Author: Badalian Vardan

FRENCH CITY OF ALFORTVILLE COMMEMORATED VICTIMS OF SUMGAIT POGROM

20:12, 2 March, 2015

STEPANAKERT, 2 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. On February 27, members of the
“Nazarbek” Youth Union of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
organized an event commemorating the victims of the Sumgait Pogrom
in Alfortville, France. As the Department of Information and Public
Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic reports to “Armenpress”, the event included the showing of the
film “Sumgait: Unpunished Crime” made by “Tsir Katin” Studio, followed
by a speech by Permanent Representative of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic in France Hovhannes Gevorgyan.

He read the testimonies of survivors of the Sumgait Pogrom and
recalled the fact that the massacres were planned. The attendees
compared the Armenian Genocide and the Sumgait Pogrom, as well as
touched upon the Artsakh movement, its history and the current stage
of the liberation struggle.

“ARMENIA REWARDS THE BOLD”

March 2, 2015 15:27

The task force developing Armenia’s branding strategy has already
defined the main idea and has devised the overall concept of the
country’s branding and promises to introduce it this year.

Vasken Kalayjian, CEO of GK Brand developing Armenia’s competitive
branding strategy and program, wrote about it in his “Country Branding
Armenia: How National Character Becomes a Brand Icon” article.

We present passages from Vasken Kalayjian’s article:

Now that the Armenia Country Branding team has completed the discovery,
analytic and strategic phases of building a brand for Armenia, it
is working full speed ahead to put a face on it. This is where the
creative process takes center stage.

However daunting this may sound, our discovery phase has uncovered a
goldmine of compelling material to work with. The real challenge is
to identify which of Armenia’s many national attributes best resonate
with key stakeholders and primary audiences.

Another important factor is launching Armenia’s brand in a marketplace
that abounds with mature country brands that enjoy high recognition
and popular appeal–the likes of Great Britain, France, Brazil and
Spain, to name but a few.

Secondarily, regional competitors, such as Turkey, Georgia, Russia and
other post-soviet states are vying for the attentions of travelers
seeking new experiences and investors scouting for emerging growth
markets. Armenia needs to stand out by virtue of its unique assets
rather than leverage any similarities to its neighbors.

Defining the central idea

The first step in our creative exploratory is establishing the
central idea. This is the articulation of the primary behaviors,
principles and pragmatic approaches that keep a country brand on
course in realizing its vision.

In the case of Armenia, the central idea has several crosscurrents
running through it. At once, it inspires the mind and the heart,
yet it pursues success based on new knowledge. At the same time,
it preserves rich cultural traditions as it aspires to greatness as
a modern nation state.

The Country Brand team has translated each of these dimensions into
concrete proof points for Armenia. When it comes to inspiring the mind,
for example, Armenia’s complex history, ingenious architecture and
world domination in chess are crystalizing examples of the intellectual
legacy that drives Armenian innovation and invention.

As for speaking to the heart, Armenia’s early Christian roots
and emphasis on family life appeal to those seeking spiritual
fulfillment or, for Diaspora Armenians, the emotional tug of ancestry
and identity. In contrast, the pursuit of success is suggested by
Armenia’s growing entrepreneurial sector and the presence of global
companies seeking new markets in the region. And, surely, the emphasis
on new knowledge has sharpened Armenia’s competitive edge in high
tech, science and medicine. Yet tradition remains intricately woven
into the fabric of Armenian society–from holidays and weddings to
folk dances and mystical chants.

Ultimately, each component of the central idea helps inform national
strategies for raising Armenia’s potential for greatness in this
decade and beyond. This, in turn, helps drive the unifying concept
for the brand.

The unifying concept in action

The unifying concept works to motivate everyone up and down the
chain of society and ranks of government to keep strategies, efforts
and resources focused on the central idea. For Armenia, the Country
Branding team has put the unifying concept into one simple sentence:
Armenia rewards the bold. This is not a slogan or tagline. It serves
as the spirit behind the idea, thereby urging everyone to rally behind
and uphold Armenia’s national brand.

Armenia’s brand values

Brand values helps shape attitudes about what the country will do to
live up to its brand, how it will do it and who will serve as Armenia’s
“brand ambassadors”. The Country Branding team has identified four
brand values for Armenia.

1. Everything should inspire a conversation. That means that
communications should spark curiosity, engagement, and insert the
Armenian point of view across a variety of categories, from fashion,
music and science to economic development. The more relevant Armenia
can be to cultural trends of the time, the higher its profile in
traditional and social media, not to mention positive word of mouth.

2. Take short-term actions that lead to long-term value. This value
will build brand equity over the long term, as well as compound the
value of investment year over year and formalize responsible planning.

3. Fortune favors the bold. Linking back to the unifying concept,
this brand value speaks to Armenia’s points of difference and inspires
innovation, vision and originality.

4. Every relationship is an opportunity. This enshrines the brand
in a customer-centric philosophy. For economic growth, cultivating
long term partnerships with high potential for a steady return on
investment makes sense. For tourists, it means not just thinking
about the guest’s first visit, but the next one.

The big-idea: Armenia is an eternal source of inspiration

As mentioned earlier, Armenia has abundant material from which to build
a winning brand. But for those who come to know the Armenian story of
survival and transcendence invariably come away truly inspired. So it’s
no wonder that inspiration is intrinsic to Armenia’s brand positioning.

Armenia’s brand positioning statement

With the central idea, unifying concept, brand values and big idea in
place, the Country Branding Team is ready for the next critical step:
formulating the brand positioning statement–the master “narrative”
about Armenia, both in long and short form.

“Armenia is a symbol of tradition, innovation and perseverance. It’s a
place in which a vibrant cultural and spiritual heritage bridge past
and future. It’s a country that excels because the ability to adapt,
create and invent are part of the national character. And no matter
where on earth or at what point in time, the people thrive knowing
they will always be a part of an irrepressible, passionate nation.

Thus, the impression of Armenia is eternal.”

Condensing these thoughts down to what marketers call the “elevator
pitch” isn’t easy, but here is what the team was able to boil it
down to: “Armenia is eternal. Culture thrives everywhere. The people
are united by faith and a passion for prosperity. No matter where on
earth or at what point in time, the people thrive knowing they are
part of an irrepressible, passionate nation.”

Armenia as archetype

Another worthy exercise in the creative process is to reduce the
“narrative” to its most elemental and nonverbal form: a human
archetype. For example, Father, Mother, Sage, Hero, Eternal Youth
(Peter Pan) are all archetypical characters. For Armenia, the team
concluded that its primary archetype is the Creator. Its secondary
archetype is Explorer.

The rationales for these archetypes are powerful: the quintessential
Armenian driveto build (therefore create) and to learn (therefore
explore) has served the Armenian Nation well for millennia. There’s
no reason to stop now.

Armenia in the world context

Despite all the allure that Armenia holds for travelers and businesses,
making Armenia’s “face” stand out in a crowd of formidable competitors,
both regionally and internationally, is key to a successful launch
of a branded tourism and economic development campaign for Armenia.

To this end, our researchers have conducted a competitive audit of
branding and tourism campaigns for 80 countries. They concluded that
Armenia’s brand theme should be expressed as what marketers call a
“high-order” descriptor, meaning that it would express a feeling or
idea, rather than “physical assets”, such as Egypt has, with its
pyramids along the Nile. Nor should it focus on emotion, such as
lively Jamaica and colorful Spain, nor as a call to action, such as
the USA and France. Another descriptor that wouldn’t make sense for
Armenia is proximity, which is used by Belize and the Bahamas.

Later this year, the final execution of that brand in the form of
a logo and tagline will be unveiled in the media and launched in
marketplace for all to experience for themselves. Stay tuned.

VEDI RESIDENT BEGINS SIT-IN WITH HER 2 CHILDREN IN FRONT OF PRESIDENTIAL PALACE

03.02.2015 17:52 epress.am

Today, Vedi resident Ani Harutyunyan, with her two children (2 years
old and 2 months old), began a sit-in in front of the Presidential
Palace demanding that her husband be transferred to an open prison
regime, allowing him to leave the prison during the day in order
to work.

“I’m not asking for them to give me a place to stay or money to keep
the children. Let them implement an open prison regime, so my husband
goes out and works in order to support our children,” said Harutyunyan
to an Epress.am journalist.

Ani Harutyunyan’s husband Mihran Janigulyan was sentenced to 6.5
years imprisonment in 2012 for hooliganism; Janigulyan argued with his
father-in-law and hit him. His father-in-law Norayr Harutyunyan, was
also in front of the Presidential office, and decided to participate
in the sit-in with his daughter. He noted that, as the plaintiff,
he demands nothing from his son-in-law, and wishes that he comes out
and supports his family.

“There is also a 200,000 AMD fine my husband must pay. The state says
you have to cover that debt and then maybe receive amnesty afterwards.

Let them implement an open prison regime in order for him to work
and he’ll cover the debt.”

According to Ani Harutyunyan, they conducted a sit-in last month in
front of the Presidential office, however the Yerevan police called
the Vedi police, who subsequently arrived and convinced them to stop
the sit-in.

“They said come and we’ll solve the issue. It’s been one month and
there’s nothing new. I went to the police, they said “we’re fed
up with you.” We didn’t ask them to help us, so they get fed up,”
said Harutyunyan.

This time the woman is prepared to continue her sit-in until the
issue is resolved.

Ani Harutyunyan lives with her children in a home given to her by
the Vedi municipality, which, according to her, is in a disastrous
situation. Norayr Harutyunyan is a veteran, he’s appealed to President
Serzh Sargsyan and Republican Party MP, general Manvel Grigoryan as
military buddies, however his attempt bore no fruit.

Norayr Harutyunyan explained that he was arrested on March 1st, 2008
and was charged with participating in a mass riot. He was released due
to health reasons. He had received a contusion during the Karabakh war.

The Moscow Times, Russia
March 1 2015

Armenia’s Economic Growth Slows Amid Russian Slump

YEREVAN — Armenia’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed to 3.4
percent in 2014 from 3.5 percent in 2013, and was down from an
initially projected 5.2 percent, the National Statistics Service said
Friday.

In nominal terms GDP reached 4.526 trillion drams last year, up from
4.267 trillion drams in 2013.

Armenia, a former Soviet state of 3.2 million people, is closely tied
to Russia through trade and remittances. It also belongs to Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s Eurasian Union, a bloc he hopes will rival
the European Union.

Russia’s economy slowed sharply in 2014 and is expected to contract
this year under the weight of low oil prices and sanctions imposed by
Western nations on Moscow over its actions in Ukraine. Russia’s
economic woes have caused slowdowns and currency devaluations in a
number of neighboring states.

The International Monetary Fund cut its forecast for Armenia’s
economic growth last September to 2.6 percent from 3.6 percent in
2014.

(Reuters, MT)

Arts & Book Review
February 28, 2015
First Edition

Anush Hovhannisyan, Opera singer, 28

ONE TO WATCH

The Armenian soprano, who is on the Jette Parker Young Artists
Programme at the Royal Opera House, will sing the role of one of the
girls in Rise and Fall in the City of Mahagonny and Kate Pinkerton in
Madama Butterfly, both in March. She’s also about to sing the lead in
Le roi de Lahore with the Chelsea Opera Group. She began opera singing
aged four at her dad’s opera studio in Armenia and trained at the
Royal Conversatory of Scotland. “I’m open to the most wonderful
opportunities to come,” she says.

No disagreements between opposition, civil society

14:28 * 01.03.15

Human rights activist Artak Zeinalyan does not see any disagreements
between the Opposition and civil society.

“Nothing bad if the political opposition attempts to get dividends
from civil initiatives’ actions or vice versa, nothing bad about it,”
Mr Zeinalyan told Tert.am.

Armenia’s civil society would have succeeded greatly but for the
authorities’ resistance.

“The more active is political opposition the greater are civil
movements’ achievements. If there is no political opposition, it
happens like in Azerbaijan: the political opposition has been done
away with, and human rights activities and journalists have turned
into targets,” he said.

Speaking of a number of protests, Mr Zeinalyan said:

“They were spontaneous actions resulting from civil society’s demands.
We have no efficient election mechanisms and authorities are
independent of election results nor are they serving the people for
their accountability to produce good results.”

According to him, protests achieved their aims.

REVUE DE PRESSE
La turque Pinar Selek se bat pour la reconnaissance du génocide des Arméniens

Dans son nouvel essai Parce qu’ils sont arméniens, paru le 5 février
2015, Pinar Selek, la sociologue et dissidente turque, persiste et
signe. Après la question kurde, elle s’attaque aujourd’hui au
négationnisme du génocide arménien et à l’endoctrinement de la société
par l’Etat. L’infatigable militante est venue présenter cet ouvrage
polémique sur le plateau de TV5MONDE.

Féministe, anti-militariste, pacifiste, Pinar Selek est de tous les
combats. Sociologue de formation, dans les années 90, elle réalise des
recherches sur les militants kurdes en Turquie. Une enquête qui lui
vaudra interrogatoires, prison et procès incessants (voire encadré).

« L’Etat profond », un Etat dans l’Etat aux pratiques autoritaires,
fera de la jeune femme turque « un exemple » pour tous ceux qui, comme
elle, voudraient mettre sur la place publique la question kurde,
arménienne ou encore l’homosexualité. Autant de sujets considérés par
cet Etat profond, majoritairement composé de nationalistes et de
militaires, comme une déclaration de guerre à la grandeur de la nation
turque. Persécutée physiquement et judiciairement Pinar Selek ne
fléchira pas pour autant. 20 ans plus tard, elle continue « Ã toucher
à des lignes rouges ». La dernière d’entre elles, le génocide arménien
dont cette année 2015 marque le centenaire. Négationnisme d’Etat

Dans son livre, paru en France début février 2015, elle évoque un
négationnisme d’État et un endoctrinement de la société turque. Elle y
décrit la militarisation, la forte répression et comment l’Etat a
éduqué les différentes générations turques avec « des doctrines très
nationalistes », surtout celle de la décennie 80/90. « Tout le
discours était de dire `Quand il y a des contestations, ce sont des
Arméniens qui dirigent`. `Quand quelque chose ne va pas, c’est à cause
des Arméniens.` Un conditionnement qui débute dès l’école « d’après
les livres que nous devions apprendre par cÅ`ur, ligne après ligne, le
diable nommé arménien était l’éternel ennemi du Turc », écrit-elle
dans les première pages de son essai.

Au fil des pages, Pinar Selek dévoile également son cheminement
personnel vers une sensibilisation à la cause arménienne. Celle qui se
considère comme « un petit point du grand tableau », raconte comment
elle a survécu à la torture grce à des lettres envoyées tous les
jours par un anonyme. A sa sortie de prison elle découvrira qu’il
s’agissait d’un « vieux prêtre arménien ». Lors de leur première
rencontre, il lui dira : « il ne faut pas que l’on te voit avec moi,
cela pourrait te nuire ». « Pendant longtemps ils ont été considérés
comme des traîtres, des ennemis intérieurs de la société, surtout les
rescapés du génocide », s’indigne-t-elle. Tous Arméniens

Parmi les éléments qui ont « beaucoup joué dans sa transformation »,
elle évoque aussi sa rencontre avec le journaliste turco-arménien,
Hrant Dink, assassiné en 2007 « parce qu’il était arménien ».

Fondateur de l’hebdomadaire bilingue Agos et homme de paix, il avait
beaucoup Ã…`uvré pour l’émergence d’une cause arménienne mais aussi pour
la démocratie en Turquie en général. « Malgré la répression, au milieu
des années 90, il s’était créé un véritable espace militant et le
journal Agos était devenu un lieu de rencontres. » Grce à lui les
mouvements contestataires, notamment les mouvements de gauche, qui
jusqu’alors, niaient, eux aussi, le génocide, ont changé leur
position. Un phénomène qui, selon la militante, s’est amplifié après
l’assassinat du journaliste.

La récente tuerie de Charlie Hebdo, fait écho au meurtre de son ami.
La manifestation massive qui s’en est suivie aussi. « Il y avait des
similitudes, 300 000 Ã 400 000 personnes sont sorties dans les rues en
criant `Nous sommes tous arméniens `. C’était la première fois que des
Turcs marchaient pour un Arménien ». Même si, précise-t-elle, « le
contexte était différent. Nous, nous accusions l’Etat. »

A l’époque on ne pouvait pas utiliser le mot arménien maintenant ce
n’est plus un tabou. Au lendemain de l’événement, un nouveau mouvement
émerge autour d’Agos. La question du génocide n’est plus le propre
d’une minorité arménienne, de nombreux Turcs s’en emparent aussi. «
Avant, on ne pouvait pas utiliser le mot `Arménien` maintenant ce
n’est plus un tabou. En Turquie, il y a un changement qui vient du bas
qui vient des mouvements sociaux et qui commence à influencer le champ
politique. Maintenant on peut parler du sujet. Même si on a payé cher
! »

Un changement que l’auteure attribue au rapprochement des différentes
luttes sociales. Mouvement féministe, LGBT mais aussi, mouvements de
gauche, anti militariste, écologiste… A présent, ils luttent tous
ensemble. Et même si le chemin est encore long, la dissidente est
optimiste la transformation est en marche… « On a recréé un nouveau
discours, un nouveau souffle surtout parmi ma génération. » Et cela
vaut aussi côté arménien. La journaliste d’Agos, Karin KarakaÃ…?li, est
désormais… la porte parole du comité de soutien de Pinar Selek en
Turquie. Tout un symbole.

Mercredi 4 février, Pinar Selek était l’invitée du 64′ de TV5MONDE.

Il n’y a jamais que du noir et du blanc. La justice, par exemple,
reste indépendante.

voir la vidéo

dimanche 1er mars 2015,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Litige foncier sur le Nouvel Aéroport de Batman

Après le litige sur la propriété du terrain sur lequel l’aéroport de
Diyarbékir se trouve aujourd’hui, le terrain sur lequel se trouve
l’aéroport Batman fait l’objet lui aussi d’une demande en justice.
Zuart Sudjian a intenté un procès au tribunal, se plaignant que l’état
avait construit un aéroport sur le terrain dont elle avait hérité. Le
terrain de Sudjian près de Diyarbékir avait également fait l’objet
d’une appropriation par l’état, et l’Aéroport de Diyarbékir avait été
construit en partie sur son terrain.

Zuart Sudjian est une Arménienne dont la famille a des racines à
Diyarbékir. Sudjian fait partie de la famille Basmacryan de
Diyarbekir, où elle vit aujourd’hui. Sudjian a découvert que le
terrain dont elle avait hérité de sa famille avait fait l’objet d’une
appropriation par l’état lors de travaux cadastraux ; par suite, elle
avait engagé un procès et demandé au tribunal qu’il décide de la
restitution du terrain. D’après son dossier, comme à Diyarbékir, un
aéroport a été construit sur les terres de Sudjian à Batman. La 2ème
Cour de Première Instance a reçu sa demande et ouvert un procès.

Demandes de Villageois rejetées au Motif d’Arméniens ‘disparus’

L’histoire du terrain est elle aussi intéressante. D’après le dossier
de l’affaire, sa famille ayant quitté la Turquie, les villageois
avaient usé des terrains pendant de nombreuses années. L’étude
cadastrale dont il est question avait eu lieu en 1960. Et cependant,
au cours des travaux cadastraux, les villageois soutenaient que c’est
à eux que l’usus du terrain était acquis, et entamèrent une action
afin que la terre leur soit donnée. En 1963, la Cour Cadastrale de
Batman rejeta les demandes des villageois. Dans ses attendus motivés,
le tribunal avait déclaré que la propriété des terrains dont il
s’agissait, avaient été transférée au Trésor, propriétés d’Arméniens
qui avaient ‘disparu’ 40 ans auparavant, et appartenaient depuis lors
au Trésor, et que les villageois qui avaient introduit l’instance
n’avaient aucun droit sur les terrains, et les débouta de leurs
demandes. Tel est le document officiel le plus important relatif à la
propriété des terres.

La Cour Accepte d’examiner l’affaire

Les avocats de Sudjian ont présenté la décision de la Cour Cadastrale
de 1963 comme pièce du dossier dans la nouvelle affaire. Les avocats
ont déclaré que l’enregistrement opéré par le Trésor était
‘irrégulière’ et ont demandé l’annulation de cet enregistrement, et le
paiement d’une indemnité.

Les avocats ont également relevé le fait que dans l’autre affaire
concernant les terrains de l’aéroport de Diyarbékir, la décision
précédente du tribunal de rejeter l’affaire du fait du délai de
prescription de 10 ans qui a trait à la perte des droits a été annulée
par la Cour de Cassation, laquelle a demandé que l’affaire soit
retenue. C’est ainsi que le tribunal a accepté le dossier et lancé
l’affaire. Le tribunal commencera à étudier le fond de l’affaire après
l’examen des enregistrements cadastraux des lots concernés et les
actes de propriété sur les terres présentés par les avocats.

Uygar Gültekin

Journal AGOS

Traduction Gilbert Béguian

dimanche 1er mars 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley-Education Committee
6252 Honolulu Ave.
Lacrescenta, CA. 91214
Tel: 818-244-9645
E-mail: [email protected]

Prelate H.E. Abp. Moushegh Mardirossian Lectures on the Canonization

On Sunday, February 22, 2015, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, presided over Divine Liturgy and delivered the sermon at the
Armenian Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley. Following the service, by the
invitation of the parish Educational Committee, the Prelate delivered a
lecture on the canonization of Armenian Genocide martyrs.

The day began with Divine Liturgy celebrated by parish pastor Rev. Fr.
Ghevont Kirazian. By the ordinance of the Prelate and at the request of the
Armenian Relief Society Regional Executive, on this day requiem prayers were
offered in Prelacy Churches in memory of departed ARS members and sponsors.

Near the conclusion of the service, on behalf of the parish family, Fr.
Ghevont welcomed the Prelate and wished for God to bless him with many years
of good health and leadership of the Western Prelacy. He then invited the
Prelate to deliver the sermon.

His Eminence began by explaining the meaning and message of each Sunday of
Great Lent, then focused on the message of that day, Sunday of the
Expulsion, which recounts the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. Last
Sunday, on the eve of Great Lent, we celebrated the good life that Adam and
Eve enjoyed in Paradise in the presence of God. This Sunday, we recall the
consequences when they disobeyed God’s commandment, said the Prelate.
However, it was not the will of our merciful Lord for man to live a life
apart from Him, for man to be consumed with sin and death. And so, God
opened the path for our return to Him, He gives us the opportunity for
redemption, through sincere repentance and confession, concluded the
Prelate.

His Eminence then conveyed his message to the Armenian Relief Society
commending the organization’s invaluable contributions to our nation in the
past 105 years and praying for the souls of the departed to rest in peace.
The service came to a close with the requiem. Guests enjoyed a reception
prepared by the parish Ladies Guild, after which they took their seats at
the “Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian” Hall for the Prelate’s lecture.

Parish Board of Trustees Chair and Master of Ceremonies Mr. Dikran Der
Sarkissian welcomed the guests and invited violinist Ophelia Nanakoulian and
pianist Shoushan Hagopian to present two musical selections. He then invited
the Prelate to deliver his presentation. His Eminence first commended the
Parish Pastor, Board of Trustees, and Educational Committee for their hard
work in organizing the monthly lecture series, and then began his lecture,
giving unique insight to the guests as a member of the Canonization
Committee.

The Prelate began by noting that preliminary discussions to canonize the
martyrs of the Armenian Genocide began twenty-five years ago, on the 75th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, by His Holiness Vazken I and His
Holiness Karekin II of blessed memory. At the time, Archbishop Zareh
Aznavorian of blessed memory composed the hymn dedicated to the martyrs,
which the Prelate read passages from. The hymn memorializes our martyrs who
shed their blood for the preservation of our Christian faith, our Armenian
identity, and our religious and cultural treasures.

His Eminence spoke about the two Bishops’ Synods that were held in
Etchmiadzin in 2013 and 2014, stating that one of the issues discussed was
whether the martyrs should be canonized as individuals or collectively.
After lengthy deliberations, the Canonization Committee had decided that at
this stage, the martyrs would be canonized collectively, as the 1036 martyrs
of the Vartanants battle were. The Committee had also prepared the
declaration, the martyrology, and the procedure for the ceremony, which were
presented and approved by the Bishops’ Synod. Archbishop Zareh’s Hymn
Dedicated to the Martyrs of April was also adopted for the ceremony, which
will be conducted on April 23 in Etchmiadzin by H.H. Karekin II, Catholicos
of all Armenians, and H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia.

The Prelate explained the various conditions required for canonization; a
virtuous life, the embodiment of Christian virtues and the presence of the
Holy Spirit in their lives, martyrdom as a profession of faith, the presence
of miracles during their life, the incorruptibility of relics,
thaumaturgical power of relics, reveal signs of God’s authority in response
to prayers for intercession by faithful, and witnessing for the spread of
the Christian faith, for the defense of the church and the Orthodox tenet,
and for God’s Word. In the past, said His Eminence, people have been
regarded as saints for miracles performed during their lifetime, while in
the case of others, their relics have been found by future generations by
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There are also martyrs who were
proclaimed saints by Catholicoi, or who were honored with special feast
days.

In the last part of this lecture, His Eminence explained that status of our
martyrs post-canonization. He first clarified that we do not worship saints,
we seek their intercession. Also, upon canonization, we will no longer offer
requiem prayers for them, instead they will be remembered during Divine
Liturgy.

A question and answer session followed and the event came to a close with
the benediction.

Aica On line- Argentina
27 de feb. de 2015

La Iglesia armenia proclamará santos a las víctimas del genocidio

Erevan (Armenia) (AICA): La Iglesia apostólica armenia se dispone a
reconocer la santidad de las víctimas del genocidio armenio con una
liturgia solemne, prevista para el 23 de abril en la sede patriarcal
del Catolicosado de Echmiadzin, gobernado por el patriarca Karekin II.
Lo anunció en nombre del patriarca, el obispo Bagrat Galstanyan, en
una conferencia de prensa celebrada en la sede patriarcal.

La Iglesia apostólica armenia se dispone a reconocer la santidad de
las víctimas del genocidio armenio con una liturgia solemne, prevista
para el 23 de abril en la sede patriarcal del Catolicosado de
Echmiadzin, gobernado por el Patriarca Karekin II. Lo anunció en
nombre del patriarca, el obispo Bagrat Galstanyan, en una conferencia
de prensa celebrada en la sede patriarcal.

“La Iglesia Armenia -dijo el Patriarca Karekin en un comunicado
emitido para la ocasión- no santifica. Ella reconoce la santidad de
los santos que ya está reconocida por el pueblo, y que ha sido
atestiguada con evidencia. La Iglesia sólo reconoce lo que pasó,
reconoce el Genocidio”.

La decisión de reconocer a las víctimas del Genocidio como santos ya
había sido tomada por la Iglesia Apostólica Armenia en septiembre de
2013, en un a reunión celebrada en la sede patriarcal de Echmiadzin,
en la que por primera vez después de seis siglos participaron todos
los obispos apostólicos armenios, tanto los que dependen directamente
del Catolicosado de Echmiadzin, como los del Catolicosado de la Gran
Casa de Cilicia (gobernado por Catholicos Aram I, con sede en el
Líbano).

En la liturgia del próximo 23 de abril, el salmo “Mártires de Abril”,
compuesto por el fallecido obispo Zareh Aznavourian, será utilizado
como el salmo de la ceremonia de canonización, la que contará con la
presencia de los jefes de las hermanas Iglesias de Oriente y de las
delegaciones de otras Iglesias. La liturgia se iniciará a las 16 y
finalizará a las 19.15 en punto, simbólicamente, en el minuto en que
en los relojes digitales aparece la secuencia de números que
corresponden al año en que se perpetró el genocidio armenio.+