Author: admin

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version: nian.htm

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE PRODUCER OF THE LARK FARM

His Holiness Aram I received Thursday morning Grazia Volpi, the producer of
"La Masseria Delle Allodole" (The Lark Farm), a movie on the Armenian
Genocide recently released in Lebanon. Members of the Lebanon Committee for
the Defence of the Armenian Cause and Alecco Bazikian from its equivalent in
Europe accompanied the producer.

After hearing the producer’s account of this movie, which covers the
blackest page of the history of Armenians, the Catholicos spoke about the
new strategy pursued for securing an international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide. Emphasizing that the Genocide was a historical fact, the
Catholicos talked about the methods to counter ongoing Turkish denial and
stressed the importance of an international discussion of the lack of
punishment. "The Armenian Genocide should be placed only within the confines
of the Armenian nation, but should be viewed from a global perspective that
extends to the lives of all nations," he said.

The Pontiff also spoke about Turkey’s bid to become a member of the European
Union. He recalled the speech he delivered a few months ago in the European
Parliament, asking: "How can Turkey become a member of the European Union
when it has committed so many human rights violations throughout its history
and continues to commit them today? Turkey’s human rights issues are far
below European standards."

The Catholicos welcomed Alecco Bezikian from the Committee for the Defense
of the Armenian Cause in Europe and praised his activities in Europe in this
respect.

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos246.htm#3
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

FORUM 18 NEWS SERVICE, Oslo, Norway

The right to believe, to worship and witness
The right to change one’s belief or religion
The right to join together and express one’s belief

========================================== ======
14 April 2008
BELARUS: BAROQUE MONASTERY TO BE LUXURY HOTEL – OR RETURNED TO CATHOLICS?
cle_id=1114
The Belarusian state appears to have scaled down plans to turn a baroque
Catholic monastery into a luxury hotel and entertainment complex, Forum 18
News Service has learnt. Unofficial reports suggest that the cultural
monument will now house a mini-hotel and/or museum. As Minsk Catholics
marked a third year of daily prayer vigils outside the monastery’s St
Joseph Church, however, there is still no sign that the government intends
to fulfil a 17-year-old promise to return the building to believers. Local
Catholics have maintained to Forum 18 that a nationwide petition for the
return of the monastery, which gained 50,000 signatures, led to a more
modest development project. Protestants active in a separate petition to
change the country’s harsh Religion Law joined the Catholic campaign. No
state officials were available to discuss the issue with Forum 18. Although
some 95 per cent of historical Orthodox churches in Belarus have been
returned, all but a handful of Jewish synagogues remain state property.
Lutherans and Calvinists have also had little success in winning back their
historical churches.

18 April 2008
TURKMENISTAN: "IT IS OUR DUTY TO CHECK UP ON RELIGIOUS ORGANISATIONS"
.php?article_id=1116
Some ten officials from the local Religious Affairs Department, the
police, secret police, Justice Ministry and Tax Ministry raided a Bible
class held by the Greater Grace Protestant church in a private flat in the
capital Ashgabad on 11 April. Asked the reason for the check-up, Murad
Aksakov of the local administration told Forum 18 News Service they wanted
to find out how many people attended the classes, who those people were,
and whether everything was in order with the church’s documents. Pastor
Vladimir Tolmachev told Forum 18 he was warned that the church was not
allowed to teach its own members without permission from the government’s
Religious Affairs Committee, even though its officially-recognised Charter
allows this. Officials told Tolmachev he would receive an official warning.
Further such warnings could lead to the church’s registration being
stripped from it, rendering all its activities illegal. In an illustration
of the problems even registered religious communities face, the church has
no building of its own and has already had to move its services ten times
this year.

15 April 2008
TURKEY: ONE YEAR AFTER MALATYA MURDERS, TIME TO ADDRESS THE CAUSES
id=1115
Turkey’s Protestants are this week commemorating the first anniversary of
the murders of three Protestants – Necati Aydin, Tillman Geske and Ugur
Yüksel – in Malatya. Güzide Ceyhan, a Turkish Protestant, in a personal
commentary for Forum 18 News Service <;, notes that
Turkey’s Alliance of Protestant Churches described 2007 as a "dark year"
for their community. She says little has changed to give greater protection
for the religious freedom of small religious communities, with some hiring
private security companies or locking their doors during worship services.
Ceyhan argues that dialogue with all religious communities and
non-believers must begin so that the State’s claim of being "equally close
to all religions" becomes a reality; long-term educational efforts must be
initiated to foster pluralism and the equality of all citizens; and the
state must urgently take steps to remove imminent threats of attacks on
smaller communities, as well as punish those who have committed attacks. If
Turkey does not do this, she argues, "we will not have started to genuinely
address the causes of the three murders."
* See full article below. *

15 April 2008
TURKEY: ONE YEAR AFTER MALATYA MURDERS, TIME TO ADDRESS THE CAUSES

_id=1115
By Güzide Ceyhan

Turkish Protestants are this week commemorating the deaths one year ago of
Necati Aydin, Tillman Geske and Ugur Yüksel. On 18 April 2007, the three –
two Turks and a German national – were brutally murdered in their office in
the south-eastern town of Malatya. The murders left behind grieving
families, a community in fear and a country with mixed emotions about the
incident.

The trial of the five alleged killers of Aydin, Geske and Yucel – finally
begun late last year in Malatya – drags on. But it raises numerous
questions as to who else was involved in planning or inciting this terrible
attack (see F18News 29 November 2007
< e_id=1053>).

In its January 2008 report of violations of the human rights of the
Protestant community, Turkey’s Alliance of Protestant Churches described
2007 as a "dark year" for the community. The motivation to compile such a
report was to draw attention to the community’s problems and provide
concrete information for those concerned for the protection of human
rights. Sadly, Turkish media coverage of the report was minimal.

The report includes a long list of incidents of alleged violations of
human rights and provides a chilling insight into the hardships and attacks
this group is subjected to.

First of all, it is interesting to note that all the incidents were
committed by non-State actors, not by the State as such. This of itself
indicates enormous societal intolerance against Protestants in Turkish
society. Yet this does not relieve the State of its obligations to protect
the life, liberty and freedom of religion or belief of its citizens.

Secondly, as well as the horrendous murders in Malatya, the list includes
many other attacks against members of this community or their places of
worship. These include seven attacks on church buildings (ranging from
attempts to burn the building to throwing stones), four threats to kill
church leaders, one plot to murder a church leader, and two attempts to
kidnap a church leader and his 11-year-old son.

The report stresses that this list contains only those incidents where the
victims were willing to come forward. It also acknowledges that many other
incidents occur, where people are not prepared to make a public complaint
for fear of being exposed.

The third striking feature of the report is that, with few exceptions, the
authorities have not been able to find the perpetrators. The report calls
on the Government and State institutions to take a proactive attitude to
the "lynching campaign" directed against the Protestant community, whose
members are mainly people who have converted to Christianity from Islam.

But it is not only Protestants who have suffered violence. This year a
Catholic priest, Fr Adriano Franchini, was stabbed by the 20-year-old R.B.
in Izmir, though thankfully the priest survived. The statement of R.B. at
the start of his trial on 9 April is a striking testimony to the causes of
violence against Christians in Turkey (see F18News 29 November 2007
< e_id=1053>). He testified that he
had observed that after the murders in 2006 of the Catholic priest Fr
Andrea Santoro and in 2007 and of the Armenian Turkish journalist Hrant
Dink, the alleged killers were received as heroes (see eg. Compass Direct 6
February 2007
< hp?page=news&lang=en&length=long&idele ment=4764&backpage=archives&critere=&c ountryname=Turkey&rowcur=0>.
R.B. thought he would become a hero like them.

R.B. also said that he was inspired by the popular television series "The
Valley of Wolves", which in some episodes portrayed Christian missionaries
in Turkey as enemies of the nation and (see F18News 29 November 2007
< e_id=1053>). His statement
confirms that he sees his act as a commitment to nationalism (see Hurriyet
9 April 2008
< ber.aspx?id=8661073&tarih08-04-09>).

A number of church leaders had already complained about the broadcast of
this series both to the public prosecutor and to the RTUK (Radio Television
Supervisory Organ), regarding it as incitement to hatred. However, the
prosecutor did not regard it as constituting a crime, while the RTUK took a
long time to issue a warning to the producers and the channel which
broadcast it (see Hurriyet 11 April 2008
< 659378.asp?gid=222&sz=62545>).

The current President of the Alliance of Protestant Churches, Zekai
Tanyar, warns that in the past year Protestants, particularly in smaller
cities and towns, have felt intimidated by rising intolerance against their
community. He says they are reluctant to go to the police when they receive
anonymous threats or face what can only be described as discrimination in
their dealings with public authorities: they fear they will only draw more
attention to themselves and, in any case, will not succeed. Only in some
cases where there have been serious attacks on church buildings and serious
threats to the lives of church leaders, as referred to in the Alliance’s
report, has the State provided protection.

A number of churches have instead hired private security companies, while
others make sure they lock the doors during worship services. While they
are thankful for the cases where the State has provided protection, they
are also troubled by the constant reminder of the need for such protection
against potential attacks. Inevitably, questions are raised. Why is police
protection needed for a place of worship, where it ought to be possible for
the fundamental right to freedom of religion or belief to be exercised
without interference by anyone? Why should a church leader need
round-the-clock protection wherever they are? How long will such protection
be needed? Increased worries about security have also frightened church
members when coming to worship services with their families and children.

According to Tanyar, the Protestant Churches’ concerns and expectations
are no different than in 2006, before the Malatya murders, as the
conditions have not changed. He acknowledges that the necessary changes
will need a long time to take effect. Securing freedom of religion or
belief for all belief communities requires work on many different fronts;
it has political, legal and societal aspects. Creating conditions conducive
for a tolerant society – where not only Protestants, but a wide range of
groups that are distinct from the dominant or majority of the population
will be tolerated – will take a long time.

Tanyar also notes that, for many months, the Government has been held up
by successive crises in domestic politics, such as the problems around
lifting the ban on the wearing of headscarves by female university students
and the recent lawsuit aiming to close down the ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP). Like many other reforms, legal steps that need to
be taken for better protection of everyone’s freedom of religion or belief
are postponed, while the government deals with what it regards as more
urgent matters. However, concrete steps must be taken in this direction,
otherwise this goal can never be achieved.

But despite the progress that has been made in the legal sphere, even the
steps that have been taken are sadly incomplete. The long-promised new
Foundations Law does not allow Muslim or non-Muslim religious communities
to legally exist as themselves, and so they are not themselves allowed to
own their own places of worship. As Dilek Kurban of the Istanbul-based
TESEV Foundation noted, the Law is "incompatible with the principle of
freedom of association, which is guaranteed by the European Convention on
Human Rights, the Constitution and the Treaty of Lausanne" (see F18News 13
March 2008 < 1100>).

Tanyar is clear that, as a community, the Protestant Churches do not wish
to become simply a tool for the political ends of various groups. In this
context he points to politicians who exaggerate the level of missionary
activities and numbers of those who have converted to Christianity as a
result of these activities. Such politicians do this to reinforce criticism
of the Government which has enacted legislation making spreading a religion
a legal activity.

Amid all these debates, it seems that the small Protestant community’s own
voice is not heard by the Turkish public and state officials. There is no
forum or tool whereby the community could effectively respond to
allegations, or take part in a meaningful discussion, involving all Turkish
citizens, that might contribute to clarification and allow for the
Protestant perspective to be heard. In addition it lacks the resources to
respond to everything that is said in public about it. The voice of
Turkey’s other smaller religious communities also needs to be heard by our
fellow Turks.

While it is difficult to remain hopeful about what the future might hold
for Turks in general and religious or belief communities in particular, it
is vitally important to continue to strive for better protection of freedom
of religion or belief. In this context I believe four concrete steps which
would have the effect of better protection for all belief communities are
essential.

The first step in the right direction would be for relevant state
officials and institutions to engage in dialogue with leaders of believers
of both religions that have existed in Turkey for centuries and those
groups that are new. This would of course also include atheists and
agnostics, as freedom of religion or belief is also a right for
non-believers. Such a dialogue would enable individuals and communities to
voice the difficulties they encounter in the exercise of their right to
freedom of religion or belief. It would also send a strong message to
Turkish society that the secular State is "equally close to all religions",
as the authorities like to proclaim. Such a dialogue would also enhance the
prestige and societal acceptance of groups that now face intolerance.

The vital second step would be to engage in long-term educational efforts
to foster pluralism, the equality of individuals with different religions
and beliefs, and a culture of democracy that would encourage and teach
discussion of different ideas without resorting to violence. This would
also include reforms in public education of religion which would bring it
up to a standard reflecting true freedom of religion for all non-Muslim
groups, as well as various groups within Islam such as the Alevis (see
F18News 29 November 2007
< e_id=1053>). Extreme nationalism
is a major obstacle to this within the educational system (see F18News 26
July 2006 < 817>).

Thirdly, there is in Turkey great controversy around the term "missionary
activity." Some use it as a negative term, while others recognise that
everyone being able to share their beliefs in a non-coercive way is
inseparable from everyone’s freedom of religion and belief. In 2005 a
parliamentary motion was brought to the Ministry of Interior about
missionary activities in Turkey. The response of the then Minister of
Interior Abdulkadir Aksu named three groups as engaging in missionary
activity: Protestants, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Baha’is. He stated that this
activity is watched closely in the interests of national security – even
though this is in international law an unacceptable reason to limit freedom
of religion and belief. Sadly, such comments are common from both
politicians and officials (see F18News 10 July 2007
< e_id=990>.) So Turkish society
needs to discuss what is meant by "missionary activity": if it is different
>From exercising one’s religion or belief, and maybe examine what is proper
and improper proselytism. It is my opinion that Turkey would gain much from
a genuine public debate on this, based firmly upon respect for pluralist
democracy and tolerance.

Finally, the fourth important step – and one that needs to be taken
immediately – is for the state to enact measures to remove imminent threats
of attacks against places of worship and religious leaders. Doubtless
finding and punishing the perpetrators of previous attacks would have a
deterrent effect on those who contemplate further such attacks. The
authorities must strongly condemn such threats and attacks and do their
utmost to enforce laws protecting members of belief communities who are
vulnerable to such attacks. It is important that such attacks are condemned
by the whole of society, so that the perpetrators will not have the
perception that they will be received as heroes by a significant group in
society.

If Turkey wishes to seen as a republic genuinely committed to a secular
pluralist democracy, it is necessary for our government to: have an open
public dialogue with all religious communities, as well as non-believers;
initiate long-term educational efforts to foster pluralism and the equality
of all citizens; have a public discussion on what missionary activity
actually means in a pluralist democracy; and, most urgently, take steps to
remove imminent threats of attacks against places of worship and religious
leaders, as well as punish those who have committed attacks. For if we do
not, we will not have started to genuinely address the causes of the three
murders whose first anniversary we are marking this week. (END)

– Güzide Ceyhan, a Turkish Protestant, contributed this commentary to
Forum 18 News Service <;. Commentaries are personal
views and do not necessarily represent the views of F18News or Forum 18.

PDF and printer-friendly views of this article can be accessed from
< e_id=1115>. It may freely be
reproduced, redistributed or quoted from, with due acknowledgement to Forum
18 <;.

More analyses and commentaries on freedom of thought, conscience and
belief in Turkey can be found at
< mp;religion=all&country=68>.

A printer-friendly map of Turkey is available at
< s/atlas/index.html?Parent=mideast&Rootmap=turk ey>.
(END)

© Forum 18 News Service. All rights reserved. ISSN 1504-2855
You may reproduce or quote this article provided that credit is given to
F18News

Past and current Forum 18 information can be found at

The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute
Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex
RA, Armenia Yerevan 0028
Contact: Arevik Avetisyan
Tel.: (+374 10) 39 09 81
Fax: (+374 10) 39 10 41
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

"And Those Who Continued Living in Turkey after 1915"
18.04.08

The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute presents the book titled "And
Those Who Continued Living in Turkey after 1915" by Rubina Peroomian,
which issued under the auspices of the AGMI publishing-house.
The book is about people, who continued living in Turkey after the
Armenian Genocide.
In the atmosphere of the precariousness of minority rights in Turkey and
government’s persistence in denying the existence of the Armenian issue
as well as its continuing policy of pressure and selective approach to
history, a prescribed national identity covering all ethnic groups in
Republican Turkey was enforced and the Armenian collective suffering of
the past was buried in silence.
With the recent political developments in the world, the wall of silence
is breached. The events of 1915 and the plight of the Armenian survivors
in Turkey, be they Christian, Islamized, or hidden, are espoused and
fictionalized in literature produced in Turkey. Artistic expressions
echo the continuing trauma in the life of these "rejects of the sword,"
a Turkish moniker for Armenians, having "undeservedly" escaped from
death. The stories that Turkish writers unearth and the daring memoirs
of Turkish citizens with an Armenian in their ancestry, as well as
obscured references to these same stories and events in Turkish-Armenian
literature, have unveiled the full picture of survival, with an
everlasting memory of the lost ones, but also of forced conversions, of
nurturing the "enemy" in the bosom, and of the dehumanization and sexual
torture of men and women. A multifaceted image, an identity, of what is
broadly generalized as Turkish-Armenian, thus emerges, a phenomenon that
contradicts the long-researched and explored concept of the
Diasporan-Armenian post-Genocide ethnic identity. Nevertheless, the
sociopolitical and religious impositions and the hegemony of Muslim
identity have not been fully challenged yet. Outside pressures may
influence the metamorphosis of Turkish state of mind, but the change
should come from within the Turkish society. The change may be underway.

This annotation was taken from the book "And Those Who Continued Living
in Turkey after 1915" by Rubina Peroomian.

NAZIK AVDALYAN AND MELINE DALUZYAN ALL-ROUND CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE

armradio.am
17.04.2008 13:20

Nazik Avdalyan (69 kg) of Armenia showed the result of 2 42 kg in
clean and jerk combination and achieved the champion’s title in the
women’s competition in the framework of the European Weightlifting
Championship held in Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy). Natalya Matveeva of
Russia came second with the result of 239 kg. Slaveyka Ruzhinskaya
of Bulgaria won the bronze with 219 kg.

Nazik Avdalyan had the best result in the snatch, showing the result
of 106 kg. She registered the result of 136 kg in the jerk, becoming
the all-round champion of Europe and gaining three gold medals.

Meline Daluzyan (63 kg) of Armenia achieved her second subsequent
title of the European Champion and became the all-round champion
of Europe in the European Weightlifting Championships underway in
Lignano Sabbiadoro (Italy).

Showing the result of 235 kg in the snatch and clean and jerk
combination, she outran Sibil Sismek of Turkey with 9 kg. Sismek came
second with the result of 235 kg. Milka Maneva of Bulgaria won the
bronze with the result of 223 kg.

Meline Daluzyan won in the separate snatch and clean and jerk events,
thus becoming an all-round champion of Europe, gaining three gold
medals.

The Armenian women’s team has already achieved 6 gold medals and is
the leader of the competition.

CYPRUS PARLIAMENT HOLDS SESSION DEVOTED TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Panorama.am
22:00 16/04/2008

On 17April the parliament of Cyprus will hold a session devoted to the
Armenian Genocide and the Armenian representative in the parliament
Vardges Mahtesyan will apply to the parliament. According to "Cyprus
Armenians" media agency all the Armenians of the community can take
part in the special session activities.

According to the source the Armenian community of Cyprus will
organize a ceremony commemorating the victims of the Genocide and
the 93 anniversary of it.

On 24 April the Armenians living in Cyprus will start a march from
Armenia street to the Genocide monument.

ARMENIA: GENOCIDE OR CARELESSNESS?

Oxford Analytica
4-17/Armeniagenocideorcarelessness.aspx
April 17 2008
UK

Armenians around the world mark this Thursday as ‘Armenian Genocide
Day’. On this day in 1915, a pogrom began of the Armenians in
Constantinople. Armenians say 1.5 million were deliberately
exterminated during the First World War.

Turks, who celebrate National Sovereignty Day on Wednesday, do not
deny ‘events’, but say many of their own people died too amid general
mayhem. If Armenians succumbed to harsh conditions while being moved
(as a ‘fifth column’ suspected of siding with the Russian enemy)
from northeastern Anatolia to Syria, it was because the authorities
were not interested in treating them properly.

Whether the proper term is genocide is still a live political
controversy:

Armenia and the Armenian diaspora — mostly descended from Ottoman
refugees — insist on spreading their version in order to be revenged
on a racial enemy.

Turks, as a matter of honour, deny it – "the national character does
not allow it to commit such crimes", Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said recently.

Others align themselves with one or the other side. In Bulgaria,
anti-Turkish ultra-nationalists recently sponsored a genocide
recognition bill; in Denmark, it was the far-right Danish People’s
Party. Israel, an ally of Turkey, withholds recognition — as long
as Ankara behaves itself.

Turkey’s international weight has prevented all but a few countries
taking the Armenian line, although they include France, which has
made genocide denial a criminal offence. A move to recognise it lies
before the US Congress, but President George Bush managed to stall
it after Ankara threatened to restrict aerial access to Iraq.

Presidential candidate John McCain opposes Resolution 106, valuing
Turkey as a US ally. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both support it
— although her husband dodged the issue for his eight years in office.

In 2007, Turkey proposed a joint historical commission to establish the
truth — in itself, a step forward. Whether the commission succeeds
in reaching agreement on the terminology hardly matters — a lot of
people died at a time of war because other people hated them for who
they were.

FRENCH MASONS TO TAKE PART IN ARMENIAN DEMONSTRATION ON APRIL 24
By H. Chaqrian

AZG Armenian Daily
18/04/2008

Genocide

According to information spread by "Turkish-NY" news agency, based in
USA, the Grandmaster of the Great East Mason lodge, France, declared
that the members of the lodge are to take part in the demonstration
of the Armenians on April 24 dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. The
news agency notes that the French Masons are once against supporting
the Armenians’ claims about the genocide.

Why "again"? The matter is that in February the Grandmaster had given
interview to the Turkish press and said the following, "Two years
ago we visited the Turkish lodge of freemasons, where with all our
courtesy we demanded our Turkish brothers to think seriously on the
matter of the Armenian genocide and not co conceal the responsibility
of the Turkish people. Although our words were strongly argued,
later on some of our Turkish brothers came to me and said, ‘Your’re
right, for no one speaks about the Genocide in this country’. Then
the relations between the two lodges normalized".

Turkish newspaper "Vatan" also addresses this issue in its April
14 publication. According top "Vatan" the Grandmaster said that
although France was late to recognize the Holocaust, he expects
his Turkish brothers to have similar approach to the issue of the
Armenian Genocide.

On April 24, Paris, the Great East lodge Grandmaster is to hold
a speech at the monument of Komitas and take part in the march
organized by the Armenian community of France. The march is to end
with a protest demonstration near the Turkish Consulate in Paris.

"Vatan" also informs that the well known leader of the "Union Against
Genocide", Ali Ertem, is invited to the genocide commemoration events,
which are to take place from April 23 to April 27.

The Armenian Church eNewsletter

April 17, 2008

Diocese of the
Armenian Church
of America (Eastern)
630 Second Ave.
New York, NY 10016

Contact Us <mailto:[email protected]>

Diocesan News

PRIMATES OF NORTH AMERICAN DIOCESES MEET IN CANADA

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese, Archbishop
Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, Bishop Bagrat Galstanian,
Primate of the Canadian Diocese, and clergy representing the three dioceses
met in Montreal, Canada on April 14 to 16 to discuss the future of the
Church. Participants spoke about present-day challenges facing clergy on a
pastoral level and focused on how to best meet the needs of parishes in
today’s world.

In addition to the Primate, Diocesan Vicar Very Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian,
Very Rev. Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian and Rev. Fr.
Untzag Nalbandian represented the Eastern Diocese at the conference. Similar
meetings are planned in the future to bring together clergy of the North
American dioceses for further discussion.

Clergy of the Eastern, Western and Canadian dioceses gathered in Canada for
a series of presentations and discussions on adapting 1,700 years of
tradition to meet the needs of today’s society.

_____________________________

ST. SAHAG CHURCH OF MINNESOTA CELEBRATES FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF CONSECRATION

St. Sahag Church of St. Paul, Minn., marked the fifth anniversary of
consecration on Sunday, April 13. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), celebrated the Divine Liturgy and
presided at a banquet featuring musical performances by students of the St.
Sahag School of Music. The Primate also ordained seminarian Ben
Rith-Najarian as subdeacon and nine young parishioners as tbirs.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), ordains seminarian Ben Rith-Najarian as subdeacon at St. Sahag
Church.

Newly-ordained tbirs at St. Sahag Church reach out to touch the "Mashdots,"
a book of rituals given to tbirs during the ordination ceremony.

_____________________________

SAINTLY WOMEN’S DAY CELEBRATION IN MASSACHUSETTS

Members of the Women’s Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford, Mass.,
hosted 125 guests on Saturday, April 12, on the occasion of Saintly Women’s
Day. An inspiring service extolling the virtues of Sahaganoush Mamigonian,
mother of St. Vartan Mamigonian, was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Khachatur
Kesablyan, pastor of Sts. Vartanantz Church, with the assistance of clergy
>From six other New England parishes.

Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator Elise Antreassian spoke about women
in the Armenian Church at a Saintly Women’s Day celebration at Sts.
Vartanantz Church.

Diocesan Christian Education Coordinator Elise Antreassian presented an
interactive program entitled "Women in the Armenian Church: Hearth Keepers
or Midwives?" Members of Sts. Vartanantz Men’s Club graciously served a
delicious meal, which was prepared by the Women’s Guild.

Members of Sts. Vartanantz Men’s Club served the meal prepared by the
Women’s Guild for the celebration of Saintly Women’s Day at Sts. Vartanantz
Church.

_____________________________

POPE TO GREET ARMENIAN CHURCH LEADERS

During his first apostolic visit to the United States since he was elected
to lead the Roman Catholic Church in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI will greet
ecumenical leaders, including Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and Archbishop Vicken Aykazian,
Diocesan legate and president of the National Council of Churches. The
meeting is scheduled for Friday, April 18, following an ecumenical prayer
service at St. Joseph’s Church in New York City.

_____________________________

HOLY CROSS CHURCH OF UNION CITY, NEW JERSEY TO CELEBRATE PASTOR’S MILESTONE

Holy Cross Church will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sacred Ordination to
the Priesthood of their pastor Very Rev. Fr. Vazken Karayan on Sunday, April
20. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), will preside over the Divine Liturgy and the banquet, which is
scheduled to follow the Badarak at 1 p.m. at the Landmark in East
Rutherford, N.J. For more information, call Alice or Sylvia Bozoyan at
201-865-2790.

_____________________________

C HURCH AND HOME MATERIALS AVAILABLE ONLINE

A wealth of new Church and Home materials are now available on our Web site,
<; . Click on the
"Church and Home" button on the homepage and you will be directed to a
listing of a variety of online tutorials and programs designed to offer
"Back to the Basics" educational tools that can be used from the comfort of
your home. Learn about Armenian Church feasts, the calendar, modern and
classical Armenian and much more!

_____________________________

COMMEMORATIN G THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL

On Armenian Martyrs Day, April 24, a Divine Liturgy and requiem service will
be held at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral at 11 a.m. A memorial meal will
follow services.

On Sunday, April 27, Rev. Fr. Hagop Khachatryan, a clergyman from Holy
Etchmiadzin, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Very Rev. Fr. Davit
Karamyan, who will also visit the Eastern Diocese from Holy Etchmiadzin,
will deliver the sermon. A requiem service and blessing of madagh will
follow the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 10:30 a.m.

The annual Genocide Commemoration sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Region
Knights and Daughters of Vartan will be held in Times Square at 2 p.m. St.
Vartan Cathedral is located at 630 Second Avenue, New York, N.Y. Click for
more information in English < t;
or Armenian < t; .

_____________________________

PLANS UNDERWAY FOR 106TH DIOCESAN ASSEMBLY

The 106th Annual Diocesan Assembly and Clergy Conference will be held at
Sts. Sahag & Mesrob Church in Providence, R.I. The Clergy Conference is
scheduled for April 28 to May 1; the Assembly is scheduled for May 1 to
4.This year’s theme is "Church and Home: One in Spirit." For more
information, visit the Sts. Sahag
< l> & Mesrob Church Web site.

_____________________________

FEAST OF THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

On May 1, the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ , Archbishop
Yeghishe Gizirian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Armenian
Cathedral. The Liturgy begins at 11 a.m. A traditional Ascension Day
celebration will follow services.

_____________________________

SHUSHI ARMENIAN DANCE ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM AT ST. VARTAN ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL

The Shushi Armenian Dance Ensemble of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will
celebrate its 15th anniversary at the Cathedral on Friday, May 30. This
much-anticipated event, featuring music, dance, dinner and a performance by
the Shushi dancers, will mark the Ensemble’s success since its inception and
honor the steadfast dedication of the group’s artistic director and
choreographer, Seta Paskalian-Kantardjian. Funds raised at the event will
help Shushi travel to Armenia in July, where dancers will have the
tremendous opportunity to perform at the Opera House.

For more information, visit
< /> .

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FAR 2008 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TRIP RESCHEDULED

The 12th annual Fund for Armenian Relief Young Professionals Trip to
Armenia, planned for May 31-June 12, has been rescheduled to July 25-August
6. The two-week trip will include overnights in Yerevan, Gyumri, Dzoraget,
Lake Sevan and Goris. Participants will visit FAR’s projects as well as
meet with high-ranking officials in Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and with His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Participants visit Gandzasar Monastery in Martakert during the 2007 FAR
Young Professionals Trip to Armenia.

The FAR trip provides the ideal opportunity for young professionals between
the ages of 23 and 40 to travel to Armenia as a group. Participants learn
about Armenia’s place in the world – the country’s religious, political and
economic heritage – and engage government and religious leaders in official
state visits.

The cost, which includes airfare and hotel accommodations, is $3,050. Space
is limited. To sign up, contact Arto Vorperian at 212-889-5150 or
[email protected].

_____________________________

DIOCESAN PILGRIMAGE TO THE MOTHER CATHEDRAL OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN SCHEDULED
FOR SEPTEMBER

The Eastern Diocese will make a pilgrimage to the Mother Cathedral of Holy
Etchmiadzin this fall to participate in the blessing of the Holy Muron
(Oil). The two-week pilgrimage begins in late September and concludes in
early October. The blessing of the Holy Muron will take place on Sunday,
Sept. 28.

There is some flexibility in travel dates: pilgrims can opt to depart from
New York on Friday, Sept. 19 or Saturday, Sept. 20, and return to New York
on Friday, Oct. 3 or Saturday, Oct. 4. The cost per person, which includes
airfare and hotel accommodations, is $2,950.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
blesses the Holy Muron (Oil) with the relic of St. Gregory the Enlightener
in 2001. This special ceremony occurs once every seven years.

For more information, click here
< df> or contact Arto Vorperian at
the Diocesan Center at 212-686-0710 ext. 213 or e-mail [email protected].
Please note that the number of spaces is limited. Those interested in the
pilgrimage should make reservations without delay.

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PARISH NEWS

Greenfield, Wisc. – Armenian Martyrs Day Events

On Thursday, April 24, a vespers service and a requiem service will be held
starting at 7 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 7825 W. Layton Avenue,
Greenfield, Wisc., in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Other
area churches will participate, including St. Hagop Church of Racine, St.
Mesrob Church of Racine and Holy Resurrection Church of South Milwaukee.

St. John the Baptist Church also will commemorate Armenian Martyrs Day on
Sunday, April 20 with a Divine Liturgy and a requiem service followed by
madagh and a program. David Blinka, a graduate of Marquette University and
the University of Wisconsin, will speak on "Creating a New Armenia in
America and the History of the Armenian Genocide."

For more information on these events, please visit
<; .

Southfield, Mich. – ACYOA at St. John’s Church of Greater Detroit Heads Up
Project White Cross

Following services on Sunday, April 13, parishioners at St. John’s Church of
Greater Detroit, led by the ACYOA Juniors and Seniors chapters, installed
1,500 white crosses on church grounds. With each cross representing 1,000
lives lost in the Armenian Genocide, the 1,500-cross installation
commemorates the 1.5 million martyrs of 1915.

Parishioners at St. John’s Church of Greater Detroit put up 1,500 white
crosses to represent victims of the Armenian Genocide.

"It really puts things into perspective for people who underestimate the
severity of the lives lost," said Raffi ElChemmas, cochairman of Project
White Cross and an ACYOA member. "It is our right to struggle. It’s the only
thing we have known for 93 years. Without struggle, we might have forgotten
about the Genocide, given up hope for a resolution or an acknowledgement."

Pinellas Park, Fla. – St. Hagop Church Hosts Picnic

St. Hagop Church organized a regional picnic to reach out to Armenians in
the area and gather for fun and fellowship on Saturday, April 12. Held in
Sarasota, Fla., the event drew 75 people. Highlights included delicious
dishes and a Tavloo tournament. To learn more about the St. Hagop community,
visit <;
.

Parishioners enjoy food and games at St. Hagop Church’s regional picnic last
Saturday in Sarasota, Fla.

SAVE THE DATE

Diocesan Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Consecration of St.
Vartan Armenian Cathedral to begin in June

This year, the Diocese will host a series of events in celebration of the
40th anniversary of the consecration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral.

Upcoming events include:

. A concert in the Cathedral and an art exhibition at the Diocesan Center
beginning on June 19.

. A ceremony honoring the godfathers of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral and
original committee members of the Cathedral-building project and the
distribution of the Holy Muron (Oil) from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
during a celebration of the Divine Liturgy on October 12. A luncheon will
follow. (Please note that the ceremony honoring Cathedral founders has been
rescheduled from May 18 to October 12).

Individual parishes will be invited to make pilgrimages to the Cathedral
throughout the year.

The Diocese would like to recognize everyone who was involved in the
Cathedral project. If you have information on any members of working
committees who helped build the Cathedral, please contact the Diocesan
Center at 212-686-0710 or e-mail [email protected].

_______________________________

Prayer for the Week

Lord, clothe me with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness, and
patience. Help me bear with others and forgive as the Lord has forgiven me.
Over all these virtues put on love, which binds the rest together and makes
them perfect.
More prayers
< .asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5246&
HS=1 > <;

Scripture for the Week

Song 4:9-15, 8:14

Is 7:10-16

Gal 3:29-4:7

Lk 2:1-7

Saints & Feasts

4/20 Apparition of the Holy Cross

4/24 Armenian Martyrs Day (93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide)

May God bless and keep you and your family.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN CONGRATULATES POLICEMEN ON THEIR PROFESSIONAL DAY

armradio.am
16.04.2008 16:24

President Serzh Sargsyan issued a message on the occasion of the
Police Day.

"Dear employees of the Police and veterans,

I congratulate you on the occasion of the Police Day.

Over the past years the Armenian Police registered achievements in
the field of protection of the citizens’ rights, property, as well
as public order. On the whole, it fulfilled its important mission. A
huge work has been done in the direction of reforming this sphere,
but there are still serious things to be done to have the style of
work of the Police correspond to contemporary conditions and eliminate
the corruption phenomena.

The authorities of the Republic of Armenia will improve the
living conditions of the Police employees, including the raise of
salaries. Steps will be taken to modernize the working conditions,
including the technical rearmament, which will be targeted at raising
the effectiveness of the Police activity.

This year your professional day coincides with the 90th anniversary of
formation of the bodies of interior affairs structures in Armenia. I
want to specially congratulate all the veterans of the interior
affairs. I wish you robust health and happiness.

Armenia’s multifaceted and rapid development greatly depends on how
you will carry out your responsibilities and on what professional
level you will solve the tasks posed for you. It’s not a secret that
the actions of the Police meet a sharp public reaction. The events of
March 1 were a trial for the whole country and people, particularly
the Police. Together with the whole society, the Police should come
out of this trial with honor and draw lessons from it.

Once again congratulating you on your professional day, I wish you
success in the hard but honorable work of resisting the existing
challenges."

OPINION: ARMENIA CAN PLAY IMPORTANT ROLE IN ESTABLISHING INTERNATIONAL CULTURAL DIALOGUE

ARKA
April 16, 2008

YEREVAN, April 16. /ARKA/. Armenians living abroad and trying
to preserve their national identity can play an important role in
establishing international cultural dialogue, Levon Lazarian, acting
science and education minister, said on Tuesday.

"Armenia is now embarking on establishing intercultural dialogue with
South Caucasus countries. This is quite new initiative. That’s why
some specification and standards are needed", he said at the ceremony
of closing the conference on establishing dialogue in South Caucasus
and Ukraine.

Lazarian said that schools, universities and post-graduate education
will become insufficient for constantly developing and globalizing
world.

"Those countries able to reform education systems and open them to
the entire world will take advantage from it in the future", he said.

The conference was held in South Caucasus and Ukraine was held in
Yerevan on April 14 and 15 as part of Intercultural and Inter-religious
Dialogue launched in 2008 by Council of Europe and European Commission.

Yerevan Linguistic University after Valery Bryusov is responsible
for this program implementation.