Author: Badalian Vardan

AKIpress News Agency (Kyrgyzstan)
December 26, 2014 Friday

Yerevan hosts 6th session of Turkmen-Armenian economic cooperation commission

Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan,
co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Turkmen-Armenian commission on
economic cooperation Sapardurdy Toylyev took part in the work of the
regular session of the commission on December 23, official media
report Thursday.

At the same day, the Vice Premier of Turkmenistan was received by
Prime Minister of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan. The sides highly evaluated
the bilateral relations and stressed the importance of the
Turkmen-Armenian intergovernmental commission. The sides also
expressed the confidence that the two countries have a great potential
for consolidation of the volumes of trade turnover.

In the afternoon the sixth session of the Intergovernmental
Turkmen-Armenian commission on economic cooperation took place. The
session was opened by the Co-chairman of the Intergovernmental
Commission on Armenian side, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
Yervand Zakharyan.

The agenda of the forum included a wide range of issues that touched
upon the various areas of bilateral cooperation. The trade-economic,
fuel-energy sector, agriculture, textile, transportation and others
were designated as the priority areas of cooperation.

The sides discussed the process of implementation of the previously
reached agreements at the fifth meet ing of the commission that was
held on October, 2013 in Ashgabat.

During the session it was emphasized that the deepening of the
Turkmen-Armenian economic relations promotes to the positive dynamics
of intergovernmental political relations and the sides also underlined
the importance of improvement of the current legal framework, as well
as the significance of increasing the volumes of trade turnover
between the two countries.

In terms of humanitarian cooperation development, the Commission
recommended to pay attention to the development of scientific and
educational contacts.
By agreement of the sides, the seventh session of the commission will
be held in 2015 in Ashgabat. Upon completion of the session the final
Protocol of the commission was signed. News Agency Ð?Ð?Ð`press –
2001-2014

RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE: THE BURDEN OF THE CROSS

AINA Assyrian International News Agency
Dec 25 2014

The Guardian
Posted 2014-12-26 00:32 GMT

Photographs of slain Iraqi priests are seen during a mass at Our Lady
of Salvation church in Baghdad, Iraq in November 2010 (photo: Khalid
Mohammed/AP).The invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its aftermath can be
seen in hindsight as the greatest catastrophe to strike the ancient
Christian communities of the Middle East since the Mongol invasions.

In some ways it was worse. The Mongol invasions had as a side effect
the postponement for about 50 years of the collapse of the Crusader
kingdoms. The invasion of Iraq contributed nothing to the safety of
any Christian community anywhere.

The hideous convulsions that followed have been dreadful for everyone
in the region, but nobody has suffered more than the Christians,
persecuted alike in Sunni and Shia states. In the nations that are not
at war, they are tolerated but oppressed; in the Gulf, most Christians
are servants, abominably treated. Their religion must be practised in
secret, with converts threatened with death. In Iran, a missionary or
a pastor is hanged from time to time as an exercise in public morality.

In the states where war rages, every man’s hand is against them. The
Christian population of Iraq was more than a million in 2003. Now it
is less than a third of that size, with perhaps half that number in
Kurdistan, which is functionally independent of the Shia government
anyway. They are not coming back. Nor can they feel safe in Kurdistan.

It was Sunni Kurds who did much of the killing in Turkey’s attempted
genocide of the Armenian Christians 100 years ago, and both sides
remember this.

In Syria, a brutal sectarian insurgency drives some Christians to
support the ruthless Assad regime. In Egypt, the already vulnerable
Coptic Christians, who lived there for 600 years before the Muslims
arrived, had a dreadful Arab spring under the Islamist regime of
President Mohamed Morsi and, after the counter-revolutionary coup,
continue to be persecuted, both inside and outside the law. Even
Israel, which presents itself as a beacon of religious liberty,
is a dreadful place to live for Christian Arabs, caught between an
occupying army in the West Bank and Muslim fundamentalism in Gaza.

Further east, in Pakistan, a corrupt government fails to challenge
deep prejudice that leaves Christians vulnerable to judicial murder
under the blasphemy laws, as well as to the lynchings and pogroms to
which the authorities turn an understanding eye. Those rare politicians
brave enough to speak up for toleration can be assassinated, sometimes
by their own bodyguards.

Across a wide belt of sub-Saharan Africa, but especially in Nigeria,
northern Kenya and the Central African Republic, there are simmering
wars between Muslim and Christian ethnic groups. In some cases, in
the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in South Sudan, Christian
armies fight merciless civil wars against each other and civilian
populations. It isn’t just a simple story of Muslims persecuting
Christians. In China and in North Korea, atheist governments are
persecuting Christians; in Russia, an Orthodox Christian regime treats
Catholics with suspicion and Protestants with brutality. In India,
state governments have indulged the persecution of Christians under
the ludicrous pretext that they are stamping out proselytism.

Nonetheless, the problem of Christian persecution is most pronounced
in Islamic societies, and especially in places where oil riches are
inflaming prejudice. Of course, Muslims in Europe or North America
confront intolerance too, but it would be silly to deny that the
situation of Christians in the Middle East is very much worse.

The answer is not to inflame matching animosity against Islam. A
clearer understanding of that faith’s complexities would be a help,
both to praise the visions of peace it contains and to condemn the
way that certain Muslim ideas are turned into aggression by some
adherents. But this is best done in terms that Muslims themselves can
embrace, through a discussion involving people of all faiths as well
as those of none.

Just as important is a resolute stand for the principle of religious
freedom everywhere. Religious belief is fundamental to many human
identities. Freedom of faith must be defended, irrespective of whether
the attacks come from totalitarian atheist regimes or theocracies. For
the faithful, what they believe about God is inseparable from what
they understand about human beings. But God’s rights must never be
allowed to trample on human rights.

ALEXAN HAROUTIOUNIAN POURRAIT ETRE LE FUTUR AMBASSADEUR D’ARMENIE EN ARGENTINE, URUGUAY, CHILI ET PARAGUAY

DIPLOMATIE ARMENIENNE

Alexan Haroutiounian pourrait selon > (Liberte)
etre nomme Ambassadeur d’Armenie en Argentine, Uruguay, Chili et
Paraguay, en remplacement de l’Ambassadeur Vahakn Melikian qui revient
a Erevan trois ans avant la fin de sa mission.

Alexan Haroutiounian -qui avait debute ses fonctions diplomatiques a
Paris- et ancien president du Conseil d’administration de la Radio
et Television publique d’Armenie pourrait ainsi s’envoler vers le
contient Sud-Americain.

Krikor Amirzayan

vendredi 26 decembre 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

LES PRETS D’AMERIABANK AUX PETITES ET MOYENNES ENTREPRISES EN HAUSSE DE 65 POUR CENT

ARMENIE

Les prets d’Ameriabank aux petites et moyennes entreprises a bondi
de 65 pour cent en Août par rapport a l’annee precedente a hauteur
de 14 millions de dollars a annonce le directeur des operations de
detail Arman Barseghyan.

S’exprimant lors d’une conference de presse Arman Barseghyan a declare
que le montant des prets consentis via des cartes de credit a augmente
de 38% a 13 millions de dollars, que les prets accordes pour l’achat
de vehicules a augmente de 11% a 10,2 millions de dollars et que les
prets hypothecaires ont connu une hausse de 8%.

> a declare
Arman Barseghyan.

vendredi 26 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

UNE NOUVELLE MINE ARMENIENNE LANCEE

ARMENIE

Surmontant la resistance farouche des ecologistes, une societe minière
privee a officiellement lance des operations de production de cuivre
qui permettront d’accroître sensiblement la production dans le secteur
principalement orientee vers l’exportation de l’economie armenienne.

Vallex Group a inaugure durant le week-end une usine de traitement
du minerai qu’il a construit dans la foret du Teghut dans la province
septentrionale du Lori dans le cadre d’un projet de 380 millions de $
d’une mine de cuivre et de molybdène.

Le President Serge Sarkissian a souligne le soutien ferme du
gouvernement armenien pour le projet controverse par sa presence a la
ceremonie d’ouverture. Elle a eu lieu seulement trois semaines après
que le gouvernement ait donne un feu vert definitif a la societe
britannique &fin de developper les reserves inexploitees d’or de
l’Armenie.

Les groupes de protection de l’environnement armeniens ont pendant
des annees tente de saborder le projet de Teghut, disant qu’il allait
faire encore plus de ravages sur les espaces verts du pays qui ont
diminue de facon spectaculaire depuis les annees 1990.

Les mines a ciel ouvert au Teghut mèneront a la destruction de 357
hectares de foret, y compris 128 000 arbres. Vallex Group s’est engage
a compenser ces dommages en plantant deux fois plus d’arbres dans les
zones adjacentes et en creant ainsi une nouvelle et plus grande foret.

Il a egalement nie les allegations des ecologistes que le concassage
du minerai va polluer une rivière locale et les eaux souterraines.

Vallex, qui possède aussi des mines de cuivre ailleurs dans Lori
ainsi que dans le Haut-Karabagh, a egalement souligne l’importance
socio-economique du projet pour l’Armenie. Il pretend avoir cree
environ 1300 nouveaux emplois et s’est engage a construire de nouvelles
ecoles et ameliorer les infrastructures dans les villages voisins.

Les critiques rejettent ces assurances, en faisant valoir, entre autres
choses, que l’entreprise n’a pas reussi a moderniser sa fonderie de
cuivre de l’ère sovietique situe dans l’Alaverdi, une ville connue
pour son air pollue et la forte incidence des maladies graves.

Vallex, qui est gere et au moins partiellement detenu par
l’entrepreneur russo-armenien Valeri Mejlumyan, affirme avoir deja
investi près de 340 millions de dollars dans Teghut. Il a emprunte
l’essentiel de cet argent de VTB, une banque russe de premier plan.

La societe a egalement attire l’annee dernière 62 millions de
dollars le financement d’un fonds de pension danois qui devait etre
partiellement ou totalement canalisee dans les achats de materiel
metallurgique. Plus tôt en 2013, le gouvernement armenien a accepte
de reporter de trois ans la collecte de 20 pour cent de la taxe sur
la valeur ajoutee de certains de ces equipements.

Le gisement de minerai contiendrait environ 1,6 million de tonnes
de cuivre et 100 000 tonnes environ de molybdène. Dans un communique
publie sur son site Internet, Vallex dit qu’il prevoit de fabriquer
du minerai non ferreux pour 182 millions de $ en 2015.

Par comparaison, la production dans les secteurs minier et de la
metallurgie en Armenie s’elève a 300 millions de dollars entre Janvier
et Octobre 2014, selon les donnees du gouvernement. Ce chiffre etait
equivalent a près de 29 pour cent de la production industrielle globale
armenienne. Les metaux de base et minerais enrichis representaient
egalement près de la moitie des exportations armeniennes qui s’
elevaient a 1,25 milliards de $ dans la periode des dix mois.

Les recettes d’exportation du secteur sont en baisse de près de 5
pour cent sur un an, refletant une baisse de plus de 10 pour cent du
prix international du cuivre enregistree depuis Janvier.

Le prix de l’or, un autre produit d’exportation majeur armenien, a
egalement diminue considerablement depuis le debut de 2013. Neanmoins,
les exportations d’or ont augmente de 10 pour cent a près de 60
millions de dollars entre Janvier et Septembre 2014, selon le service
douanier national. En termes physiques, ils ont augmente de près de
49 pour cent, a 2,77 tonnes.

Les plus grandes mines d’or d’Armenie sont exploites par une societe
russe, GeoPro Mining. Ces derniers pretendent avoir fait 140 millions
de dollars d’ investissements en capital dans les mines dans la
province de Gegharkunik et dans une fonderie situee dans la ville
meridionale d’Ararat depuis 2011.

La production d’or dans le pays devrait encore augmenter après le
lancement prochain de l’exploitation minière du gisement d’Amulsar
dans la province du Vayots Dzor. Lydian International, une societe
britannique, prevoit d’investir plus de 400 millions de dollars dans
l’operation. Le ministère armenien de la protection de l’environnement
a donne son approbation finale au projet au debut du mois.

“Lydian entend qu’ Amulsar deviendra un projet d’exploitation minier et
d’investissement exemplaire en Armenie,” a declare Howard Stevenson,
president de l’entreprise dans un communique date du 2 decembre Il
a dit qu’au moins 700 personnes travailleront a Amulsar au cours des
dix prochaines annees.

Le projet a egalement suscite des protestations des ecologistes
armeniens. Ils citent la proximite de Jermuk, la plus grande et la
plus celèbre station thermale du pays.

Lydian a maintes fois cherche a dissiper ces preoccupations,
disant qu’elle va utiliser la technologie de pointe et se conformer
strictement aux normes de securite environnementales.

vendredi 26 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ESCALATION AROUND KESSAB CALMS DOWN: REPORT

December 25, 2014 – 17:36 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian-populated Syrian town of Kessab saw
certain escalation in recent days. Women and children were evacuated
to neighboring Latakia, with men left behind to guard the town,
Karabakh-open.info said.

The town, that just started reviving after the spring 2014’s tragic
events, was under the threat of shelling 3 days ago, after the rocket
strike on Leghi Jur checkpoint nearby.

At present, the situation has calmed down, with Kessab residents
urging against spreading unverified information.

According to earlier reports from military sources, groups of armed
militants were noted at the border with Syria.

Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kessab had, for a while evaded major battles in the Syrian
conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in recently years
with the city serving as safe haven for those fleeing from the war-torn
cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On March 21, extremist foreign
fighters launched a vicious attack on Kessab civilians, forcing them
to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit. Hundreds of Kessab Armenians
found refuge in Latakia.

The 3-year civil war in Syria took the lives of over 170,000 and
displaced around 9 million. Before the war, Syria was home to around
80,000 Armenians. At present, 10,000 left for Armenia and 5,000
for Lebanon.

ARMENIA MAY PRESERVE GREATER PART OF ITS PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS WITH EUROPEAN UNION- DEPUTY MINISTER

YEREVAN, December 25. / ARKA /. Armenia still may preserve the greater
part of its previous arrangements and agreements with the European
Union after joining formally the Eurasian Economic Union on January 1,
2015, according to a deputy economy minister Garegin Melkonyan.

Speaking to a news conference today he said Armenian and EU officials
resumed discussions on the format of their future relations this
month with the focus on a set of specific economic and trade issues,
including the wordings of some documents.

“We have preserved the bulk of the existing formats of relations
and agreements, which were reached when we worked on the Association
Agreement with the European Union. There are questions that do not meet
or can not meet the commitments Armenia has assumed as a member of
the Eurasian Economic Union, but the assessment made by our European
partners shows that most of the package of agreements with the EU
can be preserved to be incorporated in the new format of relations,”
Melkonyan said.

According to him, there is a shared confidence that in 2015 Armenia
and EU can make significant progress in their talks.

After negotiations in early September 2013 Armenian and Russian
presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin said in a joint statement
that Armenia intended to join the Russia-led Customs Union and
participate in the establishment of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Before that announcement Yerevan was expected to sign an association
and free trade agreements with the EU at an Eastern Partnership
summit in Vilnius. European officials said the two formats were
incompatible.-0–

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 December 24, 2014
————————————————————
St. David
An angel announces the birth of Christ (detail from a Nativity mural
at Holy Etchmiadzin).

** What It’s All About
————————————————————
There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid.

But the angel said unto them, `Fear not! For, behold-I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
born this day, in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.’

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God, and saying: `Glory to God in the highest! And on
earth, peace; good will toward men.’

As a very wise person once said, having quoted this passage from the
gospel of Luke: `That’s what Christmas is all about.’

Today, in these hours before so much of the world celebrates the birth
of Jesus, we wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas.

Some 12 days from now, faithful souls in Armenian sanctuaries across
the world will be raising their voices in grateful praise of our
Lord’s birth-and we encourage you to be a part of that joyous
celebration in your local church.

And throughout the coming days, keep hold of what Christmas is all
about: God’s love for mankind; His gifts of peace and good
will=80’embodied in the birth of His precious son.

To read the Primate’s Christmas message for this year, click here
()
.

New Website for Summer Camps

** Visit the New Summer Camps Website
————————————————————
The Diocese’s Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is
pleased to announce the launch of the new summer camps website:

The new site offers online registration and credit card payment
options for both Hye Camp and St. Vartan Camp, simplifying the
registration process for families across the Diocese. In addition, all
CIT, staff, and volunteer applications are available for
download. Other features include a blog, photo galleries, resources
for parents, and an alumni corner.

Click on the following links to visit the new site
()
and to download this year’s camps flyer
()
and brochure
()
. To be added to the camp e-mail list, send your contact information
to Jennifer Morris, the Diocese’s Director of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries, at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

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

Is 41:4-14
Heb 7:11-25
Lk 19:12-28

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

Guard us, O Christ our God, in peace under the shadow of your holy and
venerable Cross. Deliver us from the visible and invisible enemy. Make
us worthy to give you thanks and to glorify you together with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always. Amen.

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

25 December: St. Stephen the Protodeacon and First Martyr

27 December: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul

29 December: Holy Apostles James and John, “Sons of Thunder”

3 January: Sts. Basil, Gregory of Nissa, Sylvester of Rome, and Ephrem
the Syrian

5 January: Eve of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ

6 January: Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
His Holiness Karekin II tours the new youth center.

** Armenian Church Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
————————————————————
The Armenian Church Youth Center (
Hayortyats Tnner) program opened a new branch in Gyumri earlier this
month. His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, presided over the opening ceremony on December 4.

The Gyumri Youth Center offers sports, singing, dancing, music, and
painting classes to local children. Construction of the new center was
made possible through the generosity of Sandra Shahinian Leitner, a
parishioner of the Eastern Diocese and a longtime servant of the
Armenian Church. Located at the site of a Soviet military edifice
erected in 1930, the original structure was largely destroyed by the
1988 earthquake.

Click here
()
to read more.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————
Armenian Christmas Schedule at St. Vartan Cathedral

** Christmas Services at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
The Feast of the Nativity and Baptism of Jesus Christ will be observed
at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on Monday and Tuesday,
January 5 and 6, 2015. Click here
()
to view the special liturgical schedule for these “Armenian Christmas”
services.

The Blessing of Water service will follow the Divine Liturgy on
January 6. Dr. Vicken Pamoukian will serve as “godfather” of the
Blessing of Water service.

A Home Blessing service and Christmas reception will be held in Haik
and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium following services on January 6. The
Akh’tamar Armenian Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Sylva
Assadourian, will perform during the reception, which is open to all.

Most local parishes will celebrate Christmas on January 6, but the
Primate has also directed that they may observe the occasion on
Sunday, January 11. For information on services in your area, contact
your local parish
()
to ascertain the date and time of its Armenian Christmas celebration.

Submit Your Photo

** Christmas Photo Album: A Call for Submissions
————————————————————
How do you celebrate Armenian Christmas in your hometown? Send us
digital photos from your local Christmas church services and other
celebrations, and we will feature them in our online album the week
after Christmas.

Please e-mail photos (with your name, parish, city, and country) to
[email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) by Wednesday, January 14.

We look forward to receiving submissions from the parishes of the
Eastern Diocese, as well as from our readers in Armenian communities
across the globe.

Diocesan Council
Council members gathered for their monthly meeting on December 16.

** Diocesan Council Continues Work on Strategic Plan
————————————————————
Meeting at the Diocesan Center in New York on Tuesday, December 16,
members of the Diocesan Council heard reports from Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Diocesan Primate; the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian,
Diocesan Vicar; and Jacob H. Yahiayan, the Diocese’s Director of
Administration.

The council discussed three areas of the Diocesan Strategic Plan:
outreach, clergy education, and subject oriented topics. (The
Strategic Plan was introduced at the 112th Diocesan Assembly.) They
also discussed the Diocese’s Annual Appeal, other development efforts,
and ideas for enriching parish visits by the Primate and Diocesan
Council liaisons.

On the subject of the 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide, the council spoke about the national commemoration (see the
item below) and ways to disseminate information regarding upcoming
events.

Armenian Genocide Cintennial

** The Armenian Genocide: 100th Year of Remembrance
————————————————————
The coming year will mark 100 years since the start of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915. At the time, it was the greatest calamity to ever
befall our nation. But the subsequent century also tells an
extraordinary tale of our people`s resilience, strength, and faith.

Armenian-Americans will commemorate this milestone year with a
national observance in Washington, D.C. in May 2015. Special events
are scheduled for May 7 to 9. The weekend will include an ecumenical
prayer service at the National Cathedral, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy,
a memorial concert, and an awards banquet honoring organizations and
individuals 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, will both
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; details on the 2015
Assembly will be forthcoming.

People in the New York metro region should also reserve the dates of
April 24, 25, and 26 for commemoration events in New York City. These
will include liturgical celebrations and the annual Times Square
program sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan.

We encourage our parishes to let us know as early as possible about
their local observances. Resources are available on the Diocesan
website to assist parishes in raising awareness in their surrounding
communities. Click here
()
to access these materials.

2015 Diocesan Calendar

** “We Are Few”: The 2015 Diocesan Calendar
————————————————————
The 2015 Diocesan Calendar is a meditation on the 100th year of
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, titled
We Are Few: The Persistence of a People.

Featuring powerful words by the great Armenian poet Barouyr Sevag,
alongside images from photographer Scout Tufankjian’s odyssey through
Armenian communities around the world, the 2015 calendar is a glimpse
into Armenian life, a century after the Genocide.

The result is a beautiful, spiritually uplifting testimony to our
persistence as a people-which we hope will be a source of inspiration
throughout the coming milestone year.

If you have not received your free copy of the calendar, click here to
subscribe
()
to our mailing list.

Art Class Students Visit St. Vartan Cathedral
Dr. Helen Evans speaks about the architectural plan of St. Vartan
Cathedral during a tour of the sanctuary.

** Learning About Armenian Art at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
Columbia University students taking a class on Armenian art visited
the Diocesan Center on Friday, December 19, with their professor
Dr. Helen Evans, curator for Byzantine art at the Metropolitan
Museum. The students toured St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, visited the
Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and viewed
manuscripts in the Diocese’s collection.

Dr. Evans described the architectural plan of St. Vartan Cathedral,
which is patterned on the medieval St. Hripsime Church in Armenia. The
Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan Vicar, accompanied the group
on the tour of the sanctuary and answered questions. The Very
Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, director of the Zohrab Center, spoke to the
students about the Diocese’s collection of manuscripts and art.

Dr. Evans, a preeminent scholar of Byzantine and Armenian art, is
teaching a fall semester course titled `Origins of Armenian Art:
Creating an Identity’ as part of the Armenian Center visiting
professorship at Columbia University.

Click here
()
to view photos from last week’s visit.

Anna Turcotte
Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte reads from her book, Nowhere: A Story of
Exile.

** Author Speaks of Family’s Escape from Baku
————————————————————
Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte presented her book,
Nowhere: A Story of Exile, at the Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center on Thursday, November 13. The book tells of her
family’s experiences during the anti-Armenian pogroms in Baku,
Azerbaijan, in the late 1980s and early `90s.

Ms. Astvatsaturian Turcotte was 10 when the brutalities began in Baku,
and kept a diary from ages 14 to 16 of her family’s struggles in
Azerbaijan, Armenia, and America. More than two decades after settling
in the United States, she decided to publish her recollections in what
became Nowhere: A Story of Exile.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view a video of the presentation
()
.

FAR
Children welcome FAR representatives to their school in Berd.

** Improving Educational Facilities in Tavush
————————————————————
Hundreds of young people living in Armenia’s Tavush region now have
improved educational and recreational facilities, thanks to the Fund
for Armenian Relief’s `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty’ program. These
facilities include outdoor playgrounds, a gymnasium, and a special
cooking classroom.

The `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program was established by the
Mardigian Family Foundation through the largest-ever contribution made
to FAR. The five-year project addresses malnutrition, unemployment,
poverty, and infrastructure weaknesses in Armenia’s northeastern
Tavush province.

Click here
()
to read more on FAR’s blog.

advent

** Read our Advent Blog
————————————————————
Throughout the Advent season, Eric Vozzy of the Diocese’s Department
of Christian Education has been posting weekly Advent reflections on
the Diocese’s blog. Click here
()
to visit our blog for this week’s entry.

Advent is a season of preparation for one of the greatest feasts of
the church, the Nativity of Jesus Christ. In the Armenian Church,
Advent is a period of 50 days called Heesnag (from the Armenian word
for 50, heesoon). It is a time for prayer, reflection, devotion to
Scripture, fasting, and service.

Annual Appeal

** Support the Diocese’s 2014 Annual Appeal
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With only weeks remaining, the Eastern Diocese is making an urgent
plea for support of the 2014 Annual Appeal. Follow this link to donate
now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal-the only Diocesan-wide fundraiser conducted
each year to help the Diocese undertake the many ministries, programs,
and resources that enrich life in our parishes.

Your thoughtful gift brings light to our local churches. It supports
Christian education, Armenian language instruction, summer camps,
youth programs, mission parish outreach, and the use of new
communication technologies.

To our past and prospective donors, we are deeply grateful for your
support of the creative, educational, and inspirational programs that
lift up Armenian communities throughout the Eastern Diocese.

Please accept this invitation to strengthen our efforts. Your generous
contribution to the 2014 Annual Appeal will help spread the good work
of the Armenian Church across our local communities-and across the
generations.

Follow this link to donate now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal.

Donate Stocks

** Now is the Time for Tax-Smart Giving
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With a little planning, you can do more for the Armenian Church than
you might have thought possible. Here are two end-of-the-year
opportunities for you to consider.

1. Give stock. Stock gains on Wall Street have set record highs in
2014. You may wish to consider a charitable gift of appreciated
securities before 2014 closes. There is no federal income tax on your
gain, and you may be able to take a tax deduction. Please consult with
your financial advisor to see how the rules apply to your specific tax
situation.

2. Give from your IRA. Congress has just reinstated the IRA charitable
rollover. This means that if you are age 70½ or more, you can make a
tax-free charitable gift of up to $100,000 directly from your
IRA. This significant tax break expires on December 31. Ask your
financial advisor to show you how easy it is.

Gifts to the Diocese are payable to:
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
EIN: 13-1628202
630 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Then please contact Angela Kazarian at (212) 686-0710 so that we can
thank you! With planned giving, you can take care of yourself, your
loved ones, and your church.

** PARISH NEWS
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St. James Church, Watertown, MA
ACYOA members hold up gifts they collected for a local charity.

** Watertown ACYOA Completes Outreach Project
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Last week, ACYOA members of St. James Church of Watertown, MA, took
part in a Christmas outreach project by volunteering at a local
Christian charity called My Brother’s Keeper. The project began
earlier this winter when the ACYOA organized a `Giving Tree’ toy drive
at St. James Church, asking parishioners to select and fulfill wish
lists attached to a Christmas tree at the church.

On December 16, a group of ACYOA members, led by youth minister Maria
Derderian, traveled to Easton, MA, to deliver the presents they
collected to My Brother’s Keeper. Volunteering in the organization’s
`Santa’s Workshop,’ ACYOA members spent time wrapping the gifts and
writing Christmas messages to families in the Boston area.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Stepanos Church, Elberon, NJ
Purchasing baked goods at the St. Stepanos Church bake sale.

** Bake Sale in Elberon
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The Women’s Guild of St. Stepanos Church of Elberon, NJ, organized its
annual bake sale on December 20 and 21.

New this year was a gift auction table, which was well received by the
many parishioners and members of the larger community who stopped by
the two-day event. Other highlights included a lahmajun lunch and
Armenian baked goods, such as choreg, tahin hatz, pakhlava, khadayif,
and cheese boreg.

Click here
()
to view photos.

St. Mesrob Church, Racine, WI
ACYOA members with Fr. Yeprem Kelegian.

** Christmas Caroling in Racine
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This Christmas season, the ACYOA Seniors and Juniors of St. Mesrob
Church of Racine, WI, under the leadership of their pastor, the
Rev. Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, reached out to parishioners in nursing homes
and to those who recently lost loved ones. The young people split up
into two groups and visited 13 places to sing Christmas carols, pray,
and spend time in fellowship with others.

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
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Hye Pointe Church | Haverhill, MA
The ACYOA of Hye Pointe Church of Haverhill, MA, will host a
`Chocolate and Cookie Christmas Social’ on Saturday, December
27. Enjoy an interactive chocolate and cookie decorating demo with
guest chef and ACYOA member Nathan Kibarian. Gift baskets and packaged
sweets will be available for sale after the program. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.

St. Garabed Church | Baton Rouge, LA
St. Garabed Church of Baton Rouge, LA, will host a `New Year Holiday
Dance Party’ on Saturday, December 27. The evening will feature live
music by Kevork Artinian and George Tebrejian. The event will be held
at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.

St. Thomas Church | Tenafly, NJ
St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ, will host a New Year’s eve
celebration on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 8 p.m. Enjoy music
by DJ Alan, a full-course dinner, champagne, and special activities
for children. Click here
()
to view a flyer for reservation information, or contact the church at
(201) 567-5446.

The Kirikian Armenian School of St. Thomas Church will host an
Armenian Christmas dinner on January 6 at 1 p.m. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information. To RSVP, contact Talar Sarafian at
(201) 240-8541 or [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) ;
Tanya Vartanyan at (201) 941-6764 or [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) ; or call the church office at (201)
567-5446.

Armenian Church of Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL
The Armenian Church of Jacksonville will host a New Year’s eve
gathering on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 10 p.m. Enjoy
dinner, music, dancing, and raffles. Reservations must be made in
advance. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

Armenian Church of Southwest Florida | Naples, FL
The Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and
perform the Blessing of Water service at the Armenian Church of
Southwest Florida on Sunday, January 11, at 1:30 p.m. The service will
be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (3901 Davis Blvd., Naples,
FL). Leon Nigohosian will serve as “godfather” of the Blessing of
Water service. A Christmas dinner (reservations required) will follow.

Services and activities are also scheduled for the following dates:
February 8 (Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan; bake sale to follow);
February 17 (Ladies and Men’s Luncheon at M. Waterfront Grille); March
1 (Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian; Lenten luncheon to follow); and March
10 (picnic at Longshore Lakes in Naples).

For information, or to make reservations, e-mail Carole Meghreblian at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

** YOUTH NEWS
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ACYOA Chapter Workshop

** Register for ACYOA Chapter Workshop
————————————————————
The ACYOA Central Council is looking forward to the annual ACYOA
Seniors Chapter Workshop at the St. Hagop Church of Pinellas Park, FL,
from January 9 to 11, 2015.

All young adults 18 and older are invited to gather for a weekend
filled with learning through interactive discussions, Bible study, and
worship. In addition, participants will take part in a `Faith in
Action’ service project to benefit a local Florida charity. The plans
for the weekend express the spirit of the ACYOA through worship,
witness, service, education, and fellowship.

The Chapter Workshop is organized by the ACYOA Central Council and
hosted by the parish community of St. Hagop Church.

Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and register online
()
. For information, contact Lorie Odabashian at (212) 686-0710, or via
e-mail at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

** A NOTE TO OUR READERS
————————————————————
The Diocese’s e-Newsletter will not be published on New Year’s Day,
Thursday, January 1. We wish our readers a blessed Christmas season,
and we look forward to resuming e-Newsletter publication on Thursday,
January 8.

ECONOMIST: INFLATION IN ARMENIA INCONSISTENT WITH CURRENCY DEPRECIATION

Economy | 25.12.14 | 15:47

By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The Armenian government’s claims that the December inflation was
conditioned by the dram’s devaluation and is within the projected
limits cannot be true, economist Bagrat Asatryan said on Thursday.

The former Central Bank governor believes there is no direct
correlation between the devaluation of the national currency and
inflation, although Armenia is mostly an importing country and
naturally it is not possible to avoid inflation.

“There is dependency, but it is nothing, if we count based on current
developments, then inflation must have been only 0.3-0.5 percent.

There is no direct correlation; simply in Armenia the pricing policy
is not efficient. The gas price has not increased yet, and it is what
affects price formation most,” Asatryan told reporters today.

Emphasizing that mistrust toward the government is the main cause
of the dram’s drastic devaluation and the panic and the main cause
for the economic situation that followed, the economist said that it
was possible to prevent the situation if the government implemented
a correct policy.

“They say that exchange offices did speculations, but they are made
exactly for that. They must get out of such a level of debate and work
ethic and make decisions regarding the financial system, they must
make problems public and think about their solutions,” Asatryan said.

The dram depreciated drastically on December 17, which many observers
evaluated as “a day of panic currency buying”, when the dram exchange
rate hit its historic lows at above 600 AMD, after which it quickly
rebounded settling at 455-465 AMD per dollar.

“Approaches and decisions toward stabilization of the financial
system are important, and the Central Bank has that potential,”
Asatryan said. “The policy implemented during the dram devaluation
was a result of political pressure.”

“For 20 years we’ve been spending money to have an independent Central
Bank. But what do we have now?” he said, adding that risks for the
banking system have increased today.

BUSINESS ENTITY IN YEREVAN CAUSED DAMAGE TO NATURE IN AMOUNT OF 61.68 MILLION AMD DUE TO VIOLATION WATER PRESERVATION STANDARDS

14:47 December 23, 2014

EcoLur

>From 15.12.2014 to 20.12.2014 the State Environmental Inspection
detected violations during inspections it carried out, which resulted
in drawing up 26 decisions on administrative fines in the amount of
1.95 million AMD, while the total damage caused to environmental was
estimated in the amount of 62.52 thousand AMD.

The sanctions imposed by the State Environmental Inspection results
in 1.87 million AMD paid to the state budget, as the official website
of Nature Protection Ministry informs.

Particularly, Yerevan Territorial Division detected violation of
water preservation standards with one business entity and drew up
the decision on administrative fines in the amount of 200,000 AMD,
while the damage caused to environment was estimated in the amount
of 61.68 million AMD.