Courier Online, July 13, 2026
Sassounian
*************************************************************************************
1- Good News: EU Signs Letters of Intent
Finally, some good news from Armenia. In a positive development, the European Commission signed the first-of-their-kind “Letters of Intent” with six Armenian organizations during the EU-Armenia Summit in Yerevan on May 5. The document was titled “Cooperation for People-to-People Connectivity.”
The signing ceremony was held at the Armenian Presidential Palace in the presence of Pres. Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa.
The Letter with the AGBU was signed by Adrienn Kiraly, European Commission’s “Director for Eastern Neighborhood and Turkey,” and Vasken Yacoubian, President of the Armenia Chapter of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) and a member of AGBU’s Central Board.
The Letter stated that both sides “express their interest in exploring possible cooperation to contribute to stronger economic and societal links between Armenia and the European Union.” It explained that “The Armenian Diaspora has strong communities across Europe and globally in business, research, culture, and public policy. AGBU, the largest Armenian Diaspora non-profit organization, has a long-standing track record in education, entrepreneurship support, and international cooperation, supported by a broad international network.”
The purpose of this joint effort is to “explore cooperation to help mobilize the Armenian Diaspora in support of investment, mentorship, and strong partnerships between the European Union and Armenia. This cooperation could also build on AGBU’s Armenia Virtual College to reinforce digital outreach and engagement.”
The six Armenian organizations that signed the EU Letters of Intent were:
The Letter, described by the EU website as a “non-binding agreement,” explained that it “does not create any legal or financial obligations for either party. It represents a declaration of intent and an openness to explore cooperation, with the understanding that any future collaboration would remain subject to further discussion, applicable procedures, the availability of resources, and the conclusion of any final agreements.”
In a lengthy interview, Vasken Yacoubian of AGBU spoke with journalist Anush Trvants about the signed Letter and other important issues. The interview was published exclusively by the Istanbul-based Armenian newspaper Jamanak.
Yacoubian commended the EU for appreciating the potential of the Diaspora through this initiative. Asked if this indicated that previous Armenian attempts had not been fully successful, Yacoubian disagreed. He stated that during previous governments, when there was a Diaspora Ministry, substantial work was done. “The potential of the Diaspora is enormous,” he said.
When asked about recent intra-Armenian tensions, the problems with the Church, internal divisions, and polarization, Yacoubian explained that when Armenia’s internal problems are taken overseas, the Diaspora gets confused. “These issues relate to our identity, the Genocide, putting a question mark on Artsakh, and other problems. Unfortunately, divisions have also begun to arise in the Diaspora around these subjects.”
Yacoubian then stated: “Our [AGBU’s] work is always with the state in favor of statehood, regardless of who is in power at the time. This does not mean at all that we agree with all the steps of the authorities, but, we cannot sit back and simply boycott, saying that since we disagree on an issue, therefore, we will not cooperate. That’s the wrong approach. At the same time, there are many other areas where we consider the work done by the authorities to be correct…. Maintaining this balance is quite difficult, but this role is not new for us. We have always had it and will continue to play that role, contrary to various opinions. We are convinced that 70% of our national potential is in the Diaspora. Is it wise to ignore that force, when we have important political or military goals before us, and time, unfortunately, is working against us?”
In answer to a question about Istanbul Armenians, Yacoubian said: “I visited Istanbul about two or three years ago…. I went, and I can say that I returned amazed and delighted, because I saw a community that has firmly clung to its environment, convinced that it is at home, and not a Diaspora in the classical sense…. But I also experienced heartache because we, as a nation, including our Union [AGBU] and the government of Armenia, have not been able to develop a serious strategy for collaborating with and cultivating relations with the Armenian community of Istanbul.”
*************************************************************************************
An unidentified individual entered the cemetery of the Armenian Surp Garabed Church in Istanbul’s Üsküdar district during the night of July 7-8, damaging six tombs and a fountain.
The information was reported by the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
“The incident has deeply saddened members of the community, particularly those whose loved ones are buried in this cemetery.
The district council immediately notified the relevant authorities, which have launched legal proceedings to identify the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
The Patriarchate condemns this attack against sacred values and places of eternal rest.
*************************************************************************************
*************************************************************************************
4- The Remarkable Story Behind Armenia’s Only Pagan Temple
By Rooplekha Das
Outlook Traveler
There is something undeniably unexpected about seeing a
Greco-Roman temple in Armenia.
Drive less than an hour east of Yerevan and, instead of
the stone churches and monasteries that have come to define the country’s
identity, you arrive at a row of Ionic columns rising above a rugged gorge. It
feels almost misplaced, as though a fragment of the ancient Mediterranean
wandered into the Caucasus and never left.
That sense of surprise is exactly what makes Garni Temple
so compelling. It is not only Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple but also
the easternmost standing example of Hellenistic architecture in the South
Caucasus. In a country celebrated as the first to adopt Christianity as its
state religion in 301 CE, Garni is a reminder that another spiritual and
cultural world existed long before church bells echoed across the mountains. Its
survival, collapse, and eventual reconstruction tell a story that is every bit
as fascinating as the monument itself.
A Temple Born Between Rome & Armenia
Garni Temple stands on the edge of a rocky promontory
overlooking the Azat River Gorge in Kotayk Province, around 30 kilometers from
Yerevan. Its location was no accident. The site had long served as a royal
fortress, protected naturally by steep cliffs on three sides while offering
commanding views across the surrounding landscape. Even before the temple was
built, Garni had strategic importance, with evidence of settlements dating back
to the Bronze Age and inscriptions left behind by the ancient kingdom of
Urartu.
Most historians attribute the temple’s construction to
King Tiridates I during the first century CE, likely around 77 CE. Tiridates
had recently returned from Rome, where Emperor Nero formally recognized him as
King of Armenia after years of political negotiations between the Roman and
Parthian empires. His visit exposed him to Roman architecture and imperial
grandeur, influences that appear to have found _expression_ back home in Garni.
Built in the Ionic order from locally quarried grey
basalt, the temple reflects the spread of Hellenistic culture across the
eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. Rather than copying Roman architecture
outright, Garni blends classical proportions with regional craftsmanship,
creating a building that feels familiar yet distinctly Armenian.
Traditionally, the structure has been identified as a
temple dedicated to Mihr, the Armenian sun god closely associated with the
Persian Mithra. A Greek inscription discovered at the site in the twentieth
century links Tiridates I with the construction of both the temple and the
fortress, strengthening this interpretation. Yet not everyone agrees. Some
scholars argue that the building may instead have served as a royal mausoleum,
pointing to similarities with monumental tombs found in Asia Minor. The debate
continues, adding another layer of intrigue to a monument that still keeps some
of its secrets.
The Mystery Of Its Survival
Garni’s greatest mystery is not how it was built but why
it survived. When Armenia embraced Christianity in the early fourth century,
pagan sanctuaries across the kingdom were dismantled as the new faith reshaped
the country’s religious landscape. Temples disappeared, shrines were abandoned,
and older places of worship were either destroyed or converted.
Garni escaped that fate. No single explanation fully
answers why. Medieval Armenian sources suggest that the complex became a royal
summer residence associated with Princess Khosrovidukht, the sister of King
Tiridates III. If the building had already lost its religious role and become
part of a royal estate, it may have been spared during the widespread
destruction of pagan sanctuaries. Other historians believe its close connection
to Armenia’s royal lineage made demolition politically undesirable.
Over the centuries, the temple appears to have served
different purposes. Some researchers suggest it functioned as a bathhouse or
palace building, while others argue it may even have been adapted into a
baptistery for a period. Whatever its exact role, Garni gradually became less a
place of worship and more a valuable part of an evolving royal complex.
The site itself continued to grow. Roman baths with
beautifully preserved mosaic floors were built nearby, medieval churches rose
within the fortress walls, and Arabic inscriptions carved into the stone bear
witness to centuries of changing rulers and shifting empires. Far from being
frozen in time, Garni evolved alongside Armenia’s own history.
From Ruins To Reconstruction
The temple’s greatest threat arrived not through war or
religion but through nature. A devastating earthquake struck the region in
1679, bringing the entire colonnaded structure crashing to the ground. Massive
basalt columns, capitals and carved stone blocks lay scattered across the
hillside, where they remained for nearly three centuries. Travelers passing
through the region sketched the ruins, while archaeologists gradually
documented and catalogued the surviving fragments. Although there were
proposals to relocate the stones elsewhere during the Russian imperial period,
none materialized.
It was only during the Soviet era that Garni received the
attention needed for its revival. Beginning in 1969, Armenian architect
Alexander Shahinian led an ambitious reconstruction using the method of
anastylosis, a conservation technique that reassembles surviving original
elements while replacing only the missing pieces with carefully matched new
stone.
The work, completed in 1975, remains one of the most
discussed architectural restorations in the region. Around a third of the original
material was incorporated into the rebuilt structure, while new basalt was
sourced locally to complete the missing sections. Rather than disguising the
additions, conservators intentionally made subtle distinctions between original
and replacement stones, allowing specialists to identify what is ancient and
what belongs to the twentieth century.
The reconstruction continues to spark debate among
historians. For some, Garni is no longer entirely authentic because much of
what visitors see today was painstakingly rebuilt. Others argue that leaving
thousands of stone fragments scattered across the site would have revealed far
less about Armenia’s classical past than a carefully researched reconstruction
ever could. Regardless of where one stands, the restoration has allowed
generations of visitors to understand the scale, proportions and architectural
language of a monument that would otherwise exist only in archaeological
drawings.
More Than A Monument
Today, Garni is far more than a solitary temple overlooking
a gorge. The wider archaeological complex reveals layer upon layer of Armenian
history, from ancient fortress walls and Roman bathhouses to medieval churches
and carved inscriptions left by successive civilizations. Just below the
cliffs, the Symphony of Stones forms one of Armenia’s most striking natural
landmarks, where towering basalt columns resemble an immense pipe organ
sculpted by volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Most travelers pair Garni with the nearby Geghard
Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved into the mountainside, creating
a journey that moves seamlessly between Armenia’s pagan past and its Christian
heritage. Few destinations illustrate that transition as vividly.
Garni remains an anomaly in the Armenian landscape, but
perhaps that is precisely why it endures in the imagination. It is the
country’s lone surviving bridge to a pre-Christian world, shaped by Roman
influence, transformed through centuries of changing beliefs, reduced to rubble
by an earthquake, and brought back together stone by stone. Its columns may
belong to antiquity, but the story they tell stretches across two thousand
years of Armenian history.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Garni Temple famous?
Garni Temple is Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple and
the country’s best-preserved example of Greco-Roman architecture.
Q2. Who built Garni Temple?
Most historians believe King Tiridates I built the temple
in the first century CE, likely around 77 CE.
Q3. Why was Garni Temple not destroyed after Armenia
adopted Christianity?
Scholars believe it survived because it was repurposed as
part of a royal residence rather than continuing as an active pagan shrine.
Q4. Is Garni Temple original or reconstructed?
The temple collapsed in the 1679 earthquake and was
reconstructed between 1969 and 1975 using many of its original stones.
Q5. What else can visitors see at Garni?
The site includes Roman bath mosaics, ancient fortress
ruins, a medieval church, and views of the Symphony of Stones in the Azat
Gorge.
By Rooplekha Das
Outlook Traveler
There is something undeniably unexpected about seeing a
Greco-Roman temple in Armenia.
Drive less than an hour east of Yerevan and, instead of
the stone churches and monasteries that have come to define the country’s
identity, you arrive at a row of Ionic columns rising above a rugged gorge. It
feels almost misplaced, as though a fragment of the ancient Mediterranean
wandered into the Caucasus and never left.
That sense of surprise is exactly what makes Garni Temple
so compelling. It is not only Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple but also
the easternmost standing example of Hellenistic architecture in the South
Caucasus. In a country celebrated as the first to adopt Christianity as its
state religion in 301 CE, Garni is a reminder that another spiritual and
cultural world existed long before church bells echoed across the mountains. Its
survival, collapse, and eventual reconstruction tell a story that is every bit
as fascinating as the monument itself.
A Temple Born Between Rome & Armenia
Garni Temple stands on the edge of a rocky promontory
overlooking the Azat River Gorge in Kotayk Province, around 30 kilometers from
Yerevan. Its location was no accident. The site had long served as a royal
fortress, protected naturally by steep cliffs on three sides while offering
commanding views across the surrounding landscape. Even before the temple was
built, Garni had strategic importance, with evidence of settlements dating back
to the Bronze Age and inscriptions left behind by the ancient kingdom of
Urartu.
Most historians attribute the temple’s construction to
King Tiridates I during the first century CE, likely around 77 CE. Tiridates
had recently returned from Rome, where Emperor Nero formally recognized him as
King of Armenia after years of political negotiations between the Roman and
Parthian empires. His visit exposed him to Roman architecture and imperial
grandeur, influences that appear to have found _expression_ back home in Garni.
Built in the Ionic order from locally quarried grey
basalt, the temple reflects the spread of Hellenistic culture across the
eastern Mediterranean and western Asia. Rather than copying Roman architecture
outright, Garni blends classical proportions with regional craftsmanship,
creating a building that feels familiar yet distinctly Armenian.
Traditionally, the structure has been identified as a
temple dedicated to Mihr, the Armenian sun god closely associated with the
Persian Mithra. A Greek inscription discovered at the site in the twentieth
century links Tiridates I with the construction of both the temple and the
fortress, strengthening this interpretation. Yet not everyone agrees. Some
scholars argue that the building may instead have served as a royal mausoleum,
pointing to similarities with monumental tombs found in Asia Minor. The debate
continues, adding another layer of intrigue to a monument that still keeps some
of its secrets.
The Mystery Of Its Survival
Garni’s greatest mystery is not how it was built but why
it survived. When Armenia embraced Christianity in the early fourth century,
pagan sanctuaries across the kingdom were dismantled as the new faith reshaped
the country’s religious landscape. Temples disappeared, shrines were abandoned,
and older places of worship were either destroyed or converted.
Garni escaped that fate. No single explanation fully
answers why. Medieval Armenian sources suggest that the complex became a royal
summer residence associated with Princess Khosrovidukht, the sister of King
Tiridates III. If the building had already lost its religious role and become
part of a royal estate, it may have been spared during the widespread
destruction of pagan sanctuaries. Other historians believe its close connection
to Armenia’s royal lineage made demolition politically undesirable.
Over the centuries, the temple appears to have served
different purposes. Some researchers suggest it functioned as a bathhouse or
palace building, while others argue it may even have been adapted into a
baptistery for a period. Whatever its exact role, Garni gradually became less a
place of worship and more a valuable part of an evolving royal complex.
The site itself continued to grow. Roman baths with
beautifully preserved mosaic floors were built nearby, medieval churches rose
within the fortress walls, and Arabic inscriptions carved into the stone bear
witness to centuries of changing rulers and shifting empires. Far from being
frozen in time, Garni evolved alongside Armenia’s own history.
From Ruins To Reconstruction
The temple’s greatest threat arrived not through war or
religion but through nature. A devastating earthquake struck the region in
1679, bringing the entire colonnaded structure crashing to the ground. Massive
basalt columns, capitals and carved stone blocks lay scattered across the
hillside, where they remained for nearly three centuries. Travelers passing
through the region sketched the ruins, while archaeologists gradually
documented and catalogued the surviving fragments. Although there were
proposals to relocate the stones elsewhere during the Russian imperial period,
none materialized.
It was only during the Soviet era that Garni received the
attention needed for its revival. Beginning in 1969, Armenian architect
Alexander Shahinian led an ambitious reconstruction using the method of
anastylosis, a conservation technique that reassembles surviving original
elements while replacing only the missing pieces with carefully matched new
stone.
The work, completed in 1975, remains one of the most
discussed architectural restorations in the region. Around a third of the original
material was incorporated into the rebuilt structure, while new basalt was
sourced locally to complete the missing sections. Rather than disguising the
additions, conservators intentionally made subtle distinctions between original
and replacement stones, allowing specialists to identify what is ancient and
what belongs to the twentieth century.
The reconstruction continues to spark debate among
historians. For some, Garni is no longer entirely authentic because much of
what visitors see today was painstakingly rebuilt. Others argue that leaving
thousands of stone fragments scattered across the site would have revealed far
less about Armenia’s classical past than a carefully researched reconstruction
ever could. Regardless of where one stands, the restoration has allowed
generations of visitors to understand the scale, proportions and architectural
language of a monument that would otherwise exist only in archaeological
drawings.
More Than A Monument
Today, Garni is far more than a solitary temple overlooking
a gorge. The wider archaeological complex reveals layer upon layer of Armenian
history, from ancient fortress walls and Roman bathhouses to medieval churches
and carved inscriptions left by successive civilizations. Just below the
cliffs, the Symphony of Stones forms one of Armenia’s most striking natural
landmarks, where towering basalt columns resemble an immense pipe organ
sculpted by volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Most travelers pair Garni with the nearby Geghard
Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site carved into the mountainside, creating
a journey that moves seamlessly between Armenia’s pagan past and its Christian
heritage. Few destinations illustrate that transition as vividly.
Garni remains an anomaly in the Armenian landscape, but
perhaps that is precisely why it endures in the imagination. It is the
country’s lone surviving bridge to a pre-Christian world, shaped by Roman
influence, transformed through centuries of changing beliefs, reduced to rubble
by an earthquake, and brought back together stone by stone. Its columns may
belong to antiquity, but the story they tell stretches across two thousand
years of Armenian history.
FAQs
Q1. Why is Garni Temple famous?
Garni Temple is Armenia’s only surviving pagan temple and
the country’s best-preserved example of Greco-Roman architecture.
Q2. Who built Garni Temple?
Most historians believe King Tiridates I built the temple
in the first century CE, likely around 77 CE.
Q3. Why was Garni Temple not destroyed after Armenia
adopted Christianity?
Scholars believe it survived because it was repurposed as
part of a royal residence rather than continuing as an active pagan shrine.
Q4. Is Garni Temple original or reconstructed?
The temple collapsed in the 1679 earthquake and was
reconstructed between 1969 and 1975 using many of its original stones.
Q5. What else can visitors see at Garni?
ruins, a medieval church, and views of the Symphony of Stones in the Azat
Gorge.
Starlink has donated another 56 devices to Armenia to help the country prepare for potential future emergencies and strengthen the resilience of its internet connectivity.
Armenian Minister of High-Tech Industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan announced the donation in a Facebook post.
According to the minister, the equipment was provided to the Armenian government following negotiations between the Ministry of High-Tech Industry and the U.S.-based company Starlink.
“These devices will help ensure reliable, high-speed internet connectivity for effective response during disasters and other emergency situations,” Hayrapetyan wrote.
According to the minister, the initiative was implemented through cooperation between the Ministries of High-Tech Industry and Internal Affairs. The equipment has already arrived in Armenia and is to be transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs for use by the Rescue Service.
The devices will help strengthen communications redundancy during emergencies, particularly in rescue operations, natural disasters and crisis situations, as well as in cases where traditional communications infrastructure is limited, overloaded or disrupted.
Starlink is a low Earth orbit satellite system that provides reliable, high-speed broadband internet to millions of users worldwide. It plays an important role in supporting emergency response services, particularly by ensuring uninterrupted connectivity in remote areas and during crises.
According to the minister, the donation is a continuation of the cooperation established between Starlink and Armenia’s Ministry of High-Tech Industry. Under that cooperation, 110 Starlink devices already provide internet connectivity for thousands of students in schools located in Armenia’s remote communities.
On 5 April 2026, Russian-Israeli blogger and journalist Alexander Lapshin was denied entry to Armenia upon arrival at Yerevan airport. According to public statements by Lapshin, Armenian authorities refused him entry after previously declining to issue him an electronic visa.
Lapshin stated that officials referred to an interview he had conducted with a former Armenian prisoner of war concerning allegations of torture in Azerbaijani detention. He also suggested that the decision may have been linked to earlier requests by the Belarusian authorities concerning him. Armenian authorities have not publicly provided detailed grounds for the entry ban beyond visa-related explanations reported in the media.The blogger had previously been detained several times in Armenia following requests from Belarusian authorities, who reportedly sought his extradition. In February 2026, an Armenian court reportedly found that the Belarusian charges against him were incompatible with Armenian legal norms.
Follow-up actions expectedThe authorities are invited to provide information on the legal and factual grounds for the refusal of entry imposed on Alexander Lapshin, including whether his journalistic activities or public commentary played any role in the decision. The authorities are also invited to clarify the safeguards in place to ensure that restrictions affecting journalists and bloggers are necessary, proportionate and compatible with freedom of _expression_ obligations under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Tha Armenian government has until August 12, 2026 to respond to the Council of Europe’s inquiry.
A 34-year-old man from Armenia has pleaded guilty to targeting five U.S. companies and one private school with Ryuk ransomware attacks, including a business in Oregon that had its data and credentials stolen in 2019, according to court records.
Karen Serobovich Vardanyan on Wednesday pleaded guilty to conspiracy and computer fraud in federal court in Portland.
Ryuk ransomware is a type of malicious software designed to encrypt data on a computer or network and prevent access to encrypted files until the victim pays a ransom.
As part of the plea agreement, Vardanyan has agreed to pay over $1.1 million in restitution, federal prosecutors said. He’ll be sentenced on Sept. 22.
Prosecutors did not identify the companies or school attacked.
But prior news accounts reported a major cyberattack hit the Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro in 2019, forcing its Portland area plant to use manual operations after at least 15 workstations were compromised and company credentials and data were stolen. The coverage noted that the plant didn’t pay the ransom, which is consistent with the indictment in this case.
Vardanyan and three accomplices from March 2019 through September 2020 accessed hundreds of computer servers and workstations at the Oregon company, at four other companies in Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and California and at a private school in Texas, according to federal prosecutors.
Vardanyan and his alleged accomplices were paid 200 Bitcoin, valued at $1.1 million at the time, to restore access to the unidentified Michigan company’s network, according to federal prosecutors.
In Virginia, an unidentified company in March 2019 paid a total of 110 Bitcoin following a ransomware attack that compromised 100 servers and 300 workstations, according to court records.
The unidentified company hit in Pennsylvania in September 2020 paid 1,300 Bitcoin following the ransomware attack that compromised 100 servers, prosecutors said.
The hackers were paid a total of 1,610 Bitcoin, worth about $15 million, in their extortion scheme, according to the U.S. government.
Vardanyan was extradited from Ukraine to the United States last year.
*************************************************************************************
If you wish
to read daily updated Armenian news and commentary,
Please send
me your email address: [email protected]
Website:
TheCaliforniaCourier.com
*************************************************************************************
—
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Antonian Lara. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2026/07/13/california-courier-online-july-13-2026/