages.

`We expect 1915 to be more than a movie,’ said co-director
Garin
Hovannisian. `We have made this movie to serve not only as art or
entertainment, but also as an act of defiance against the continuing
silence, indifference, and denial that have fueled an entire century
of genocide.’

[email protected]

Website –

PHOTOS

PRESS KIT
Directors’ Statement

In 1915, under the cover of a world war, millions of Armenians were quietly
taken out of their homes and marched to their deaths in the deserts of
Ottoman Turkey. Their towns and villages were burned to the ground. Their
churches were dismantled, too; the crime was to be denied forever.

It was a crime so new, it did not even have a name.

Those who escaped 1915 tried to find new lives across the world. Many
survivors, like our great-grandparents, never spoke of what they had seen.
But some nights, we would hear them crying and screaming in their sleep.

In April 2015, millions of Armenians across the world will commemorate the
100th anniversary of those nightmares–what historians now call the
Armenian Genocide–the first genocide of modern history and the blueprint
of the genocides that followed: the Holocaust, Rwanda, Cambodia, the Sudan.
They will march in commemoration but also in protest against the silence,
indifference, and ongoing denial that have fueled an entire century of
genocide.

Our movie takes place one hundred years after 1915, on the other side of
the world. It is about denial: what happens when the past is ignored; what
happens when it is confronted. It tells the story of a man who is on a
mission to bring the unrecognized ghosts of 1915 back to life.

How can something that happened 100 years ago possibly matter today? How
does any past tragedy, individual or historic, continue to affect our
lives? What does it mean to `move on’? These are some of the questions we
pursue in 1915.

As we face the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, we are grateful for
your support and friendship.

Warmly,
Garin K. Hovannisian, co-writer/director
Alec Mouhibian, co-writer/director

Armenian Studies Program
Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Coordinator
5245 N. Backer Ave. PB4
Fresno CA 93740-8001

ASP Office: 559-278-2669
Office: 559-278-2669
FAX: 559-278-2129

Visit the ASP Website:

Photo caption:

SAS Conference in Washington, D.C. Seated, left to right: Dr. Rouben
Adalian, Khatchig Mouradian, Asya Darbinyan, and Umit Kurt.

Standing: SAS President Barlow Der Mugrdechian

PRESS RELEASE

Society for Armenian Studies Holds Elections
for Executive Council Officers for 2015

The Society for Armenian Studies (SAS) celebrated its 40th anniversary
at its Annual Membership meeting held in Washington, D.C., held on
Saturday, November 22.

A new Executive Council was elected with Barlow Der Mugrdechian
(California State University-Fresno) chosen as the new SAS
President. Also elected were Vice President Bedross Der Matossian
(University of Nebraska-Lincoln); Secretary Lilit Keshishyan (UCLA);
Treasurer Sergio La Porta (California State University, Fresno); and
advisors Tamar Boyajian (Michigan State University), Marc Mamigonian
(NAASR), and Jean Murachanian (University of New England).

On behalf of the SAS newly elected President Der Mugrdechian thanked
outgoing President Kevork Bardakjian (University of Michigan-Ann
Arbor) and outgoing Secretary Ani Kasparian (University of
Michigan-Dearborn) for their dedicated service to the Society.

`It is a privilege to be elected as the new President of Society for
Armenian Studies. The SAS plays an important role as a forum for
scholars to meet and exchange ideas. SAS members conduct research in
many different fields, but in each case this is related to the study
of Armenia and the Armenian people. This research is shared with other
academics and with the public at large, bringing greater awareness
about Armenian culture,’ stated Der Mugrdechian.

In 2014 SAS held several major activities to mark its 40th
anniversary, including an international Armenian Studies Workshop in
Yerevan, Armenia, October 3-5, with 44 scholars participating from
Armenia and abroad. In November the Society sponsored a two-day
conference in Washington, D.C. on =80=9C Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire in the 19-20th Centuries.’ This year the SAS planning several
activities in conjunction with the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, including co-sponsorship of a major international conference
` Crossing the Centennial: The Historiography of the Armenian Genocide
Re-Evaluated,’ March 19-20, with the Department of History and
Humanitarian Affairs Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln,
organized by SAS Vice-President Bedross Der Matossian.

The SAS annually publishes a peer-reviewed Journal of the Society for
Armenian Studies , edited by Sergio La Porta, and a Newsletter .

The SAS website, societyforarmenianstudies.com, provides information
about events and activities about the Society. The Society does
encourage supporting membership for those who wish to financially
support the SAS. The Secretariat of the SAS is based in the Armenian
Studies Program at California State University, Fresno. For more
information please call the SAS at 559-278-2669 or send an email to
[email protected].

PRESS RELEASE
Glendale Public Library
222 East Harvard Street
Glendale CA 91205
Contact: [email protected]
Tel: 818-548-2030
FB:
TW:
Web:
TW:

Ghazir Armenian Orphan Rug

Presented to President Calvin Coolidge in 1925

GLENDALE, CA The public is invited on Thursday, February 26, 2015, at
7 pm to a power point presentation of the Ghazir Armenian Orphan Rug
by Maurice Missak Kelechian at the Glendale Central Library
Auditorium, 222 East Harvard Street in Glendale. The presentation will
be in English. Admission will be free. Library visitors receive 3
hours FREE parking across the street at The Market Place parking
structure with validation available at the Loan Desk.

Msar Palace in Ghazir is about 20 miles from Beirut, Lebanon, perched
on a hill, the Msar (often spelled Mizar) palace in Ghazir was built
during the 19th century by a Lebanese prince, Emir Chehab II. Early in
1923, the Near East Relief organization rented Msar palace and turned
it into an Armenian girls$B!G(B orphanage, the largest in the area. Under
the American flag, the orphanage became a safe haven for 1400 Armenian
girls who had witnessed the destruction of their country, during the
Armenian Genocide. The place is well known for its rug factory. From
1923 to 1930, the orphanage produced 3254 rugs and around 1000 orphan
girls certified in the art of rug weaving. These girls made history by
introducing the art of rug weaving into the Lebanese culture. Three
years after the Ghazir orphanage was founded and within a period of
ten months, seven Armenian orphan girls wove their masterpiece rug on
behalf of tens of thousands of Armenian orphans around the world.

The Ghazir Rug, also known as Armenian Orphan Rug is a magnificent
11.7 by 18.5 feet rug, woven into 4,404,206 individual hand-tied knots
of figures of more than one hundred animals and plants. The solemn
expression of pain and sorrow for everything lost: homeland, loved
ones and, trust in humanity. In December 1925, the rug was presented
to United States President Calvin Coolidge as a token of gratitude and
it stayed with Coolidge and his family even after he left the
office. The rug was returned to the White House in 1982, and stored in
the storage room for thirty-two years until November, 2014 when it was
exhibited at the White House Visiting Center.

$B!H(BThe Ghazir Rug is not just a carpet; it is a tangible connection to
the first genocide of the Twentieth Century – a silent, beautiful
rebuttal to those who deny the murder of 1.5 million men, woman and
children in a campaign of mass murder, forced marches, rape and
looting that befell the Armenian people from 1915-23. $B!H(B

— Congressman Adam Schiff–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:

February 5, 2015

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF REMEMBRANCE

The national observance in the United States includes special events
that will take place over a three-day period (May 7, 8, 9) in
Washington, DC, that includes an ecumenical prayer service, a
Pontifical Divine Liturgy, a memorial concert, and an awards banquet
honoring those who helped the survivors. The Catholicoi, His Holiness
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will be present to preside
over the events. Armenians from all over the United States are
expected to participate in solidarity and unity.

Learn more about the national observance at
armeniangenocidecentennial.org
().

In New York, commemorative events organized by a joint united
committee will take place on April 24, 25, and 26, including the
annual gathering at Times Square on Sunday, April 26.

PAN-ARMENIAN DECLARATION ON GENOCIDE

The State Commission that is coordinating the events for the 100th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide released a Pan-Armenian
Declaration last week. Following a meeting of the Commission,
President Serge Sarkisian, His Holiness Karekin II, and His Holiness
Aram I, were joined by commission members and participants at a
service at the Dzidzernagapert Memorial where they honored the victims
of the Armenian Genocide. President Sarkisian read the Pan-Armenian
Declaration that calls on Turkey to `recognize and condemn the
Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, and to face its
own history and memory through commemorating the victims of the
heinous crime against humanity and renouncing the policy of
falsification, denialism,
and banalization of this indisputable fact.’

Read the full text here
().

REQUIEM SERVICE FOR PRIESTS WHO SERVED THE PRELACY

In conjunction with the Ghevontiants commemoration, all Prelacy
parishes will observe a special requiem service this Sunday, February
8, in memory of
the deceased clergy who served the Prelacy.

Remembered with gratitude and honor:

His Holiness Catholicos Zareh I, His Holiness Catholicos Khoren I, His
Holiness Catholicos Karekin I, Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians,
Archbishop Hrant Khatchadourian, Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian, Archbishop
Sumbat Lapajian, V. Rev. Fr. Vaghinag Sisagian, V. Rev. Fr. Ghevont
Martougesian, V. Rev. Fr. Nishan Papazian, V. Rev. Fr. Barour
Ekmekjian, V. Rev. Fr. Oshagan Minasian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Amrigian,
Rev. Fr. Arsen Varjabedian, Rev. Fr. Mateos
Mannigian, Rev. Fr. Bedros Mampreian, Rev. Fr. Stepanos Garabedian,
Rev. Fr. Mesrob Der Hovanesian, Rev. Fr. Houssig Naghnikian,
Rev. Fr. Adom Melikian, Rev. Fr. Yeghishe Kasbarian, Rev. Fr. Ghevont
Khosrovian, Rev. Fr. Bedros Kasarjian, Rev. Fr. Sahag Balian,
Rev. Fr. Ghevont Papazian, Rev. Fr. Papken Kasbarian, Rev. Fr. Sahag
Yeghigyan, Rev. Fr. Nerses Shahinian, Rev. Fr. Bsag Sarkisian,
Rev. Fr. Yeghishe Mkitarian, Rev. Fr. Souren Papakhian, Rev. Fr. Arsen
Simeoniantz, Rev. Fr. Movses Der Stepanian, Rev. Fr. Mampre Biberian,
Rev. Fr. Khachadour Giragossian, Rev. Fr. Yervant Yeretzian, Rev.
Fr. Gomidas Der Torosian, Rev. Fr. Movses Shrikian, Rev. Fr. Dickran
Khoyan, Rev. Fr. Smpad Der Mekhsian, Rev. Fr. Vahan Ghazarian,
Rev. Fr. Ashod Kochian, Rev. Fr. Arshavir Sevdalian, Rev. Fr. Kourken
Yaralian, Rev. Fr. Arsen Hagopian, Rev. Fr. Sarkis Antreasian,
Rev. Fr. Sahag Andekian, Rev. Fr. Hmayag Minoyan, Rev. Fr. Krikor
Hairabedian, Rev. Fr. Asoghik Kiledjian, Rev. Fr. Varant Bedrosian,
Rev. Fr. Sahag Vertanessian, Rev. Fr. Vartan Kassabian,
Rev. Fr. Torkom Hagopian, Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Artinian,
Rev. Fr. Geghart Baboghlian, Rev. Fr. Arshag Daghlian, Rev. Fr. Vatche
Naccachian, Rev. Fr. Vahrich Shirinian, Rev. Fr. Vartan Arakelian,
Rev. Fr. Gorun Shrikian.

O Christ, Son of God, forbearing and compassionate, through your love
as creator, have mercy upon the souls of your departed servants. Be
mindful of them on the great day of the coming of your kingdom. Make
them worthy of your mercy and of remission and forgiveness of their
sins, glorify and number
them among the saints of your right hand.

(From the Armenian Church’s Repose of Souls [Hokehankist] service)

MURONORHNEK PILGRIMAGE

A Pilgrimage to experience the Blessing of the Holy Oil (Muronorhnek)
in Antelias, Lebanon, is being organized with two options: Option A,
to Lebanon
only (July 12-21); Option B, to Lebanon, Armenia and Artsakh (July
12-28).
Space is limited; reservations must be made by February 12. Check
details below:

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, February 8, Fourth Sunday after Nativity,
are: Isaiah 63:18-64:12; Titus 1:1-11; John 7:37-52.

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of
the
faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that is in
accordance with godliness, in the hope of eternal life that God, who
never lies, promised before the ages began-in due time he revealed his
word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the
command of
God our Savior,

To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share: Grace and peace from
God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in
order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every
town, as I directed you: someone who is blameless, married only once,
whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not
rebellious. For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must
not be arrogant or
quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain ; but
he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout,
and self-controlled. He must have a firmer grasp of the word that is
trustworthy in
accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach
with sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it.

There are also many rebellious people, idle talkers and deceivers,
especially those of the circumcision; they must be silenced, since
they are upsetting whole families by teaching for sordid gain what it
is not right to teach. (Titus 1:1-11)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here
().

HOLY VOSKIAN PRIESTS

Today, Thursday, February 5, the Armenian Church remembers the Voskian
priests-five men who were sent to Rome as ambassadors by the Armenian
king, Sanadrook. On the road to Rome they met the Apostle Thaddeus who
converted and baptized them. The leader of the five was named
Voski. They lived
in the mountains as hermits for forty years, after which they preached
to the Royal Court. They were martyred in 107 AD.

ST. SAHAG BARTEV

This Saturday, February 7, the Armenian Church commemorates Catholicos
Sahag (Isaac) Bartev, a strong and great leader who is recognized as
one of the greatest saints of the Armenian Church. His great
accomplishments, even during very difficult political situations,
secured the survival of the Armenian nation.

He was the son of St. Nerses the Great and a descendant of St. Gregory
the
Illuminator. Orphaned at an early age, he nevertheless received an
excellent literary education, especially in eastern languages. He was
the one who encouraged and supported Mesrob Mashdots in the creation
of the Armenian alphabet. Soon after this great event Catholicos Sahag
began the first translation of the Holy Bible and he led and guided
the vast body of works that were translated into Armenian, thus
creating Armenia’s `Golden Age of Literature.’ He was an ardent
believer in education and ecclesiastical discipline and canon law. He
is recognized as the person who kept Armenia ecclesiastically and
nationally autonomous.

St. Sahag is believed to have died in 437 at an advanced age of 89
(some sources claim much older). With the death of Catholicos Sahag
Bartev the line of St. Gregory the Illuminator came to an end.

STS. GHEVONT AND PRIESTS

This Tuesday, February 10, the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast
of the Holy Ghevontian (Leontine) priests. After the battle of
Vartanantz, a group of priests and deacons was abducted by the Persian
king and imprisoned,
tortured and martyred. Ghevont is revered as the leader of the group
because he was an advisor to Vartan Mamigonian, and was remembered for
the inspiring message he delivered on the eve of the battle at
Avarayr. Ghevont, who
was highly educated, assisted Sahag and Mesrob in translating the
Bible into Armenian.

The Ghevontian Fathers, martyred in 454 are: Catholicos Hovsep;
Bishops Sahag and Tatig; Priests Ghevont, Moushegh, Arshen, Manuel,
Abraham, and Khoren; Deacons Kachach and Abraham.

LENTEN LECTURES BEGIN FEBRUARY 18

The 2015 Lenten Lectures will begin on Wednesday, February 18, and
continue through subsequent Wednesdays during Lent. The theme of the
lectures will
be the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide with reflections offered by
a total of eighteen young adults, three each week.

The Prelacy’s Lenten lectures continue a decades-old tradition. The
series is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council, the
Prelacy Ladies Guild (PLG), and the Ladies Guild of St. Illuminator’s
Cathedral. The lectures take place at the Cathedral, 221 East 27th
Street, New York City, with church service at 7:30 pm; Reflections at
8 pm; and Fellowship at 8:45 pm.

MUSICAL ARMENIA

The 32nd Musical Armenia concert will take place on Friday, March 20,
8 pm, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City. This
year’s concert is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide and will feature artists Patil Harboyan (piano) and Heather
Tuach (cello)
in a program that includes compositions by Komitas, Khachaturian,
Babajanian, Atamian, Saradjian, Stepanian, and Talalyan.To purchase
tickets from the Carnegie Hall box office click here
().

NAME DAY CELEBRATED AT ST. SARKIS

The parishioners of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York,
celebrated the name day of their church last Sunday, February 1. The
Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian,Vicar
General of the Prelacy, who
also delivered a sermon about the life of St. Sarkis.

Following the Liturgy, parishioners were welcomed to the church’s main
hall, where a banquet and program awaited them. The committee hosted a
delicious luncheon in a beautifully decorated hall. Guests enjoyed a
year end video prepared by Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian that highlighted
the memorable moments throughout the year. Following the video,
Armenistring, a group of young violinists under the leadership of
Mrs. Diana Vasilian performed and entertained the guests.

Bishop Anoushavan and Der Nareg surrounded by altar servers and choir
members at St. Sarkis Church.

Members of `Armenistring’ entertain the guests at the luncheon that
followed the Liturgy.

THE CATHEDRAL’S ANONYMOUS DONOR

…When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right
hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your
Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:3)

During the past six months, various gifts of gratitude have been
deposited
in the mailbox of St. Illuminator’s Cathedral on 27th Street in New
York City. These gifts, always left anonymously, have been accompanied
with short messages, such as: `Keep up the good work,’ =80=9CPray for
peace,’ `God bless you,’ `Use the money for church supplies,’ `Use the
money for transportation,’ and `Light a candle.’

Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of the Cathedral, wishes to express
appreciation to this faithful donor of Christian charity. `We are
truly
grateful to this very thoughtful person, and hope he or she will see
this and know how heartwarming and uplifting the gifts have been for
us.’

MESSAGES FROM HAMASDEGH SCHOOL

Students at the Hamasdegh School of Soorp Khatch Church in Bethesda,
Maryland, created cards and letters for the children of Aleppo. The
president of
the school’s PTA, Tsoghig Hekimian, forwarded the children’s artwork
to Archbishop Oshagan asking him to send to students in Aleppo.
`We would like the children of Aleppo to know that we are thinking
about them and we are praying for their safety,’ said
Ms. Hekimian. The creative and colorful messages were accompanied with
donations totaling more than $600.00 for Aleppo relief, with the
expressed hope that =80=9Cthe small sum we have collected will be able
to help our brothers and sisters.’ Archbishop Oshagan received the
messages and donations with deep appreciation for the students’
thoughtful gesture and expressed thanks for remembering and helping
the Syrian Armenian community.

SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER

The crisis in Syria requires our financial assistance.

Please keep this community in your prayers, your hearts, and your
pocketbooks.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY
IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT.

THE NEED IS REAL.

THE NEED IS GREAT.

DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON
LINE. TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE
() AND SELECT SYRIAN
ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU. OR IF YOU PREFER YOU MAY MAIL YOUR
DONATION TO:

Armenian Prelacy

138 E. 39th Street

New York, NY 10016

Checks payable to: Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief

Thank you for your help

THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY

Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Birth of Armen Garo (February 9, 1872)

Armen Garo was the ambassador of the first Republic of Armenia in the
United States from 1918-1921, but that was the ending chapter of a
comparatively short life dedicated to serve his people.

Karekin Pastermadjian was born on February 9, 1872 in Garin (Armenian
name
of Erzerum). He completed his studies at the Sanasarian School of his
birthplace and graduated in 1891. Three years later, he went to France
to pursue higher education at the School of Agronomy of the University
of Nancy. In
the meantime, he became a member of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation.

When the Armenians of Zeitun started their second rebellion against
the power of Sultan Abdul Hamid in the winter of 1895-1896, Karekin
abandoned his
studies and decided to help them. He went to Geneva, the center of the
A.R.F., and was sent to Egypt to help the rebels. Soon he left Egypt
with a group of fellow activists and entered the Ottoman Empire. At
this time, he took his pseudonym Armen Garo.

He organized the occupation of the Ottoman Bank, the main financial
institution of the empire, controlled by European capitals, together
with another
young party member, Papken Siuni (pseudonym of Bedros Parian). The
group of 26 revolutionaries hoped to attract the attention of Europe
and threatened to destroy the bank if Turkey did not enact reforms in
Western Armenia.
After the death of Papken Siuni during the occupation, in August
1896, Armen Garo took command. Finally, on August 27, the group left
the bank under the warranty of European powers for Marseilles.

Armen Garo was forced to leave France and go to Switzerland, where he
continued his studies at the University of Geneva. Meanwhile, he
continued his activities within the A.R.F. He graduated in 1900 with a
Ph.D. in physics and chemistry. A year later, he opened a laboratory
in Tiflis to carry out research in the field of chemistry.

The A.R.F. organized the Armenian self-defense during the Armeno-Tatar
conflict of 1906-1907. Armen Garo headed the Armenian volunteer groups
of self-defense in Tiflis.

After the Ottoman Revolution of 1908, the Armenians of Erzerum, as
well as
the A.R.F., asked Armen Garo to become their candidate in the
forthcoming elections for the Ottoman Parliament.

After finishing his four-year term as a Parliament member, in 1913
Armen Garo was actively involved in the discussions for the Armenian
reforms. In the fall of 1914, he crossed the frontier and went to
Russia, where he participated in the organization of the Armenian
volunteer battalions in the Russian army that would fight in the
Caucasian front against the Ottoman Empire. In November 1914 he
accompanied the second battalion as representative of the Armenian
National Bureau of Tiflis. However, when its commander, Dro,
was wounded, Armen Garo was forced to replace him and led the
battalion in
the Caucasian front until March 1915. Afterwards, he reached Van with
the volunteers, bringing the self-defense of the city against the
Turkish forces to a successful end.

In 1917 he came to the United States as representative of the Armenian
National Council of Tiflis. After the proclamation of the Republic of
Armenia,
he was designated ambassador. Together with Shahan Natalie, from
1919-1922
he was the main organizer of the Nemesis Operation, the A.R.F. covert
operation to punish the main culprits of the Armenian Genocide.

Weakened by long years of non-stop activities, as well as the final
fall of the Republic, Armen Garo passed away in Geneva on March 23,
1923 from heart disease at the age of 51. His memoirs, published in
the monthly Hairenik, were later collected in a book (1948). His son
was historian Hrand Pastermadjian, who published a well-regarded
history of Armenia in French.

Previous entries in `This Week in Armenian History’ can be
read on the Prelacy’s web site ().

REMEMBERING ANITA DARIAN

Anita Darian, a soprano whose four-octave voice earned her the
description
of `The Armenian Yma Sumac,’ died last Sunday in New York.
Born Anita Esgandarian in Detroit on April 26, 1927, she had a
successful and eclectic 50-year career that included performances with
the New York City Opera, Leonard Bernstein and the New York
Philharmonic, big-band jazz concerts, major Broadway roles, and a
successful recording career. Her repertoire included Armenian
selections and she was a frequent guest performer at
Armenian events in the United States.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 5-Avak luncheon, sponsored by St. Gregory Church, 158 Main
Street, North Andover, Massachusetts. Speaker: Ruth Thomasian,
executive director Project SAVE Archives, `Preserving Your Precious
Photographs.’ Guests may bring photos for discussion on persons,
places, and
situations.

February 5-`Code Name `Haiko’: Discovering
the Last Unknown Participant in Talaat Pasha’s Liquidation,’ a lecture
by Dr. Vartan Matiossian, director of the Armenian National Education
Committee, 7 pm in the Guild Hall of the Armenian Diocese, 630 Second
Avenue, New York, sponsored by the Zohrab Information Center. For
information: [email protected] or 212-686-0710.

February 6-Hamazkayin of New York presents a Bilingual lecture by
Khatchig Mouradian, `From Der Zor to Kobani (Arabpunar): Turkey,
Kurds, and Armenians,’ Armenian Center, 69-23 47th Avenue, Woodside,
New York, at 8 pm. Donation: $10.

February 7-Armenian Relief Society, NJ Shakeh Chapter presents
=80=9CThe Sound of Music’ (in Armenian), performed by the Bedros
Atamian Theatrical Group of Hamazkayin Sanahin Chapter, Montreal,
Canada. Director and playwright, Lena Khacherian, at Fort Lee High
School, 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee, New Jersey. Tickets: $50, $35,
$25. Contact: Ani Keshishian 201-417-0204; Anik Kechichian
201-394-4408; Lena Tarakjian 201-592-7991.

February 15-Ladies Guild of St. Stephen’s Church, 167 Tremont Street,
New Britain, Connecticut, will celebrate Poon Parekentan at 12:30
pm. `Junk Food Sunday’: Bring your favorite junk food to
share, perhaps something you plan on giving up for Lent. No
explanations required! Admission is free. Tae Kwon Do and Karate
exhibition and workshop by Rachel, Caitlin, Romi, and Ava
Bagdasarian. For information: [email protected].

February 19-`Remembering the Armenian Genocide: Memory Politics in
Turkey Today,’ a conversation between Osman Kavala, Chair of Anadolu
Kultur (NGO), Istanbul and human rights advocate, and Dr. Mary
Papazian, President of Southern Connecticut State University, 6:30 pm
in Engleman Hall, Room A120, Southern Connecticut State University,
New Haven, Connecticut.

February 21-Eastern Prelacy’s Annual New England Regional Conference,
hosted by Holy Trinity Church, Worcester, Massachusetts. Conference is
open to all clergy, board of trustee members, and delegates to the
National Representative Assembly. Conference will begin at 9:30 am and
conclude at 4:00 pm.

February 21-94th commemoration of the February 18th Revolt, sponsored
by the Lowell `Aharonian’ Gomideh, 6 pm, ARS Community Center, 142
Liberty Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. Dinner & program, =80=9CSeldom
Visited Armenia,’ a visual presentation by Joe Dagdigian. Admission
$20 adults; $10 students.

February 28-March 1-Armenian Relief Society Youth Connect Program,
at New York University, `Looking Beyond the Centennial.’ Featuring:
Khatchig Mouradian, ARS Youth Connect Program Director; Speakers,
Scout Tufankjian, Photojournalist and Eric Nazarian, Filmmaker. For
Armenian college students, 18-25 years old. Deadline for registration
(required) January 30. Space is limited. $25 registration fee includes
meals and the evening dinner. Overnight accommodation available for
out-of-town students. For more information: [email protected] or
617-926-3801.

March 1-One Nation, One Culture: A Cultural Evening of Song & Dance
dedicated to the Armenian Genocide 100th Anniversary, Felician
College, 262 South Main Street, Lodi, New Jersey at 4 pm. Organized by
the New Jersey
chapter of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, with
co-sponsorship of AGBU Ararat NY, Homenetmen Regional Executive,
Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, and Tekeyan Cultural
Association of Greater New York.

March 5-Official opening of Exhibit on Armenian textiles, `Stitching
to Survive: Handwork of Armenian Women,’ 6-8 pm, at the United
Nations, New York. Reception to follow. Organized by the Armenian
Relief Society, Inc., and the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN.

March 6-Conference, `Rebuilding a Nation: The Armenian Woman’s Century
of Resistance and Empowerment,’ 10 am-4 pm, at
Salvation Army Auditorium, 221 East 52nd Street, New York
City. Organized by the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of the
Armenian Relief Society, Inc.

March 6-8-National Athletic Tournament, hosted by the North Andover
(Massachusetts) `Sassoun’ AYF Chapter; accommodations, Andover Wyndham
Hotel, 978-975-3600, book under `AYF’ for special rate ($109); March
6, Characters Sports Club, 7 pm-midnight for those over 21; March 7,
basketball & volleyball, Lawrence High School field house, 70-71 North
Parish Road, Lawrence; 8 am-6 pm, mini-bus transportation
available. Saturday night dance at hotel, 8:30 pm with Kevork Artinian
& Friends. For tickets: Rich Minasian [email protected] or
201-218-7126. Contact Mgo Kassabian for flight information,
[email protected].

March 7-Cultural program in commemoration of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian genocide, sponsored by the Armenian Relief Society of
Eastern USA, under auspices of Archbishop Oshagan, Prelate. At 7 pm at
Waterside Restaurant & Catering, 7800 River Road, North Bergen, New
Jersey. Donation: $100. For information: Knar Kiledjian 201-233-1566;
Lena Orangian 516-724-3005 or by email to [email protected].

March 7-The 2015 Kyrkostas Concert, sponsored by the Anthropology
Museum of the People of New York and the Armenian Museum at Queens
College will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide by celebrating the accomplishments of the musicians, dancers,
and artists of the survivors. At 7 pm at Kaloustian Hall, at the
Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs, 209-15 Horace Harding Boulevard,
Bayside, New York. Reception will follow the program. Donation $15 per
person (2 for $25), children 12 and under $5. For information,
directions and reservations: 718-428-5650.

March 13-15-`Responsibility 2015,’ International conference for
Armenian Genocide’s centennial at Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York,
featuring prominent historians, policymakers, authors, and
artists. Organized by the ARF Eastern US Centennial Committee, under
the auspices of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of America,
Eastern Region. for information.

March 20-Musical Armenia, presented by Eastern Prelacy and Prelacy
Ladies Guild, Weill Recital Hall, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall, New York
City. Featured artists Patil Harboyan, piano and Heather Tuach, cello,
will present a
program dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
that will include works of Armenian composers Atamian, Babajanian,
Gomidas, Khatchaturian, Saradjian, Stepanian, and Talalyan. Tickets
are $25 and will be on sale after December 20th at the box office and
the Prelacy, 212-689-7810.

March 13-15-International conference, `Responsibility 2015′ marking
the Armenian Genocide’s centennial, at Marriott Marquis Hotel, New
York City. Organized by the ARF Eastern United States Centennial
Committee, under the auspices of the Armenian Genocide Centennial
Committee of America, Eastern Region. For information visit the web
site ().

April 23-Canonization of the Armenian Martyrs of 1915 in Holy
Etchmiadzin, Armenia.

April 25-Connecticut Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day at the
Connecticut State Capitol. Keynote speaker: Noted author Chris
Bohjalian.

April 26-Centennial commemoration of Genocide. Joint united Divine
Liturgy in New York City (site to be announced), presided by
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. To be
followed by Times Square gathering `100 Years to Remember.’

May 7, 8, 9-National Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoration in
Washington, DC, organized under the patronage of the Diocese and the
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Presided by His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great House of
Cilicia. May 7, Ecumenical Service at the National Cathedral, 7 pm;
May 8, A Journey Through Armenian Music at the Music Center at
Strathmore, 7:30 pm; May 8 & 9, Exhibits, Films, and Events at various
venues; May 9, Divine Liturgy at the Basilica of the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception, 10 am; May 9, A Time to Give Thanks,
banquet, 6 pm, Marriott Marquis.

May 10 to June 4-Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Aram I to the
Eastern Prelacy.

June 3-6-National Representative Assembly hosted by St. Stephen’s
Church, Watertown, Massachusetts.

July 18-Blessing of the Holy Muron (Oil) by His Holiness Aram I, at
the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias,
Lebanon. For details click here.

October 5-9-Clergy gathering of Eastern, Western, and Canadian
Prelacies.

November 15-90th Anniversary Banquet, St. Stephen’s Church, 167
Tremont Street, New Britain, Connecticut. Watch for details.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected].

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

** TOP STORY February 5, 2015
————————————————————
St. Vartan
A stained glass window at St. Vartan Cathedral depicts the
fifth-century hero.

** Sts. Vartanantz Day
————————————————————
Every year on the Thursday preceding Great Lent, Armenians throughout
the world commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Avarayr
(A.D. 451), in which Christian Armenia, under the leadership of
St. Vartan Mamigonian, fought against the Persian Empire, which aimed
to convert the country to Zoroastrianism.

On the field of Avarayr, outnumbered Armenian fighters faced a mighty
Persian army. St. Vartan and his companions saw a military defeat, but
their unyielding commitment to defend their faith ultimately thwarted
the Persians, and ensured that Christianity would endure in
Armenia. Click here
()
to read more about the Battle of Avarayr on our website, or download
the Diocese’s iBook
()
for an interactive introduction to St. Vartan’s historic campaign.

Two days prior to the Feast of Sts. Vartanantz, the Armenian Church
remembers the sacrifice of St. Leontius (Ghevont) the priest and his
companions. St. Ghevont is one of the great exemplars of the Armenian
priesthood, remembered for his rare courage and resolution at the
Battle of Avarayr.

On the eve of battle, Ghevont celebrated the Divine Liturgy, conferred
the sacrament of Holy Communion on the soldiers, and baptized those
who had not yet been received into the church. His stirring sermon
assured the soldiers that their mystical union with Christ would
survive even physical violence and death. In observance of
Ghevontiantz Day, the clergy of the Eastern Diocese hold regional
gatherings every year. Click here
()
to learn more about St. Leontius and his companions.

Presentation of the Lord to the Temple
The Presentation at the Temple from The Gospel of Khizan (1499).

** Feast of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple
————————————————————
On Saturday, February 14, the Armenian Church will observe the Feast
of the Presentation of the Lord to the Temple, a beautiful story from
the infancy of Jesus, in which he is confirmed as the Holy Messiah or
Christ-the world’s long-awaited savior. In Armenian, it is known as
Dyarnuntarach, or “the bringing forward of the Lord.’

Forty days after Jesus’ birth, Mary and Joseph brought their baby to
the temple, as was the pious custom at the time. There they
encountered Simeon, an elderly and devout man who had prayed to God to
keep him alive until he could see the savior promised to mankind.

When Simeon saw Mary and her baby, he sensed God’s presence, and said:
“Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy
word. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared
in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the
Gentiles, and for glory to thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).

Click here
()
to read more, and to find activities and resources for children and
adults.

Lent Begins

** Great Lent Begins on February 16
————————————————————
This year, the Armenian Church calendar designates Monday, February
16, as the first day of Great Lent: the season when Christians
consciously turn away from worldly matters and make the effort-through
prayer, fasting, study, and introspection-to prepare for the spiritual
drama of Holy Week and Easter Sunday.

The Scriptural basis for Lent resides in the 40-day period Christ
spent in the wilderness following his baptism. In the words of
St. Matthew’s Gospel (4:12): “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days
and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry.”

During Lent we are called to follow the Holy Spirit to confront our
own `inner wilderness’-the realm of spiritual emptiness engendered by
sin, laziness, and vanity. Through prayer, fasting, Bible-reading, and
self-examination, we are given an opportunity to renew our commitment
to God, and gain the strength to work at being more loving, humble,
and gentle. Click here
()
to learn more about the Armenian Church traditions concerning Great
Lent.

** Scripture of the Week
————————————————————

Is 63:18-64:12
Ti 1:1-11
Jn 7:37-52

** Prayer of the Week
————————————————————

My soul is always in your hands and I place my hope in your Holy
Cross, O Heavenly King. May the multitude of your saints intercede on
my behalf.

You who are patient with everyone, do not neglect me who trusts in
you, but keep me in peace with your precious and Holy Cross. Amen.

** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
————————————————————

7 February: Catholicos St. Sahag Parthev

10 February: St. Leontius the Priest and His Companions

12 February: St. Vartan the Warrior and His Companions

14 February: Presentation of the Lord to the Temple

15 February: Great Barekendan

16 February: First Day of Lent

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Abp. Barsamian Visits Rome
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian with His Holiness Pope Francis.

** Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches Meet
————————————————————
The 12th meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological
Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox
Churches took place in Rome from January 24 to 31, 2015. Meeting at
the Vatican, delegates from the Roman Catholic Church met with
representatives of the Armenian, Antiochian Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopian
Tewahdo, and Malankara Syrian churches.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, was part of the
delegation representing the Armenian Church. Also representing the
Catholicate of the All Armenians was Bishop Hovakim Manukyan,
Ecumenical Officer of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin; and the
Rev. Fr. Shahe Ananyan, Etchmiadzin’s director of publishing. The See
of Cilicia sent Archbishop Nareg Alemezian and Bishop Magar
Ashkarian. Among the Roman Catholic delegation were Armenian churchmen
of the Armenian Catholic order: Archbishop Boghos Levon Zekiyan and
Archbishop Peter Marayati.

His Holiness Pope Francis personally received the Joint Commission
participants on the afternoon of Friday, January 30, at the Vatican’s
Apostolic Palace.

During their time in Rome, Archbishop Barsamian and Bishop Manukyan
met separately with Cardinal Kurt Koch; Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the
Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; and Cardinal
Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. In the course of
those meetings, they discussed the April 12 mass that Pope Francis
will conduct at St. Peter’s Basilica, in memory of victims of the 1915
Armenian Genocide. They also continued discussions begun last year by
His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, regarding the possibility of a papal visit to Armenia
during the current centennial year of the Genocide.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view photos
()
.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Dr. Edgar Housepian
Dr. Edgar Housepian (1928-2014).

** Memorial Service for Dr. Edgar Housepian
————————————————————
On Saturday, February 14, the Eastern Diocese and the Fund for
Armenian Relief will host a memorial service for the late Dr. Edgar
Housepian=80’an internationally-renowned neurosurgeon and a founding
member of the Fund for Armenian Relief, who passed away on November
14, 2014.

Dr. Housepian was heir to a remarkable family tradition of
compassionate involvement in Armenian life. In an earlier era, his
parents Dr. Moses and Makrouhi Housepian were pioneers in humane
outreach to our homeland. The warmth of their family life in New York
was memorably portrayed in the novel A Houseful of Love, by Dr. Edgar
Housepian’s late sister Marjorie Housepian Dobkin.

Days after the 1988 earthquake in Armenia, Dr. Housepian joined the
late Archbishop Torkom Manoogian and the late Kevork Hovnanian on a
visit to our homeland to assess the damage and formulate a
response. From that trip, the seeds of the Fund for Armenian Relief
were planted. For more than 20 years, Dr. Housepian led FAR’s effort
to restructure the health care system in Armenia. Thanks to his
foresight, a new generation of Armenian physicians would enjoy
invaluable opportunities for training and education.

A memorial service for Dr. Housepian will be held at St. Vartan
Armenian Cathedral on Saturday, February 14, at 11:00 a.m. It will be
followed by a memorial luncheon and a special program of remembrance,
beginning at 1 p.m. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate,
will preside.

Armenian Genocide Cintennial

** Resources for the Genocide Centennial
————————————————————
With the 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian Genocide advancing
rapidly, the Eastern Diocese has created a special section on its
website for downloadable resources. Parishes, community groups, and
anyone else can obtain materials to help them inform local press and
reach out to their surrounding communities. Click here
()
to access these resources.

In the meantime, the Armenian-American community is building towards a
national observance in Washington, DC, in May 2015. Special events are
scheduled for May 7 to 9-including an ecumenical prayer service at the
National Cathedral, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy, a memorial concert,
and an awards banquet honoring those who helped the survivors. His
Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, and His Holiness Aram I, the Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia, both will journey to the United States to lead the
Washington commemoration. They will be joined by Armenians from across
the U.S., under the auspices of the Eastern and Western Dioceses, and
the Eastern and Western Prelacies. Click here
()
to learn more about the May events in the nation’s capital.

The Eastern Diocese’s Annual Diocesan Assembly and Clergy Conference
will convene in Washington that same week. Click here
()
to view information for clergy, delegates, and Parish Council chairs.

People in the New York metro region should also reserve the dates of
April 24, 25, and 26 for commemorative events in New York City. These
will include a Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on
Sunday, April 26, with the participation of Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. The annual Times Square
program sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan
will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on April 26.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian has appointed George and Lorraine
Marootian as Diocesan liaisons to the Genocide commemorative
committees. They will be working with established committees at the
national, regional, and local levels, and have begun reaching out to
our parish communities. Contact them via e-mail at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Never Forget 1915

** Support the Genocide Awareness Campaign
————————————————————
The Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of America (Eastern Region)
is planning a creative national campaign spanning public relations,
social media, and print and broadcast outlets to raise awareness about
the Armenian Genocide in this milestone year.

The committee is raising funds to finance the national
campaign. Please consider supporting this ambitious outreach
effort. Click here
()
to make a donation.

In addition, the Centennial Committee (Eastern Region) has launched a
new website-
()
-which will soon offer a listing of events organized nationwide in
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. They are asking all local
committees to share their contact information to assist in this
effort.

Concert at St. Vartan Cathedral
Yeghishe Manucharyan performs at St. Vartan Cathedral.

** St. Vartan Cathedral Hosts Opera Concert
————————————————————
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral hosted `An Evening at the Opera’ on
Friday, January 30. The concert featured Armenian and Western opera
music, performed by internationally-acclaimed artists Narine Ojakhyan
and Yeghishe Manucharyan. Lusine Badalyan accompanied on the piano.

The Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon Kiledjian, cathedral dean, and Jacob
H. Yahiayan, Diocesan director of administration, welcomed guests, who
included Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Nations Zohrab
Mnatsakanyan.

The concert was made possible by the Dadourian Family Foundation, in
memory of Haig Dadourian. Click here
()
to view photos and a video of the January 30 program.

Lenten Resources

** Download the Lenten Family Resource
————————————————————
Every year the Diocese’s Department of Christian Education produces a
Lenten family resource for distribution to Diocesan Sunday
Schools. This year’s publication is an informational booklet about
Great Lent, accompanied by 20 double-sided bookmarks, each bearing a
Scripture verse and a daily activity.

The packet has been mailed to parishes for distribution to Sunday
School families and staff, but it can also be downloaded by clicking
here
()
.

FAR
Mothers at the Stepanakert maternity ward.

** FAR and AAHPO Train Doctors in Karabagh
————————————————————
The Fund for Armenian Relief recently organized Continuing Medical
Education (CME) seminars in Nagorno-Karabagh. The seminars focused on
modern trends in obstetrics and gynecology and were led by lecturers
Dr. Hripsime Apresyan and Dr. Rusadan Vardanyan.

Participating physicians from Stepanakert and other regions of
Nagorno-Karabagh said they appreciated the opportunity to discuss
local cases and raise questions with other medical
professionals. Click here
()
to read more on FAR’s blog.

Working with the Armenian American Health Professionals Organization
(AAHPO), FAR has been implementing Continuing Medical Education
sessions in Nagorno-Karabagh since 2011.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
Holy Trinity Church, PA
Parishioners Dr. Garo Garibian and Merle Santerian share recollections
of their pastor’s first five years at Holy Trinity Church.

** Cheltenham Parish Celebrates Pastor’s Milestone
————————————————————
On Sunday, January 25, Holy Trinity Church of Cheltenham, PA, honored
the Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan on his fifth anniversary as Holy
Trinity’s pastor. Some 350 people attended the celebratory event in
the church’s Santerian Hall.

The program included a video message from Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Diocesan Primate, who congratulated Fr. Gevorgyan and Yn. Anna on this
milestone. A surprise video message was recorded by Fr. Gevorgyan’s
father in Armenia, and a slide show of photographs showed the young
priest’s journey through seminary in Armenia and his tenure at the
Cheltenham parish. Other activities included music, dancing, and games
for children.

Also celebrating with the community was the Rev. Fr. Karekin
Kasparian, the recently retired pastor of St. Gregory the Enlightener
Church of White Plains, NY, who mentored Fr. Gevorgyan when the latter
first arrived in the Eastern Diocese from Armenia.

`For me, there is no greater joy than to serve God and His people,’
Fr. Gevorgyan said. `This service gives me happiness and lots of
energy.’

Click here
()
to view photos.

New Britain Armenian Church
Hary Mazadoorian Esq., acolytes Matthew and David Marottolo, and
Fr. Kapriel Mouradjian.

** Two Altar Servers Honored in New Britain
————————————————————
Two acolytes were honored at Holy Resurrection Church of New Britain,
CT, on Sunday, January 25. Brothers Matthew and David Marottolo
received the `Deacon Charles N. Mazadoorian Memorial Altar Server
Award’ in recognition for their service and their dedication to
learning the worship traditions of the Armenian Church.

The award was established in 2008 by Harry Mazadoorian, Esq. in memory
of his late brother, Deacon Charles Mazadoorian. The Rev. Fr. Kapriel
Mouradjian, parish pastor, presented the award recipients with an
honorarium and copies of the Deacon’s Guidebook to the Divine Liturgy.

Fr. Tateos Abdalian
Fr. Tateos Abdalian at a service honoring police, firefighters, EMTs,
and other first-responders.

** First-Responders Recognized in Pennsylvania
————————————————————
The Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian, the Diocese’s director of Mission
Parishes who also serves as a police chaplain for the Police
Department of Cheltenham, PA, attended a service honoring local
police, firefighters, EMTs, and other first-responders last month.

The service was held at Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church in
Ardsley, PA, on Friday, January 30, as part of `Catholic Schools
Week,’ during which students, faculty, and staff of Good Shepherd
Regional Catholic School honored first-responders.

Fr. Abdalian has been serving as a police chaplain for the past 10
years. His duties include making hospital visits to officers and their
families, personal counseling, and responding to critical
incidents. He also is an instructor in the Community Policing Program
for civilian personnel.

Saint Egidio Community at St. Vartan Cathedral
The annual Christmas dinner for the Catholic lay community of
Sant’Egidio.

** Reaching Out to the City’s Elderly
————————————————————
On December 25, St. Vartan Cathedral hosted the annual Christmas
dinner for the Catholic lay community of Sant’Egidio. With the support
of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, Diocesan staffers
Jennifer Morris, Eric Vozzy, and Lorie Odabashian organized volunteers
from local Armenian parishes to assist at the dinner.

Sant’Egidio’s guests included the elderly, nursing home residents, and
the homeless. The community was especially grateful for the presence
of the Rev. Fr. Bedros Kadehjian who blessed the meal and helped serve
guests.

Sant’Egidio
()
has a long history in New York City, and has been hosting its
Christmas dinner at the Diocesan Center for the past three years.

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

St. Gregory the Illuminator Church | Chicago, IL
St. Gregory the Illuminator Church of Chicago, IL, will host a Poon
Paregentan dinner and dance on Saturday, February 14. Highlights
include music by the Kevork Artinian band and a magic show for
children. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Church of the Holy Ascension | Trumbull, CT
The Church of the Holy Ascension of Trumbull, CT, will host a
=80=9CMardi Gras Fun Night’ on Saturday, February 14, from 6 to 10
p.m. Enjoy music, dance performances, and more. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Armenian Church of Southwest Florida | Naples, FL
The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan will celebrate the Divine Liturgy
at the Armenian Church of Southwest Florida on Sunday, February 8. The
service will take place at 1:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
(3901 Davis Blvd. in Naples). The parish’s annual bake sale featuring
Armenian breads and pastries will follow; a light luncheon will be
served. For information, contact Carole Meghreblian at (239) 348-3804,
or via e-mail at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

St. Mary Church | Livingston, NJ
The Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest New Jersey, in
collaboration with St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ, is hosting an
exhibit in commemoration of the 100th year of remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide. The exhibit will open on Monday, February 9
(rescheduled from Jan. 26), with the screening of a film about the
Armenian Genocide. It will run through April 30. Click here
()
for information.

St. George Church | Hartford, CT
The Sunday School of St. George Church of Hartford, CT, will sponsor
special guest Stepan Piligian on Sunday, February 8. Mr. Piligian will
present his “Time Machine” program on St. Vartan Mamigonian. Click
here
()
to view a flyer for information.

The St. George Women’s Guild will sponsor a “Poon Paregentan Family
Fun Day” with dinner, a student talent show, and raffle prizes on
Sunday, February 15. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

The Women’s Guild is also hosting a Lenten Dinner on Saturday,
February 28, with guest speakers Ted and Marianne Hovivian from `NY
Friends of Gavar Special School in Armenia.’ Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church | Providence, RI
Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of Providence, RI, is sponsoring a
=80=9CFamily Fun Night’ on Friday, February 6. Enjoy dinner and
activities for children and families. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

The church will host a Vartanantz Day commemoration on Thursday,
February 12. Services will be followed by a dinner and program. Click
here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Leon Church | Fair Lawn, NJ
Musicologists Krikor Pidedjian and Ã…=9Eahan Arzruni will give a talk
on Armenian composer Kristapor Cara-Murza at St. Leon Church of Fair
Lawn, NJ, on Thursday, February 19, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Krikor
Pidedjian and Ã…=9Eahan Arzruni will place the work of Cara-Murza in
historical and social contexts and bring to life exchanges with
personalities of the time, such as Khrimian Hairig. They will share
new discoveries, including a Divine Liturgy composed by Cara-Murza
that was found by Krikor Pidedjian. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Leon Church is sponsoring a course for high school students on the
Armenian Genocide. Sessions will be held on Monday evenings, beginning
on March 9. Instructor Khatchig Mouradian will guide participants as
they investigate the political, social, and economic environment in
the Ottoman Empire on the eve of the Armenian Genocide, and consider
questions pertaining to genocide denial, resistance, and
awareness. Mr. Mouradian, a Ph.D. candidate at Clark University, has
lectured widely on the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath. Click here
()
to view a flyer for registration information.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
Diocesan Summer Camps

** Get Ready for the Summer Camp Season
————————————————————
Mark your calendar for a summer filled with friendship, fellowship,
and fun at St. Vartan Camp and Hye Camp. St. Vartan Camp is housed at
the Ararat Youth and Conference Center in Greenville, NY. Hye Camp is
located at Camp Hickory in Ingleside, IL.

Online registration is now open through the new camp website:
Brochures and flyers can be picked up at
your local parish or downloaded on the new website.

To add your name to the camp e-mail list, or for more information,
contact Jennifer Morris, the Diocese’s director of Youth and Young
Adult Ministries, at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

St. Vartan Camp Dates
Staff Training: Wednesday, June 24 – Saturday, June 27
Session A: Sunday, June 28 – Saturday, July 11
Session B: Sunday, July 12 – Saturday, July 25
Session C: Sunday, July 26 – Saturday, August 8

Hye Camp Dates
Staff Training: Thursday, July 23 – Sunday, July 26
Two-week session: Sunday, July 26 – Saturday, August 8
One-week session: Sunday, July 26 – Saturday, August 1 (all
participants)
One-week session: Sunday, August 2 – Saturday, August 8 (for those
unable to attend week 1)

** EVENTS
————————————————————
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral

** Vartanantz Day Program at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
Sts. Vartanantz Day will be observed at New York’s St. Vartan
Cathedral on Thursday, February 12.

The Rev. Fr. Hagop Gevorgyan, pastor of Holy Trinity Church of
Cheltenham, PA, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy beginning at 6
p.m. A dinner and program will follow services.

Christopher Sheklian, a Ph.D. candidate in anthropology at the
University of Chicago, will be the evening’s keynote speaker. The
program also will include a performance by soloists of the St. Vartan
Cathedral Choir.

The Vartanantz Day commemoration is organized by the Eastern Diocese
with the participation of the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of
Vartan. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Farah Siraj
Fusion artist Farah Siraj will perform during the dinner and music
program on February 14.

** Artist Farah Siraj to Perform at Diocesan Center
————————————————————
The recently-formed St. Vartan Cathedral Community of New York City is
hosting an exciting evening of dinner and music featuring the talented
fusion artist and humanitarian, Farah Siraj.

Farah Siraj has performed around the world, including in Europe, the
Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the United States. She uses her music
to raise awareness for urgent humanitarian causes around the world,
among them the genocides in Darfur and the Republic of Congo, as well
as the military conflicts in Gaza. Click here
()
to read more about her music and humanitarian work.

The event will be held in Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium (630
Second Avenue, New York City). Tickets are $50 for adults; $35 for
seniors and college students. Advance reservations are required by
February 12; tickets will not be available at the door. Click here
()
to purchase tickets.

** A NOTE TO OUR READERS
————————————————————
The Diocese’s e-Newsletter will not be published on Sts. Vartanantz
Day , Thursday, February 12. We look forward to resuming e-Newsletter
publication on Thursday, February 19.