Author: Badalian Vardan

Thomas de Wall: Resumption of war possible, but not likely

15:12 14.06.2014

Gita Elibekyan
Public Radio of Armenia
Tbilisi

There is a possibility of resumption of war, although a small one,
Thomas de Waal, a senior associate for the Caucasus at the Carnegie
Endowment, told Public Radio of Armenia. He added, however, that
starting a war will be a great risk for Azerbaijan. The British
experts is on a visit to Tbilisi now to present the Russian edition of
his republished book titled “Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan
Through Peace and War.”

The book presents the details of the Karabakh conflict and its
consequences. Part contemporary history, part travel book, part
political analysis, the book is based on six months traveling through
the South Caucasus, more than 120 original interviews in the region,
Moscow, and Washington, as well as unique archive materials.

Ten years after the book was first published, the author says much has
changed, but what’s the most important is that the conflict has not
been solved.

“I think the conflict will be solved, when the parties reach the
psychological point to understand that they should work together, not
against each other, towards the common goal of having a new and
peaceful Caucasus. But the moment has not come yet,” Thomas de Waal
said.

In the new publication the author has added the changes in Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Artsakh over the past years.

“The probably of resumption of war is small, but it’s still there. The
only party that could start war is Azerbaijan, but it’s a big risk. In
a few days it will lose everything it has created over years,” the
expert said.

Upper Lars-Kazbek highway now open

14:37 14.06.2014

The Upper Lars-Kazbek highway is now open for traffic, Spokesman for
the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan said in a
Twitter post.

The road had been closed since May 17 because of a major landslide.

Several lines crossed out in POW Hakob Injighulyan’s letters to family

13:21 14/06/2014 >> SOCIETY

Hakob Injighulyan, Armenian POW being held in Azerbaijan, has recently
written letters to his family members: father, mother, brother and
sister.

“As in his previous letters, he wrote that he is fine and has no
problems and that his health is ok,” Hakob Injighulyan’s brother,
Harut, told Panorama.am.

However, several lines are crossed out in Injighulyan’s letters to his
mother and brother. In Harut Injighulyan’s words, representatives of
the ICRC Baku Office have crossed out those lines with an explanation
that Hakob wrote such things that his parents should not know.

Hakob Injighulyan, an Armenian citizen and an army conscript, crossed
the Azeri border and was subsequently captured by Azeri soldiers on
the night of August 7-8, 2013.

Source: Panorama.am

KURDISTAN
Irak : après le choc jihadiste, la colère des déplacés de Mossoul contre Maliki

A 50 km de Mossoul, la grande ville du nord de l’Irak conquise mardi
par des jihadistes sunnites, des milliers de déplacés attendent sous
un soleil de plomb de passer au Kurdistan autonome, vitupérant contre
le Premier ministre irakien Nouri al-Maliki.

Un demi-million d’habitants ont été poussés à l’exode après la prise
spectaculaire mardi par les combattants de l’Etat islamique en Irak et
au Levant (EIIL) de la deuxième ville d’Irak, face à un pouvoir
central impuissant et une armée en déroute.

C’est devant un barrage kurde à une quarantaine de kilomètres d’Erbil
que se morfondent depuis le matin des files interminables d’hommes,
femmes et enfants, pour obtenir un permis de séjour dans la capitale
de la région autonome du Kurdistan irakien.

De nombreux hommes et femmes portent leurs enfants, ou de petits sacs
dans lesquels ils ont jeté des vêtements ou des couvertures qu’ils ont
pu emporter à la hte. Certains ont mis quelques effets sur des
poussettes qu’ils tirent péniblement sous une chaleur écrasante.

Fatigués, ces déplacés ne décolèrent pas et lchent parfois des
insultes à l’encontre de M. Maliki, un chiite, accusé d’incompétence
et d’hostilité envers la population sunnite, majoritaire à Mossoul
mais minoritaire dans le pays.

‘Peur des massacres’ –

“Venez nous filmer, pour que le monde entier voie dans quel état nous
a réduit Maliki !”, s’écrie un groupe de femmes à l’adresse des
journalistes présents.

Arrivée avec sa famille, Zahra Chérif, 39 ans, explique avoir “quitté
la ville par peur des massacres si l’armée lance un assaut sur la
ville” pour la reprendre à l’EIIL, un groupe inspiré mais pas affilié
à Al-Qaïda.

“On a peur des conséquences de cette invasion car si l’armée entre,
elle pourrait se venger des habitants”, dit-elle, un sentiment partagé
par de nombreux déplacés.

Depuis la chute de Saddam Hussein, un sunnite, à la suite de
l’invasion américaine en 2003, cette communauté s’estime marginalisée
et maltraitée par les autorités dominées par les chiites.

L’EIIL a ainsi pu bénéficier d’un appui au sein de la population et
des tribus locales dans les régions sunnites, comme dans la ville de
Fallouja, sous contrôle de ce puissant groupe ultra-radical depuis le
début de l’année.

Mossoul, majoritairement arabe sunnite avec des minorités chrétienne
et kurde notamment, a été un bastion de la rébellion contre les forces
américaines. C’est dans cette ville que Saddam Hussein a recruté les
cadres de son armée et des services de renseignements.

Les déplacés de Mossoul ont peur de subir le même sort que Fallouja,
bombardée en permanence par l’armée qui tente de la reprendre.

Dans l’immédiat, la population a fui surtout les pénuries à Mossoul,
secouée par les combats depuis une dizaine de jours.

‘Pas d’hôpitaux, pas de services’ –

“Il n’y a plus d’hôpitaux, plus de services médicaux”, se lamente
Zahra. A côté, des volontaires distribuent eau et nourriture aux
familles.

Au barrage, et en vue d’empêcher d’éventuels insurgés de se faufiler
parmi les déplacés, les services de sécurité kurdes lourdement armés
promènent leur chiens policiers parmi la foule tandis que des agents
de la circulation tentent de gérer le flot de voitures.

Les déplacés ne semblent pas très enclins à critiquer l’EIIL, qui est
aidé d’autres groupes jihadistes sunnites.

Abou Ahmad, 60 ans, affirme avoir vu “les combattants de l’EIIL dans
les rues de Mossoul”. “Nous les avons vu ce matin et ils ne nous ont
rien fait”.

“Des habitants ont formé des +comités de défense populaires+ pour
protéger les banques et les btiments gouvernementaux”, a-t-il ajouté,
assurant que (…) les actes de vandalisme et les incendies ont touché
uniquement les positions militaires”.

Selon lui, avant l’arrivée de l’EIIL, “la population se sentait visée
(par les autorités) aux points de contrôle, avec des mesures
draconiennes de sécurité et des arrestations”.

Quant à Ismaïl Ahmad, 50 ans, arrivé ce matin, il assure : “Nous
reviendrons après le rétablissement de l’eau et de l’électricité”.

samedi 14 juin 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE
L’Union Douanière et les impôts

Si l’Arménie entre dans l’Union douanière d’environ 900 biens de
première importance maintiendront leur niveau actuel d’imposition, en
attendant quelques questions techniques encore en discussion a annoncé
le ministère de l’économie.

Après plus de neuf mois de discussions, les responsables arméniens ont
pu recevoir des compromis de l’UD pour presque la totalité des
marchandises précédemment sélectionnés.

> a déclaré le vice-ministre de
l’Economie Garegin Melkonian.

Selon le ministère de l’Economie, l’une des plus grandes réalisations
est le fait que, même après avoir rejoint l’UD les voitures auront la
même taxe à l’importation.

Cette question a été une cause de larges débats publics car les
entreprises d’importation d’automobiles craignaient une augmentation
de la taxe provoquée par l’adhésion à l’UD.

> a déclaré Melkonian.

Le président arménien Serge Sarkissian a déclaré que son pays sera
préparé pour rejoindre l’Union économique eurasienne (UEE) le 15 Juin
alors que le président Noursoultan Nazarbaïev a mentionné qu’il serait
préférable de se tourner vers l’étape finale de l’adhésion à partir du
1er Juillet .

Une des questions toujours en discussion est de savoir si la diaspora
arménienne sera autorisé à poursuivre à apporter des fonds en Arménie
sans être imposé dessus ce que la loi permet actuellement.

Par Sara Khojoyan

ArmeniaNow

samedi 14 juin 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIE-GEORGIE
L’éléphant arménien Hrant va épouser la géorgienne Malka

Le 12 juin le zoo de Tbilissi (Géorgie), vit l’arrivée de l’éléphant
du nom de Hrant venu de Yerevan pour retrouver sa fiancée et promise,
Malka. Sur le site Facebook du zoo de Tbilissi, les responsables
affirmaient .

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 14 juin 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

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 June 12, 2014
————————————————————
Feast of St. Hripsime
Detail of a painting found in Holy Etchmiadzin depicting
St. Hripsime’s moral victory over King Drtad.

** Feasts of St. Hripsime, St. Gayane, and St. Gregory
————————————————————
Next week the Armenian Church honors three saints: St. Hripsime,
St. Gayane, and St. Gregory the Illuminator. The stories of these
saints are intertwined, each telling a part of the larger tale about
Armenia’s conversion to Christianity.

Their stories remind us of the darkness that lives in the un-repentant
human heart, but they also show us the way God can take human tragedy
and death, and transform these into victory and life.

Hripsime and Gayane were nuns, who with their holy sisters had
dedicated their lives to Christ. For this they were persecuted in the
Roman Empire, and sought refuge in the kingdom of Armenia’s pagan King
Drtad, where they also faced torture, and later death.

In this storm of destruction, Drtad became something less than
human. The historian Agathangelos tells us he became a wild beast, and
no physician or pagan priest could heal the wretched king. It was only
the Christian missionary St. Gregory-long imprisoned in a dungeon
cell-who could restore Drtad through the power of God, thus bringing
illumination to a king, his court, and an entire nation.

Accomplished in our Lord’s name, suffering is transformed into
sacrifice, death becomes martyrdom. Whatever our fates may be in this
life-loss, persecution, death-the final chapter is always written by
God. It is God who takes the sacrifice and martyrdom, and turns them
into something glorious, whether this means the conversion of an
entire nation, or the inspiration of a single soul.

Click here
()
to read more about St. Hripsime, St. Gayane, and St. Gregory the
Illuminator.

Fatherhood
`Fatherhood’ by the Russian painter Viktor Vasnetsov (1848-1926).

** Fatherhood: Privilege, Duty, Blessing
————————————————————
Across the United States this Sunday, families will observe Father’s
Day: a chance to reflect, with gratitude, on the deeper meaning of
fatherhood. While the surrounding popular culture may sometimes fail
to treat fatherhood with due seriousness, the Armenian Church accords
great reverence and respect to fathers.

The greatest tribute we pay to fatherhood lies in the way we apply the
word `Father’ to God. Our ability to call upon Him as our Father is a
privilege and blessing-beautifully conveyed in a prayer from our
Divine Liturgy:

`God of truth and Father of mercy, we are grateful that you have
exalted us above even the [Old Testament] patriarchs. For you were
called ‘God’ to them; but you are pleased to be named ‘Father’ to us.’

The priest recites this prayer right before the congregation sings the
Hayr Mer-reminding us that it was Jesus, God’s only-begotten Son, who
taught us to call God `Our Father.’ And when we understand God in
terms of His Fatherhood, we also understand godliness to be the duty
to which all fathers are called.

This Sunday, thank the fathers who strive to provide such an example
in your own life, and remember those who have departed this world in
your prayers.

Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church, Providence, RI

** Centennial Celebration in Providence
————————————————————
The centennial celebration at Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church of
Providence, RI, will culminate this weekend with cultural events and
the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday.

On Friday, June 13, Maestro Konstantine Petrossian will lead the
Armenian chorales and orchestra of Rhode Island and Greater Worcester
in a concert celebrating a century of faith, hope, and light. The
concert will be held in Hope, RI, and will feature soloists from
Armenia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York.
()

On Saturday, June 14, the parish will host a gala banquet at the
Marriott Hotel in Providence. The mistress of ceremonies will be Rhode
Island State Representative Katherine Kazarian. The Rev. Fr. Mardiros
Chevian, dean of St. Nersess Seminary, will give the keynote address.
()

On Sunday, June 15, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate,
will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. A centennial khatchkar will be
dedicated after the badarak.

For information on these events, visit the parish website
or call the church at (401) 272-7712.
()

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

1 Kgs 18:29-46
2 Kgs 2:1-15
Jas 5:16-20
Lk 4:25-30

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

All-caring Lord, place your holy fear before my eyes as a shield, that
they may no longer gaze with lust; before my ears, that they may not
enjoy hearing words of evil; before my mouth, that it may utter no
falsehood; before my heart, that it may think of no evil; before my
hands, that they may do no injustice; before my feet, that they may
not walk on the paths of iniquity. But so direct their movements, that
they may, at all times, be according to your commandments in all
things. Amen.

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

15 June: Remembrance of the Prophet Elijah

16 June: St. Hripsime and her Companions

17 June: St. Gayane and her Companions

21 June: St. Gregory the Enlightener (Deliverance from the Pit)

** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
————————————————————
Prayer Service at St. Gayane Church, Armenia
Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit and Cardinal Theodore Mccarrick in prayer at
St. Gayane Church in Armenia.

** Holy Etchmiadzin Hosts Conference on Syria
————————————————————
Holy Etchmiadzin and the World Council of Churches have organized a
two-day conference titled `Crisis in Syria: Challenges for Faith
Communities.’ The conference opened yesterday at the Vatche and Tamar
Manougian Library on the grounds of the Holy See.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, is presiding. Participants include Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse
Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches; Armenia’s
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan; representatives of the Syrian
community in Armenia; as well as clergy representing churches in Syria
and other parts of the Middle East, Russia, Europe, and the United
States.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese
and a member of the WCC Executive Board, is also taking part in the
conference.

`The countries of the Near East have played an important role in our
history,’ His Holiness Karekin II said. `Syria in particular, during
the difficult years of the Armenian Genocide at the beginning of the
last century, opened its doors and welcomed the aspirations and
desires of our people to build a peaceful life.’

He went on to speak about the recent attacks on Christians in Middle
East, including the Armenian community of Kessab and the Armenian
communities of Aleppo and Damascus, and expressed hope that `the
continuous efforts of religious, public and political organizations’
would bring about justice and peace in the region.

Conference sessions focused on `Political Developments in Syria and
the Humanitarian Perspective,’ `Presence and Testimony of Christians
in the Nearest East as a Consequence of the Developments in the Arab
World,’ and `The Armenian Communities in the Nearest East and Syria:
Their Perspectives.’

Earlier today, the participants visited the Dzidzernagapert memorial
in Yerevan, where a requiem service was held for the martyrs of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915. Later His Holiness Karekin II led a prayer
for peace in Syria at St. Gayane Church in Vagharshapat.

Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view photos
()
from the conference.

Fr. Abgar Hovakimian
Fr. Abgar Hovakimyan will lead the Armenian Diocese of Canada.

** Canadian Diocese Elects New Primate
————————————————————
Last month the Diocese of the Armenian Church of Canada elected the
Very Rev. Fr. Abgar Hovakimyan as its new Primate. His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
confirmed the election and congratulated Fr. Hovakimyan.

Fr. Hovakimyan will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy in Canada at
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Cathedral of Montreal on Sunday,
June 29. A reception will follow to welcome the new Primate and to
express appreciation to the Diocese’s outgoing Locum Tenens,
Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisian.

Most recently Fr. Hovakimyan served as the Locum Tenens of the
Armenian Diocese of Bulgaria.

** DIOCESAN NEWS
————————————————————

Professor Marsoobian speaks at the Diocesan Center.

** The Story of an Islamized Armenian Family in Marzovan
————————————————————
On Thursday, May 29, Armen T. Marsoobian, chair of the philosophy
department at Southern Connecticut State University, gave a lecture on
a little-known chapter of Armenian life in the aftermath of the
Armenian Genocide. The lecture was hosted by the Diocese’s Krikor and
Clara Zohrab Information Center.

Professor Marsoobian described the experience of his own family
members who agreed to convert to Islam in 1915 to escape deportation,
but who continued to practice Armenian Christian traditions in the
secrecy of their home. The presentation was based on extensive family
memoirs, letters, oral testimony, and historic photographs.

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

Mesrob Mashots Institute
Students and staff of the Mesrob Mashdots Institute.

** Mesrob Mashdots Institute Concludes Spring Semester
————————————————————
The Diocese’s Mesrob Mashdots Institute held its last session of the
spring semester on Wednesday, June 4. Students expressed appreciation
to their teachers for helping them learn the Armenian language through
an accessible and interactive program.

The Mesrob Mashdots Institute is an Armenian language course for
adults organized by the Armenian Studies program of the Diocese’s
Department of Youth and Education. Three classes are offered,
including two at beginner and intermediate levels, and a third class
titled `Eastern Armenian Appreciation.’ The curriculum includes study
of the alphabet, reading, grammar and syntax, and conversation. The
staff, under the direction of Armenian Studies director Gilda
Kupelian, is comprised of Shakeh Kadehjian, Ani Essayan, and Vartan
Garniki.

Classes will resume in the fall. For enrollment information, contact
Gilda Kupelian at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .

Karen Durgarian
Karen Durgarian volunteers during a work weekend at the Ararat Center.

** Paint and Tile, Heart and Soul Keep Ararat Center Bright
————————————————————
The monthly Ararat Center board meeting on May 30 was the lead-in to
one of the center’s extended `work weekends,’ through which the
facility was spruced up for the upcoming summer season of St. Vartan
Camp.

During the recent work weekend, 11 volunteers from six parishes worked
on projects ranging from painting and tiling to electrical work,
masonry and gardening-as well as general cleaning and disposal. Paul
Ventura-Ararat Center’s new chef-concocted meals throughout the
weekend.

The Diocese’s 65-acre conference, camp, and retreat center, located in
upstate New York, has a full-time facility manager. But management of
the Ararat Center is the responsibility of its board of directors: 13
individuals from throughout the Diocese, who make operational
decisions to ensure that the center is in working order for its
May-through-October rental season.

The all-volunteer work weekends that have improved and expanded the
facility are organized by Karen Durgarian, who has served as project
manager since Ararat Center’s inception in 2004. Throughout the past
decade she has kept her energy boundless and ambitions high, lending
heart and soul to countless projects. Thanks to Karen and the many
volunteers from 2004 to 2014, the Ararat Center has been a pleasant,
clean, and modern home for the Diocese’s St. Vartan Camp.

Huyser Music Ensemble
Huyser members Diran Jebejian and Maria Barsoumian perform on the
cathedral plaza.

** An Evening of Music at St. Vartan Cathedral
————————————————————
The outdoor plaza of the Diocesan Center in New York was alive with
music on Friday evening, June 6, as the Huyser Music Ensemble took to
the stage before an enthusiastic audience of more than 230.

The performance was hosted by the St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral and
the cathedral dean, the Very Rev. Fr. Mamigon Kiledjian, and was
called Project CLASH, denoting the differing musical talents and
genres of different cultures and instruments.

Huyser (Armenian for `Hopes’) was founded in 2010 by Harout
Barsoumian. Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view photos
()
.

FAR
An elderly man at a FAR soup kitchen in Yerevan.

** California Parish Supports “Ayo!” Campaign
————————————————————
Each winter the St. Mary Armenian Church of Costa Mesa, CA
()
, hosts a Super Bowl fundraiser for the Fund for Armenian Relief’s
soup kitchens in Armenia. Now in its eight year, the `Soup-er Bowl
Sunday’ tradition brings together parishioners in Costa Mesa for
fellowship while giving them the opportunity to help the citizens of
Armenia.

This year’s contribution helped purchase kitchenware for FAR’s soup
kitchens in Yerevan, Gyumri, and Berd, and a new oven for the soup
kitchen in Berd. The project was carried out by FAR’s new crowdfunding
platform `Ayo!’ Click here
()
to learn more about `Ayo!’ and its projects.

Holy Cross Church in Van
Holy Cross Church, a precious jewel of Armenian architecture, on
Aghtamar island in Lake Van.

** 2014 Pilgrimage to Historic Armenia
————————————————————
Registration is open for the Eastern Diocese’s pilgrimage to historic
Armenia, scheduled for September 3 to 15, 2014.

Participants will celebrate the Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Church on
the island of Aghtamar, and take part in prayer services at the
St. Giragos Armenian Church of Dikranagert and the St. Gregory Church
in Kayseri.

The pilgrimage also includes visits to other cities of historic
Armenia=80’Kharpert, Malatya, and Sepastia, and other locales. The
journey will include a stop in Istanbul, where pilgrims will visit the
Armenian Patriarchate.

Click here
()
to view a flyer for registration information. To view a short film
about the Diocese’s 2012 pilgrimage to historic Armenia, click here
()
.

** PARISH NEWS
————————————————————
Let’s Speak Armenian

** Learning Western Armenian at Hye Pointe
————————————————————

The Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalian, pastor of the Armenian Church at Hye
Pointe in Haverhill, MA, launched a Western Armenian language class at
the church this spring.

Meeting on Thursday evenings, parishioners studied the alphabet,
learned vocabulary words commonly used in the hymns and prayers of the
Divine Liturgy, reviewed the Lord’s Prayer, and practiced
conversational phrases.

`The past few months have been so enriching as we absorbed this
beautiful language,’ said parishioner Noelle Giragosian. `I want to
encourage anyone who has a passion for learning Armenian to take this
class. You will meet new friends, share many laughs, and hear
interesting stories.’

Fr. Gyozalian plans to resume instruction in the fall. For
information, call the church at (978) 372-9227.

St. John Church Women’s Guild, Detroit, MI
Women’s Guild members Araxie Choukourian and Arlene Baylerian were
honored for 40 years of service at the recent `Membership Dinner.’

** Detroit Women’s Guild Welcomes New Members
————————————————————

The Women’s Guild of St. John Church of Southfield, MI, hosted its
76th annual `Membership Dinner’ on Wednesday, June 4, in the church
hall.

Membership chair Terry Palaian presented 14 new Women’s Guild members,
who were initiated by the Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian, parish
pastor. Women’s Guild chair Linda Stamboulian welcomed the new members
and extended her appreciation to the entire organization for its
service to the church.

Also during the celebratory evening, the Women’s Guild honored
longtime members Araxie Choukourian and Arlene Baylerian, and
congratulated Anne Derderian, Anne Soultanian, and Jean Sarkisian, all
three of whom recently turned 90 years old.

The dinner was chaired by Anna Baylerian. Click here
()
to view photos.

AAHPO
Medical specialists from AAHPO with Fr. Arakel Vardazaryan at St. Mary
Church.

** Livingston Hosts Medical Forum with AAHPO
————————————————————

On Sunday, June 8, St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ, hosted a Medical
Forum led by members of the Armenian-American Health Professional
Organization (AAHPO).

Medical specialists gave presentations and answered questions about
various health topics, such as lung cancer and dental health.

`We truly enjoyed and appreciated this educational afternoon,’ said
the Rev. Fr. Arakel Vardazaryan, parish pastor, `and I would encourage
other parishes to consider inviting members of AAHPO to their
communities for similar presentations.’

Armenian Church of Jacksonville
Children in Jacksonville say a prayer during their religious education
class last weekend.

** Parishioner Milestones Celebrated in Jacksonville
————————————————————

The Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian, director of the Diocese’s Mission Parish
program, visited the community of Jacksonville, FL, last weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, Fr. Abdalian participated in a children’s
religious education class taught by two young adults, Erik Mirzoyan
and Alex Shafiyev. Later that day, he conducted a Bible study session
for adults focusing on the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost.

On Sunday, Fr. Abdalian celebrated the Divine Liturgy. A dinner
followed, during which the parish congratulated recent high school
graduate Nicholas Yeddgarov, honored Mr. and Mrs. Nourhan and Doris
Manukian on their 50th wedding anniversary, and wished a happy
birthday to all parishioners celebrating such milestones in
June. Before departing, Fr. Abdalian performed a Home Blessing service
at the new home of parish council member Tatyana Yeremyants.

Click here
()
to view photos.

Upcoming events

** Upcoming Parish Events
————————————————————

Holy Trinity Church | Cambridge, MA
Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA, will sponsor its annual Gregory
Hintlian Memorial Golf Tournament on Monday, June 16. The tournament
will be held at Marlborough Country Club in Marlborough
MA. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Enjoy a day of golf followed by
dinner and a social evening.

Click here
()
to download a brochure and registration form. For information, contact
the Holy Trinity Church office at (617) 354-0632, or via e-mail at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .

Hye Pointe Church | Haverhill, MA
The Armenian Church at Hye Pointe of Haverhill, MA, will host =80=9CAn
Afternoon of Armenian Music’ on Sunday, June 22, beginning at 1
p.m. Vocalists Janette Khalarian and Margar Yeghiazaryan will
perform. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

St. Gregory the Enlightener Church | White Plains, NY
St. Gregory the Enlightener Church of White Plains, NY, will welcome
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Diocesan Primate, on Sunday, June
22. Archbishop Barsamian will ordain parishioners Peter Derderian,
Michael Givelekian, and Gregory Guroian to the diaconate. A brunch
will follow services. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.

** YOUTH NEWS
————————————————————
Holy Land Pilgrimage
Pilgrims at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

** Young Leaders Return from Inspiring Journey
————————————————————
After a 10-day journey to the Holy Land, a group of 29 young adult
leaders returned to the U.S. this week. Representing 27 parishes from
throughout the Eastern Diocese, the group traced the footsteps of
Christ, deepened their understanding of biblical history, and learned
about the Armenian presence in the Holy Land.

Led by Diocesan Primate Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, with the
assistance of the Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan and Maria Derderian, the
pilgrims visited the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem, with its
centuries-old Armenian Patriarchate, and such sites as the Church of
the Nativity in Bethlehem, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem, the Jordan River, Mount of Temptation, and Mount of Olives.

Click here
()
to read daily blog posts from the pilgrims, and check the Diocesan
website next week for an article and photo gallery from the trip.

St. Mary Church, Livingston, NJ
Honorees Jacqueline Jae (left) and Daniella Badishkanian with
Fr. Arakel Vardazaryan.

** ACYOA Central Council Recognizes Livingston Parishioners
————————————————————

At the annual ACYOA General Assembly last month, the ACYOA Central
Council announced that it selected two ACYOA Juniors members from
St. Mary Church of Livingston, NJ, as this year’s recipients of the
=80=9CArchbishop Tiran Nersoyan Service Award’ and the `Archbishop
Tiran Nersoyan Leadership Award.’

On Sunday, June 8, the awards were presented to the young honorees in
the St. Mary Church sanctuary. Daniella Badishkanian received the
=80=9CService Award,’ and Jacqueline Jae received the `Leadership
Award.’ The Rev. Fr. Arakel Vardazaryan, parish pastor, led the
congregation in congratulating Daniella and Jacqueline, and
encouraging them to continue their service to the Armenian Church.

EDUCATION AND RELIGION: CHURCH HISTORY SUBJECT DRAWS MORE CRITICISM OVER TEXTBOOK, TEACHING METHODS FLAWS

EDUCATION | 13.06.14 | 11:06

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

RELATED NEWS

Minister denies plans to withdraw church history from school curricula

Although by the Constitution education in Armenia is supposed to be
secular, the Church History subject and methods of its teaching are
being viewed as a major problem by some experts who say they have
arrived at the conclusion after closely examining the textbooks and
the teaching process.

Enlarge Photo Satenik Lazarian Enlarge Photo Armine Davtyan

Nevertheless, authors of the textbooks insist that the best specialists
have been involved in preparing the materials and that they have
received no complaints about the course during the 12 years of its
application.

The awakening of religious feelings that began in Armenia still in
the last years of Soviet rule and continued after Armenia gained
independence in 1991 are being used for propaganda of religion at
schools by means of the Armenian Church History subject, Satenik
Lazarian, a junior researcher at the Institute of Archeology and
Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, argued
during a related discussion on Wednesday.

“We should not turn schools into an instrument of presenting subjective
religious approaches as knowledge. One should realize that it is
a more serious problem and solutions need to be sought for that,”
the scholar explained her position, emphasizing that religion should
rather be presented to children at schools as part of sciences.

Most of the participants in the discussion focusing on cooperation
between the State and the Church in educational institutions expressed
their concern over the issue raised by Lazarian, since they insisted
that the examination of textbooks and other research had shown that
the subject is not as much about religion studies as the propaganda
of the Armenian Apostolic Church and its rites.

Experts noted that the history of the Armenian Apostolic Church begins
in the third year of teaching, i.e. in the 7th grade, before that it
is mainly the Bible, the Armenian Church’s rites and traditions that
are presented.

Teacher Armine Davtyan together with two other specialists studied
all textbooks, arriving at the conclusion that during the course the
study of the history and rites of one religion [Armenian Apostolic]
is imposed on all children without taking into account the opinion
of their parents.

“Meanwhile, under Armenia’s legislation, it is the parents that decide
their children’s creed,” she said.

And Lazarian added that as a result of the introduction of the Church
History subject a contradiction had emerged between the theory of
creation and natural sciences.

“In Grades 5-6 pupils study the theory of creation. But there is also
an answer to the question of where the human race had come from in
the textbooks on biology and world history, but these questions are
studied by those textbooks at a later age.”

The specialist told of a case when a biology teacher tried to
compare the biological approach with the theory of creation. “When
the children confronted her, she tried to make a compromise by saying
that the body is physical, that is, it can be examined by biologists,
while the spirit is for God’s judgment,” said Lazarian.

Meanwhile, co-author of the textbook, deputy director of the National
Institute of Education Vardan Ghandilyan stated at the discussion
that during the past 12 years they have not received a single written
complaint from any citizen or teacher regarding the contents of the
textbooks or methods of teaching.

“The course was developed by representatives of all educational
institutions on Armenian studies – the Yerevan State University,
Matenadaran, the Gevorgian Seminary, the National Institute of
Education,” said Ghandilyan, adding that over the course of years
numerous teachers teaching the subject have been retrained.

Church History textbooks have been in circulation since 2002, first
at selected schools, then gradually, beginning in 2006, they became
compulsory in all schools.

RAISE OF ELECTRICITY TARIFF IMMORAL

17:40 / 12.06.2014

The possibility of the raise of electricity tariffs by 10% has raised
a wave of complaint among the public.

The Public Services Regulatory Commission has intended to make the
decision on raising the tariff in late June. If the decision is
adopted the new tariff will enter into force from August 1.

Judging from the created situation it is necessary to create new
civic initiative “Let’s Prevent Electricity Tariff Hike” otherwise the
additional social burden will be rather serious, moreover the economy
will be deprived of development opportunity and being competitive in
the Eurasian Economic zone.

If to believe to the explanation of the Commission, it is necessary to
raise the tariff due to the 20 billion AMD crack in the energy system.

Even if so, and the presented amount is not exaggerated this gap
should not be filled on the account of the people. It is immorality
and raises the despair of the people moving the people to leave the
country or commit crimes.

Nyut.am

AZERBAIJAN THREATENS ARMENIA WITH “SMERCH” IN NAKHCHIVAN

Today – 10:28
13/6/14

Armenian defense minister has repeatedly made threatening speeches on
Azerbaijan. His opinions should be considered a statement addressed
to the internal audience and the Armenian community. Spokesman for
Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry, Lieutenant-Colonel Vagif Dargahli told
about this Azerbaijani Press Agency while commenting on the speech
made by Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan at the parliament.

According to the source, Dargahli said that “the Azerbaijani Armed
Forces have been supplied with modern weapons with high accuracy
and destroying capacity, combat and transport helicopters, modern
air-defense equipment, armored vehicles, tanks and artillery units. It
is enough only to note that “Smerch” missile volley-fire systems
in Nakhchivan are capable of destroying any target on the territory
of Armenia”.