Author: Ara Felekian

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
September 10, 2004
___________________
PARISH TURNS OUT FOR ORDINATION SERVICE IN WISCONSIN
In front of the parishioners who are like family, surrounded by the
community he’s called home his whole life, Daniel Korakian got ready to
take on new responsibilities.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern), spoke to the crowd, asking them if Korakian
was worthy of being a deacon.
“And they said I was worthy. That just made me think, ‘I hope I am.’
It was wonderful — a beautiful thing,” said the humble Korakian who was
ordained a deacon on Sunday, August 29, 2004, at the St. Mesrob Church
of Racine, WI. “I love this place. I love the people. These people
have been raising me my whole life. I think that’s why I am still
here.”
Korakian grew up in the Racine parish and currently serves as the
parish’s administrator and caretaker. He has been seriously working
towards his ordination for the past 12 years, and feels it was important
to step forward and assume the responsibilities of a deacon, a position
the parish takes very seriously. There is only one other deacon at the
parish.
“I will be able to continue what has been established,” Korakian said.
“The parish doesn’t have to be worried, there is another deacon to
support our senior deacon and to carry on in the future.”
The Primate said Korakian’s selfless devotion to the church is an
example others should follow.
“He is a true steward of the Armenian Church and of his parish. He
knows that each of us must step forward to do the work the Lord calls on
us to do,” the Primate said. “His is truly a ministry of service, which
brings the light of the Lord into the lives of his friends and
neighbors.”
Others in the parish followed Korakian down the path of service. That
same weekend the Primate ordained a number of acolytes and sub-deacons.
On Saturday, August 28, 2004, following an evening vespers service, the
Primate ordained five new acolytes: Grace Bedoian, Amanda Desotell,
Britany Garvin, Alex Janiuk, and Marissa Mahnke.
Along with ordaining Dn. Korakian on Sunday, the Primate ordained five
sub-deacons: Joseph Gabrielian, Richard Kadamian, Aram Katerdjian, Kai
Kazarian, and Stanton Sheridan.
— 9/10/04
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate, ordains Daniel
Korakian as a deacon during a service at St. Mesrob Church in Racine,
WI, on Sunday, August 29, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): The Primate ordained one deacon and five sub-deacons
at the St. Mesrob Church of Racine, WI, on Sunday, August 29, 2004.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Parishioners filled St. Mesrob Church of Racine, WI,
on Saturday, August 28, 2004, as the Primate ordained five new acolytes.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Archbishop Barsamian and Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, pastor
of the St. Mesrob Church of Racine, WI, join the new acolytes ordained
on August 28, 2004.
# # #
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE THRONE IS TO BLAME
A1 Plus | 17:29:42 | 09-09-2004 | Politics |
Constitution version introduced by MP Arshak Sadoyan has been
entered in the Parliament agenda with a positive conclusion. “All the
misfortunes in our country, including October 27, issue from that we
have one royal throne, which possesses high responsibility towards
the society and super commissions to settle the personnel issues the
way its wishes and to secure the super personal interests”, National
Democratic Bloc Chair Arshak Sadoyan announced at the press conference.
According to him, it is impossible to conduct fair elections in
Armenia since those counting the election results are in the hands
of the President. And to restrict those commissions Mr. Sadoyan
suggests changing the constitutional order in the country. Referendum
of Constitutional Reform is necessary to hold for it, to “extort”
from Robert Kocharyan the promise not to put forward his candidacy
for the 3rd, 4th time, then to conduct special presidential and
parliamentary elections.
Arshak Sadoyan even set a term – by March or April, 2005. According
to Sadoyan, Robert Kocharyan has the unique opportunity to remain in
the history – to undertake the responsibility to hold just and free
referendum and elections, to become the guarantor and to renounce
participation in those elections.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Business big shot
The Times (London)
September 2, 2004, Thursday
(Photograph) – Kirk Kerkorian is about to sell his MGM film studios for
$ 5 billion (£2.8 billion) -having bought and sold the company three
times previously. The windfall will add to his estimated fortune of $
3.4 billion, which already makes him the 97th richest man in the world.
Mr Kerkorian was raised in California by Armenian emigre parents. At
the age of nine, he dropped out of school to sell newspapers before
becoming an amateur boxer. His lust for adventure brought him to
England during World War Two, where he was a pilot in the RAF.
In 1947, aged 29, Mr Kerkorian started Los Angeles Air Service with
a single plane, flying gamblers from Burbank to Las Vegas. He went
on to launch three more airlines and a clutch of casino hotels. Page 27
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
Aug 26 2004
AZERI MEDIA OUTLETS CLAIM WASHINGTON AND MOSCOW FEARFUL OF LOSING
INFLUENCE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
BAKU, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS. During the meeting of Azeri president
Ilham Aliyev in Germany, Chancellor Schroder noted that Baku wants to
take part in strengthening of European Union. Writing on this, Azeri
media outlets mentioned that Washington and Moscow understand that if
EU strengthens its positions in South Caucasus they will totally lose
their control over the region.
It is not accidental, Azeri Zerkalo writes, that Russian president
Vladimir Putin had called Ilham Aliyev before his departure to
Germany to discuss development of Russian-Azeri ties.
It is again not accidental that after the meeting of Heidar Aliyev
and Robert Kocharian in Paris Washington organized the meeting of the
two presidents in Key West.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 13 2004
OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN DISCUSS KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
YEREVAN, July 13 (RIA Novosti) – Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
and OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven
Mann (U.S.) and Henry Jackolin (France) discussed prospects of
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
RIA Novosti was told in the press service of the Armenian president
that the Russian, U.S. and French ambassadors in Armenia took part in
the meeting.
The Minsk group co-chairmen met with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan.
“During the meeting, the co-chairmen submitted a generalized variant
of their own observations in regard to meetings held at the level of
presidents and foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well
as prospects to settle the Karabakh conflict,” RIA Novosti was told
in the Armenian Foreign Ministry information and press department.
In this connection, Mr. Oskanyan again specified Armenia’s position
on the issue of the Karabakh conflict settlement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Glendale News Press, CA
LATimes.com
June 26 2004
FROM THE MARGINS
No, really — that is my real name, darnit!

by PATRICK AZADIAN
We all have our stereotypes of what certain names should mean, and
what kind of names people should possess. It is perhaps human nature
to try to conform everything to our set of understandings, otherwise
we may feel uncomfortable or even intimidated.
My first name often evokes the question, “Hey, how did you get an
Irish name?” This particular inquiry is understandable, considering
more Americans trace their roots to the “green isle” than any other
region of the world. My curt response is often, “Well, it is actually
a Latin name. And I mean ‘Latin’ as in ancient Latium in central
Italy and not Central America.”
My initial research on the name confirmed my suspicion that it was
derived from the Latin patricius, from patres, plural of pater.
Recently a dear friend sent me a cynical note on this issue:
“Your attitude stems from your name:
patrician puh-TRISH-un,
noun:
1. A member of one of the original citizen families of ancient Rome.
2. A person of high birth; a nobleman.”
What are good friends for, right?
I also come across another type of inquiry: “What is your real name?”
Depending on my mood, I have different answers for this line of
questioning. If I have gotten off on the right side of the bed that
specific morning, the response can be as simple as, “It is Patrick,
although I should really spell it without the ‘c.’ ” And if I am
pressed with a follow-up question such as, “No, really, what is it?”,
my response can be as rude as: “What would you like my name to be?
Mohammed, Habib, Ahmet?”
Overall, I don’t mind explaining, as long as the question comes from
people whose initial experience with the name is via the Irish route.
What I was not prepared for, however, was when my Jewish Moroccan
associate asked me the same question: “Patrick, what is your real
name?” By the way, her name is Valerie! I tried not to react by a
counter question such as: “How come you don’t have a Sephardic or a
Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) name? Something more Hebrew, such as Yaffa
(beautiful), Zahava (gold) or Chaviva (beloved).
So I asked her if she had some time to go over this very important
issue.
“Yes I do, I have all the time in the world. Tell me how you got your
name.”
“Okey-Dokey.”
I was determined to make sure the story was long enough so that the
question never came up again.
–
When my grandfather, Sahak, settled in Iran after fleeing the
deportations from western Armenia, he eventually found time to go to
the Iranian authorities and get himself a birth certificate. The
official at the desk asked him for his last name.
“Petrossian,” Sahak replied.
“Petrossian, aye? You immigrant Armenians have too many of these
names. Petrossian, Petrossian, Petrossian! Why don’t you change it to
something else?”
“Like what?”
“Well, since you’ve fled mass murder and you are free now, why don’t
you change your last name to ‘Azad-ian.’ ”
Incidentally, the word Azad means free in Persian (the spoken
language of Iran) and Armenian, as well as many of the region’s
Indo-European languages. What a coinkidink!
“Hmmm, ‘Azadian.’ Has a nice ring to it. ‘Sahak Azadian.’ I’ll take
it.”
Years later, Mr. Azadian had second thoughts about changing his
family name, and when his first grandson was born, he was determined
to reverse the grave error. Per ancient Armenian tradition of Sahak’s
birthplace, every couple of generations, the last name of the family
reverted back to the first name of the grandfather. Sahak figured, if
he named me Petros (or Bedros), in a couple of generations our family
last name would be back to the original Petrossian. What he was not
prepared for was my mom’s fierce opposition.
So my parents, after consulting the extended Armenian dictionary,
conspired against Sahak and named me Patrik. Pronounced with “P” as
in spoon, “a” as in talk, “t” as in stalk, “r” as in car, “i” as in
chic, and “k” as in kernel. My mom had her mind set on something
“princely.” The second choice was Asbed (also “prince” in Armenian).
–
“Valerie, are you awake?”
“Yes, Patrik. I am with you. You still haven’t told me why it’s an
Armenian name.”
“Well, initially I thought the name entered the Armenian language, as
Rome and Armenia had close relations in ancient times. But it seems,
it was the Byzantines who introduced the term into the Armenian
vocabulary. Byzantines bestowed Armenian rulers with the title
Patrik, the most famous of whom was Vard Patrik Mamikonian, Patriarch
of Armenia in the early sixth century. From then on, the term patrik
was interchangeable with “princely.” And although the noun is not
Armenian in the absolute sense, it has Armenian memory, as well as
history.”
“I see.”
So is Patrick an Irish name? I would say so. Is it an Armenian name?
Well, I would also say so, certainly more Armenian than Hovhannes
(John), Bartoughi- meos (Bartholomew), Boghos (Paul) or Yeghsapet
(Elizabeth). But somehow, I know Bartoughi- meos would not have
elicited as many questions about my name as Patrick.
– PATRICK AZADIAN lives and works in Glendale. He is an identity and
branding consultant for the retail industry. Reach him at
[email protected].
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress