Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIE
UEE : l’Arménie va joindre un nouveau groupement économique au milieu
de vagues mécanismes d’interaction

Le 2 Janvier 2015 l’Arménie deviendra un membre à part entière de
l’Union économique eurasienne (UEE), un bloc commercial émergent de la
Russie, la Biélorussie et du Kazakhstan. L’UEE sera lancé le 1er
Janvier et malheureusement tous les mécanismes de coopération entre
les États membres n’ont pas encore été déterminés. Les experts s’
attendent à un certain nombre d’incohérences et d’actions non
coordonnées lorsque l’UEE commencera à fonctionner et ceci, à son
tour, pourrait entraîner une détérioration de la situation économique
ou même certains dysfonctionnements dans l’Union.

Les fonctionnaires arméniens donnent l’assurance qu’ils ont réussi à
négocier une liste de près de 800 noms de produits, pour lesquels les
droits de douane en Arménie ne seront pas relevés immédiatement, mais
progressivement d’ici quelques années. Toutefois, les experts disent
que cette liste ne comprend pas toute une gamme de biens de
consommation et ue les prix de ces produits en Arménie sont certains
d’augmenter l’année prochaine.

Cela est dû au fait que les taux uniformes de douane dans l’UEE
actuellement sont beaucoup plus élevés que ceux en Arménie aujourd’hui
et l’augmentation des droits conduira à une hausse des prix de ces
produits.

Les droits de douane perçus dans les États membres iront à un fonds
eurasien commun à partir duquel chaque pays aura sa part. L’Arménie
recevra 1,13 pour cent du total du fonds, ce qui, selon diverses
estimations, peut être de l’ordre de 180 millions de dollars à 300
millions de dollars par an. Maintenant l’Arménie reçoit environ 90
millions de dollars de ses propres droits de douane. Cependant, le
chiffre dépendra en grande partie du volume des échanges dans l’UEU,
qui a toujours été en baisse dans l’Union douanière de la Russie, la
Biélorussie et du Kazakhstan au cours des deux dernières années. Il
n’est pas exclu non plus que l’Arménie ne va même pas obtenir ces
revenus supplémentaires attendus si le commerce continue de baisser.

En outre, les entreprises qui travaillent dans lUEE obtiendront le
droit de priorité de fournir des biens pour les marchés publics en
Arménie. En d’autres termes, si l’Arménie veut acheter, par exemple,
des médicaments pour les besoins de la population, elle devra chercher
ces médicaments sur le territoire de L’UEE en premier lieu même s’il y
a des produits analogues de meilleure qualité et moins coûteux en
dehors de l’espace douanier commun.

Par ailleurs, en 2016 les Etats membres de L’UEE ont l’intention
d’établir un marché pharmaceutique commun et en 2019 – un marché
d’alimentation électrique commun. On ne sait pas comment l’Arménie,
qui n’a pas de frontières terrestres communes avec les autres membres
de l’UEE, s’inscrira sur ce marché. En 2025, l’UEE envisage de créer
un marché financier unique et une monnaie unique, qui sera appelé
provisoirement Altyn.

Remarquablement, avec seulement quelques jours avant son entrée
officielle dans l’UEE, l’Arménie n’a pas encore conclu d’ accord
correspondant avec la Géorgie concernant le transit des marchandises –
non pas vers la Russie, mais vers l’UEE. L’Arménie n’a pas de
frontière commune avec l’UEE et sera contraint de faire transiter ses
produits à travers la Géorgie. Entre l’Arménie et la Géorgie, il
existe un régime de libre-échange, mais la route ne fonctionne pas
régulièrement en raison des conditions climatiques, il n’y a pas de
liaison ferroviaire et la communication via le port de la mer Noire de
Poti est actuellement interrompu en raison de problèmes avec le taux
d’échange du rouble russe.

L’absence de frontières communes entre l’Arménie et le reste des Etats
membres de l’UEE renforce les hypothèses qu’il peut y avoir une
augmentation drastique des exportations en provenance de l’Arménie sur
le marché eurasien fort de 170 millions habitants. Le régime de
libre-échange avec les pays de l’UEE existe aujourd’hui, et
l’exportation de biens arméniens en Russie est déjà à sa capacité
maximale.

Il est plus probable que les exportations et les importations avec les
pays > setont réduits comme le commerce extérieur des pays
membres de l’UEE qui ne sera plus indépendant, mais sera “coordonné”.
Cela signifie que les droits de douane et les quotas pour les
marchandises importées, par exemple, de l’Europe ne seront pas définis
à Erevan, mais dans la Commission eurasienne.

Les experts arméniens ne cachent pas le fait que l’adhésion à l’UEE,
au lieu d’avantages économiques, pourraient apporter des pertes
importantes pour l’Arménie, surtout qu’il ne est pas encore clairement
défini comment l’Union fonctionnera dans des conditions de
contradictions périodiques entre les présidents de ses Etats membres.
Par exemple, le président biélorusse Alexandre Loukachenko a critiqué
à plusieurs reprises l’état de la coopération entre les Etats membres.
Lors d’une réunion du Conseil suprême économique eurasien à Moscou
plus tôt cette semaine, il a demandé théoriquement s’il existe de
véritables conditions commerciales libérales et un régime favorable
pour les économies nationales au sein de l’espace économique commun
aujourd’hui.

Les présidents de la Biélorussie et le Kazakhstan insistent sur une
plus grande souveraineté pour leurs économies nationales dans l’Union
commun, cependant, le président russe Vladimir Poutine semble
s’efforcer de recréer l’économie de l’époque soviétique. Et l’Arménie
dans cette alliance est susceptible d’être le “maillon faible”. Dans
la Commission eurasienne, où chaque Etat membre aura trois votes,
l’Arménie aura un seul vote au cours de la première année de son
adhésion, mais il y aura trois membres arméniens dans la commission.
Les décisions doivent être prises par consensus, ce qui signifie que
pour faire avancer son avis l’Arménie devra obtenir le consentement
des autres membres de l’Union, ce qui dans des conditions de relations
amicales avec au moins deux membres, à savoir le Bélarus et le
Kazakhstan , apparaît presque irréaliste.

Le Kirghizistan devrait se joindre à l’UEE en mai.

Par Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow

jeudi 1er janvier 2015,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Dec 31 2014

Turkey to highlight Çanakkale commemoration during ambassadors’ conference

The sixth annual Ambassadors Conference, in which all of Turkey’s
ambassadors participate, took place last year in Ankara, Adana and
Mersin provinces. (Photo: Cihan, Mehmet Þahin)

January 01, 2015, Thursday/ 18:10:35/ SERVET YANATMA / ANKARA

While Armenia is getting ready for the commemoration of the mass
killings of Armenians in 1915 during World War I throughout this year
in a series of events, the Turkish government plans to highlight the
100th year of the Çanakkale (Dardanelles) campaign in response to the
Armenians’ efforts by planning a one-day visit to Çanakkale as part of
the annual Ambassadors Conference in January.

In a move to ease the adverse effects of the upcoming commemoration of
the 1915 events, Turkey has scheduled the annual ceremony to
commemorate the Çanakkale campaign on April 24-25 and the ambassadors
are expected to visit Çanakkale as part of the seventh annual
Ambassadors Conference on Jan. 9.

The conference, organized by the Foreign Ministry annually and in
which all Turkey’s ambassadors particpate, will take place on Jan.
5-9.

The conference’s program has been changed due to some technical
problems. The ambassadors were previously scheduled to continue the
conference in Çanakkale but they will now join the commemoration only
as part of a one-day visit.

Despite the problems, the Çanakkale program of the conference has not
been cancelled as Turkey aims to highlight the campaign in response to
the 100th year of the 1915 events.

The Çanakkale Campaign, also known as the Gallipoli Campaign, took
place on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey from April 1915 to January
1916 during World War I. A joint British and French operation was
mounted to capture the Ottoman capital of Ýstanbul and secure a sea
route to Russia. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs)
formed the backbone of a 200,000-man, British-led army that landed at
Gallipoli.

The attempt failed, with heavy casualties on both sides, but it
resonated profoundly among all nations involved. Nearly 1 million
soldiers fought in trench warfare at Gallipoli. The allies recorded
55,000 killed in fighting with 10,000 missing and 21,000 dead from
disease. Turkish casualties were estimated at around 250,000.

The campaign was the first major battle undertaken by the Anzac troops
and is often considered to mark the birth of national consciousness in
both Australia and New Zealand; Anzac Day, April 25, remains the most
significant commemoration of military casualties in these countries.
Each year, thousands of people, many of them Australians and New
Zealanders, travel to the battlefields in northwestern Turkey on April
25, the start of the military campaign.

The battle is considered a defining moment in the history of the
Turkish people. The struggle laid the ground for the Turkish War of
Independence and the foundation of the Republic of Turkey eight years
later under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, himself a commander at Gallipoli.

Last year in April, Australians and New Zealanders observed the 98th
anniversary of the troops comprising their ancestors landing at
Gelibolu (the Gallipoli peninsula) during the World War I Çanakkale
(Dardanelles) Campaign.

The visitors arrived at the Gallipoli peninsula’s Anzac Bay and waited
until the hour of the service in their sleeping bags.

New Zealand Minister of Defense Jonathon Coleman was also in
attendance at the commemoration event. Addressing the visitors, he
said his country and Turkey are now friends, adding: “It is a place
you have never been to before, but at the same time you have grown up
with. It is a place of sadness, but a place of great pride.”

Coleman said seeing an Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)
dawn is an unparalleled experience that brings back past memories for
a New Zealander and noted that the long list of names of the fallen
soldiers are proof of the deep wounds caused by major wars on
societies.

The Gallipoli Campaign has had a huge impact on forming the national
identity for New Zealanders, Coleman said, highlighting that the
campaign also resulted in an everlasting friendship between old foes,
New Zealand and Turkey. He later thanked Turks for their hospitality.

Warren Edward Snowdon, a member of the Australian parliament and the
Australian House of Representatives, also delivered a speech during
the dawn service, recalling at the end of the first day of landing,
when more than 16,000 Anzacs stepped on Turkish soil and that 2,000 of
those lost their lives or were wounded on the shores, water, hills and
valley of the region. “The war was so severe that still the graves of
half of those who died are unknown,” he said.

Elsewhere in Gallipoli, some 15,000 people from across Turkey gathered
to join a march, called “National Consciousness 57th Regiment Walk,”
on the route where the 57th infantry regiment passed in 1915 during
the war at dawn. Led by Sports Minister Suat Kýlýç, the
eight-kilometer march was held by the Turkish General Staff, the
Çanakkale Governor’s Office, the Turkish Scouting Federation and the
Turkish National Student Council.

From: Baghdasarian

Van: A Cradle of Armenian Civilization

Wednesday, December 31st, 2014 | Posted by Matthew Karanian

Children walk in the churchyard of Soorp Echmiadzin, a sixth century
church in the region of Van in historic Western Armenia. Photo (c) 2014
Matthew Karanian, Reprinted with Permission.

BY MATTHEW KARANIAN

Van is the heartland of historic Armenia, and the region of Van is
paired with the plains of Ararat as two of the cradles of Armenian
civilization.

For hundreds of years, and continuing through the beginning of the
twentieth century, the population of Armenians here often exceeded
that of any other national group. Throughout the millennia these
Armenians have contributed greatly to the political and cultural
development of the Armenian nation.

The architectural relics of many of these contributions are still
present in the region today. Indeed, they are present here in far
greater numbers than in most other parts of historic Armenia. This
multitude of sites is certainly one of the reasons that Van is a
leading destination for pilgrims who are searching for their roots in
the lost Armenian homeland–there’s just so much to see in this one
region.

Despite this wealth of Armenian history, Van, and the rest of the
historic Armenian homeland in present-day Turkey, has been largely
ignored by pilgrims and by other visitors for most of the past
century.

For decades, tourism to the historically Armenian areas of eastern
Turkey, and particularly to the area around Van, was restricted.
Turkey had declared the area to be a military zone, and traveling
there was either subject to red tape and mandatory escorts, or it
wasn’t allowed at all.

Turkey imposed travel restrictions partly because the region sits
along the sensitive borders of Syria and Iraq. For most of the
twentieth century, eastern Turkey also shared a long frontier with the
Soviet Union–a front line for the Cold War. Foreign visitors weren’t
welcome.

The demography of Van and of eastern Turkey also discouraged some
travelers. After the elimination of the Armenians from historic
Armenia, the surviving population of eastern Turkey was almost
entirely Kurdish. A Kurdish separatist movement kept the region
restive and inhospitable to all but the heartiest of travelers.

Today, however, the region is calm, military restrictions have been
lifted, and Turkey has tentatively begun to encourage tourism to Van
and to the entire Lake Van region. One century after the Armenian
Genocide, a new generation of ethnic Armenians has, equally
tentatively, begun to rediscover its lost homeland.

All stories and photos are adapted from ‘Historic Armenia After 100
Years,’ (Stone Garden Press, $39.95, Pub. Feb. 2015) by Matthew
Karanian. Pre-order now for $35 postpaid in the US from: Stone Garden
Productions; PO Box 7758; Northridge, CA 91327 or pay with credit
card by requesting an invoice from [email protected]

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE
La liaison Erevan-Batumi a permis de transporter 46378 personnes

Les trains saisonniers voyageant entre la capitale arménienne Erevan
et Batoumi, une destination populaire pour les vacanciers arméniens
sur la mer Noire en Géorgie ont transporté 46 378 personnes du 15 Juin
au 2 Octobre presque autant que dans le même laps de temps l’année
dernière a annoncé la compagnie des chemins de fer du Caucase du Sud
(SCR).

Elle a également dit que 481 billets ont été vendus via Internet, soit
2,5 fois plus que les chiffres de l’an dernier. En été, la SCR a
présenté un ensemble de services supplémentaires pour les passagers, y
compris la Wi-Fi gratuite et des cartes SIM pour les passagers de
première classe.

Le 2 Octobre la société a repris la liaison des trains entre la
capitale d’Erevan et Tbilissi en Géorgie.

mercredi 31 décembre 2014,
Stéphane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

EXTRADITION OF AZERBAIJANI SABOTEURS COULD BE DISCUSSED BUT FOR RAMIL SAFAROV SYNDROME – LARISA ALAVERDYAN

15:55 * 30.12.14

But for the Ramil Safarov incident, extradition of the Azerbaijani
saboteurs, who have just been convicted in Nagorno-Karabakh, could be
discussed, Larisa Alaverdyan, Executive Director, Foundation Against
the Violation of Law (FAVL), told Tert.am.

“When a death sentence was passed on the Ukrainian pilots who had
dropped bombs on Stepanakert several times, I called for repatriating
them to Ukraine, which actually was done. The question is the
Ramil Safarov syndrome in Azerbaijan: the saboteurs’ families were
provided with flats, and Ramil Safarov, even after he was convicted
for murdering a sleeping Armenian officer, received his salary from
Azerbaijan’s government. This means that state is an accessory to
crimes,” Ms Alaverdyan said.

Under the circumstances, no state would agree to extradition.

“Time will show what Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh] will do,” she said.

On Monday, the Stepanakert Court passed a sentence on two Azerbaijani
saboteurs – Shahbaz Guliyev and Dilham Askerov – who crossed the
state border of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR).

Dilham Askerov received a life sentence, and Shahbaz Guliyev was
sentenced to 22 years.

From: Baghdasarian

JUGEMENT DES AZERBAIDJANAIS CAPTURES

HAUT-KARABAKH

Un tribunal du Haut-Karabakh a condamne lundi un Azerbaïdjanais a
la prison a vie et un autre a 22 ans de prison. Ils etaient accuses
d’avoir assassine d’un adolescent armenien. Un meurtre qui s’etait
solde leur arrestation spectaculaire en juillet.

Dans un verdict condamne par le gouvernement de l’Azerbaïdjan, Dilgam
Askerov et Shahbaz Quliyev ont ete condamnes pour franchissement
illegal de la frontière et possession d’armes, espionnage et
enlèvements. Askerov, qui a ete condamne a la perpetuite, a egalement
ete reconnu coupable d’avoir tue Smbat Tsakanian, un jeune de 17
ans, resident du quartier armenien de Kelbadjar, entre l’Armenie et
le Karabakh. Quliyev et Askerov ont ete captures separement par les
forces de securite armenienne du Karabakh en juillet après etre entres
a Kelbadjar avec un autre azerbaïdjanais, Hasan Hasanov. Hasanov a
ete abattu quelques jours plus tard, après avoir ouvert le feu sur un
vehicule militaire qui transportait un officier de l’armee armenienne
et un civil. L’officier, Sargis Abrahamian, 37 ans a ete tue et une
femme âgee, Karine Davtian, grièvement blessee.

Les tirs avaient ete signales quatre jours avant que Tsakanian soit
retrouve mort. Les autorites du Karabagh pensent qu’il a ete pris en
otage et tue par les > azerbaïdjanais . Quliyev, 46
ans et Askerov, 54 ans, avaient plaide non coupable a l’accusation
d’assassinat lors du procès en octobre a Stepanakert. Chacun d’eux
avait affirme n’avoir eu aucun rôle dans le meurtre de l’enfant
qui aurait ete commis selon l’accusation avec le fusil d’assaut
confisque a Askerov. Au cours de son contre-interrogatoire devant
la cour du Karabakh le mois dernier, Askerov a affirme ne pas avoir
tire les coups de feu mortels et meme tente en vain de convaincre ses
compagnons d’epargner la vie de Tsakanian. Il a depeint Quliyev comme
une > personne qui a ete recrutee par les services
speciaux azerbaïdjanais pour infiltrer Kelbadjar. Quliyev a rejete
ces allegations comme un mensonge.

Pendant le procès, l’accusation a rendu public ce qu’elle considère
comme un autre element cle de la preuve : une video amateur qui a
ete filmee par Askerov dans les jours qui ont precede son arrestation.

Elle montre les deux autres Azerbaïdjanais et Tsakanian marcher a
travers une foret dans le district montagneux.

On entend Askerov dire derrière la camera, > a-t-il dit.

mardi 30 decembre 2014, Ara (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

GERMANY PLANS SPECIAL EVENTS AHEAD OF GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL

14:11 * 30.12.14

As part of its Armenian Genocide recognition campaign, Germany is
planning more activities and events to mark the tragedy’s centennial,
says the head of the German Union of Armenian Academicians.

“Ahead of the Genocide centenary, we thought of implementing the
‘Four-Month Cultural Autumn’ project from August until November to
ideologically prepare the residents of the university city Bochum
and the neighboring towns,” Azat Ordukhanyan told a news conference
in Yerevan.

He said that the initiative comprised eight big programs aimed to
raise awareness of the big tragedy.

German newspapers have published around 35 articles whose authors,
Orduchanyan said, have not avoided using the term Genocide.

“We have applied to the Yerevan City Hall’s Nature Protection
Department with a proposal for planting 155 trees,” he said, adding
that the figure was selected with a special intention to coincide
with the Union’s 155th anniversary.

“We have also proposed creating an Armenian-German friendship
mark. We do not want to mark the centennial, relying on the standard
cross-stone-based approach. We are heading to the next centennial
with the green color,” he added.

He described the idea a good attempt to prove that the brutal headsman
(the Turk) did not manage to annihilate the Armenian nation. “Germany
publishes numerous books in the German language, so it is not only
the Armenians who remember the day. We closely collaborate with the
ethnic minorities in Germany,” Ordukhanyan added.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:

December 30, 2014

WELCOMING 2015

As we enter the centennial year of the Armenian Genocide we pray to
our Lord, who is our refuge and strength, to guide our nation and to
make His presence known to us. May He make us truly wise in our quest
for truth and justice that we seek in the spirit of Christ and for the
honor and glory of His beloved name. Our hearts are set on Your
faithful promise that You will be with us now and forever. Amen.

`To the exiles of the Dispersion…who have been chosen and destined
by God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit to be obedient to Jesus
Christ and to be sprinkled with his blood: May grace and peace be
yours in abundance.’ (I Peter 1:1-2)

`I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your
welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.’ (Jeremiah
29:11)

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Õ=8FÔ±Õ=90Ô» ÔµÕ’

Õ=8DÕ=88Õ’Õ=90Ô² Ô¾Õ=86Õ=88Õ’Õ=86Ô´

Õ’Õ=90Ô»Õ=8DÕ=8FÕ=88Õ=8D Ô¾Õ=86Ô±Õ’ ÔµÕ’ Õ=85Ô±Õ=85Õ=8FÕ=86ÔµÕ`Ô±Õ’

WE WISH ALL A HAPPY NEW YEAR FILLED WITH

THE LOVE AND PROTECTION

OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

2015 ENCYCLICAL OF HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

READ IN PRELACY PARISHES LAST SUNDAY

Parishes within the Eastern Prelacy last Sunday read the Encyclical
issued
by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great House
of Cilicia, concerning the Armenian Genocide Centennial commemorations
during the year of 2015.

In his message, His Holiness said, `The Armenian Genocide has left
an indelible imprint on the collective memory of the Armenian
people. There is no Armenian in the world whose blood has not been
forged, or whose life has not been engulfed by the Armenian
Genocide. There is no Armenian on earth whose family has not
experienced genocide, exile, homelessness, or dispersion.’

His Holiness emphatically stated, `It is also necessary to look beyond
the 100th anniversary. The ever-changing world conditions and
priorities often need re-examination of approaches, way of acting, and
emphasis so that the effort in the pursuit of the Armenian Cause
becomes compatible with the reality that surrounds us. It is a duty
for us to be alert and always
united in our purpose. It is also necessary to properly read `signs of
the times.’ The Armenian Cause is the cause of each Armenian and all
Armenians. It is our martyrs’ cause, the cause of our future
generations. So every Armenian is called upon to contribute in our
pan-Armenian efforts to regain our rights.’

Read Catholicos Aram’s Encyclical in Armenian
() or English
().

Archbishop Oshagan reads the Encyclical issued by His Holiness Aram I,
about the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, at St. Stephen’s Church
in Watertown, Massachusetts last Sunday. Prior to the reading the
Encyclical was escorted around the church in a procession.

In New Jersey’s Sts. Vartanantz Church, Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian holds
the Encyclical in the procession that went around the church.

NATIVITY AND THEOPHANY OF OUR LORD

In keeping with the Armenian tradition, the Feast of the Nativity and
Theophany commemorates the birth of Christ and His baptism by John the
Baptist.
The Armenian Church, among all of the Christian churches in the
world, has preserved to this day an ancient tradition that predates
the celebration of Christmas on December 25.

In his Christmas message, `Faithful to Our God; Faithful to Our
People,’ Archbishop Oshagan describes how at Christmas the joyful
Christian world forgets anxieties and pain and enjoys the happiness
that hope brings. In remembrance of the memorial year of 2015-the
100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide-His Eminence reminded the
faithful that, `The road to salvation that Christ brought to humankind
also became the road for our people. In spite of centuries of
difficulties and persecution, our fathers carried the cross with Him,
and walked toward Golgotha; many times they were crucified, but at no
time did they break the covenant they sealed with God. We maintained
our faithfulness and fought to survive with hope and the faith of
resurrection. And we survived, always celebrating through the
remembrance of Christ’s birth, our continuous resurrection, budding,
and strength in the lives of our people.’

Archbishop Oshagan’s Christmas message can be read in Armenian
() and English
().

A BLESSED AND HOLY NATIVITY

This Tuesday, January 6, is Christmas. The Armenian Church has
remained faithful to the celebration of the Nativity and Epiphany on
January 6. All Christians celebrated Christmas on January 6 until the
mid-fourth century when the Roman Church separated the two events,
celebrating the birth on December 25 and the baptism and visit of the
magi on January 6 (thus the twelve days of Christmas).

On Christmas Eve a solemn Mass is celebrated, preceded by readings
taken from various parts of the Bible about the birth or the coming of
the Messiah. The third chapter from the book of Daniel is read,
usually by a deacon and three young men representing Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, the youths who would not renounce their faith
in spite of torture. Following Christmas
Eve services, traditionally choir members would go from house to house
singing hymns, spreading the Good News of the birth of our Savior.

On Christmas day, after the Divine Liturgy, a special service is
performed
symbolizing the baptism of Jesus, which was a turning point in His
life and the beginning of His ministry. This service, which is called
Blessing of the Water (Churorhnek) commemorates the Baptism and the
Manifestation of Christ recognizing Him as the true Son of God.

Light sent from the Father, you came down from heaven and became flesh
from the Holy Virgin; you are the Lamb of God and Son of the Father.

Today you appeared in the cave as Savior and accepted adoration from
the magi and seeing you the shepherds said: You are the Lamb of God
and Son of the Father.

Having seen the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, John cried out
saying: This is the Lamb of God and Son of the Father.

(Canon for the seventh day of Theophany according to the Liturgical
Canons
of the Armenian Apostolic Church).

PRELATE WILL ORDAIN ACOLYTES IN NEW JERSEY

Archbishop Oshagan will ordain five altar servers during the Divine
Liturgy this Sunday, January 4, at Sts. Vartanantz Church, Ridgefield,
New Jersey. The five to be ordained to rank of acolyte are: Armand
Charkhutian, Shaunt K. Doghramadjian, Antranig Essendir, Arthur
Kesenci, and Aram Kouyoumdjian. A reception, hosted by Mr. &
Mrs. Sarkis and Mary Ohanessian, will take place following the
services.

NATIVITY AND EPIPHANY SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan:

On Christmas Eve, Monday, January 5, His Eminence will preside at the
Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy services at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.

On Christmas Day, Tuesday, January 6, His Eminence will celebrate the
Divine Liturgy, deliver the sermon and officiate the Blessing of Water
Service at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City.

Vicar General, Bishop Anoushavan:

On Christmas Eve, Monday January 5, His Grace will preside at
Christmas Eve Divine Liturgy Services at St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.

On Christmas Day, Tuesday, January 6, His Grace will celebrate the
Divine Liturgy and Blessing of Water Service at Sts. Vartanantz
Church, Ridgefield, New Jersey.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF REMEMBRANCE

During the coming new year of 2015 Armenians worldwide will
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that many
believed to be the death-knell of the Armenian people. The narrative
of the resilience of the Armenian people, the strength of the
survivors through their faithfulness to
their Lord is truly a miraculous story.

Special events are scheduled in Washington, D.C., May 7 to 9, 2015,
that include an ecumenical prayer service, a Pontifical Divine
Liturgy, memorial concert, and a banquet that will honor organizations
and individuals who came to the aid of Armenian survivors. The
Catholicoi, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will be
present to preside over the events. Armenians from all over the United
States are expected to participate in solidarity and unity.

In New York, commemorative events will take place on April 24, 25, and
26,
including the annual Times Square program that is sponsored each year
by the Knights and Daughters of Vartan.

Below are details of the events in Washington, D.C.

BIBLE READINGS

Bible readings for Sunday, January 4, Seventh Sunday of Advent: Isaiah
51:15-52:3; Hebrews 13:18-25; Luke 22:24-30.

Bible readings for Monday, January 5, Christmas Eve (Jragalouyts):
Genesis
1:1-3:24; Isaiah 7:10-17; Exodus 14:24-15:21; Micah 5:2-7; Proverbs
1:1-9;
Isaiah 9:5-7; Isaiah 11:1-9; Isaiah 35:3-8; Isaiah 40:10-17; Isaiah
42:1-8; Daniel 3:1-90. Divine Liturgy: Titus 2:11-15; Matthew 2:1-12;
Dismissal: Luke 2:8-14.

Bible readings for Christmas and Epiphany: Titus 2:1-15; Matthew
1:18-25; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Matthew 3:1-17. Blessing of Water: 1
Corinthians 10:1-4; Matthew 3:1-17.

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea,
proclaiming, `Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’ This
is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, `The voice
of one crying out in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.” Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with
a leather belt around his waist, and his food was
locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea
were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they
were baptized
by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he
said to them, `You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the
wrath
to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to
yourselves, `We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God
is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now
the ax
is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not
bear
good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

`I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful
than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is
in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his
wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable
fire.’

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by
him.
John would have prevented him, saying, `I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, `Let it
be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all
righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized,
just as he
came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he
saw
the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a
voice
from heaven said, `This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well
pleased.’ (Matthew 3:1-17)

For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here
().

MEMORIAL DAY

Wednesday, January 7, the day after Christmas, is Memorial Day. As is
the custom in the Armenian Church, the day after each of the five
great tabernacle feasts is a Memorial Day. Traditionally, the Divine
Liturgy is celebrated on Memorial Day and afterwards the faithful go
to the cemetery to honor their loved ones and have their graves
blessed.

SAINT STEPHEN, THE FIRST DEACON

Parishes throughout the Eastern Prelacy celebrated the Feast of Saint
Stephen last Sunday. St. Stephen is described as `a man full of faith
and the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 6:5). He became the first martyr of the
Christian church and is therefore called the `proto-martyr.’

St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, celebrated their
parish’s patron saint, Saint Stephen, the first deacon and
proto-martyr last Sunday. Presiding over the services was the Prelate,
Archbishop Oshagan, who read Catholicos Aram’s 2015 Encyclical during
the Divine
Liturgy (see first item).

St. Stephen’s Church celebrated its patron saint last Sunday and
honored their deacons. First row, from left, sub-deacon Ara
Barsoumian, Deacons Zadour Bedoyan, Hovaness Doursounian, and Setrag
Panian. Second row, from left, sub-deacon Albert Barsoumian, His
Eminence Archbishop Oshagan, Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian, and
sub-deacon Jiro Barsoumian.

At Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey, the deacons who
were honored included, from left, Harout Takvorian, Vahan
Kouyoumdjian, Zohrab Zakarian (choir master), Kostan Charkhutian, and
Hagop Tekeyan are shown here with the pastor Rev. Fr. Hovnan Bozoian.

LITURGICAL CALENDAR POSTER

The 2015 color poster of the Liturgical Calendar of the Armenian
Apostolic
Church is now available at the Prelacy. This 27×36 inch poster belongs
in every classroom, church hall and home.

The Armenian Apostolic Church uses a liturgical calendar to mark its
feasts and fasts and seasons, like all traditional churches but with
its own unique features. As one can readily see, the Armenian Church
year has eight seasons, depicted on the poster in different colors
with the names of the seasons indicated in the outermost ring: 1)
Nativity and Epiphany, 2) Lent, 3)
Easter, 4) Pentecost, 5) Transfiguration, 6) Assumption of the Holy
Mother
of God, 7) Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 8) Advent. The innermost ring
shows the months.

The weeks of the year are represented by the sectors of the circle,
starting with Sunday and moving towards the center, with slots for
each day of the week. Sunday is the first day of the week,
mi-ya-shapat (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1), the day Jesus rose
from the dead. Christians from the earliest times designated Sunday as
`the day of the Lord’ (deroonee / deroonagan). The word geeragee
(Sunday) comes from the Greek Kyriaki, meaning dominical, lordly,
royal. Thus, all Sundays are dominical days, commemorating and
celebrating the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ (along with
other dominical celebrations, such as the ascension, transfiguration,
and so forth). Some dominical feasts could also be celebrated during
the week, for instance, the Nativity and Epiphany of our Lord Jesus
Christ
on January 6.

In addition to dominical (deroonee) feasts, we also have feasts
dedicated to saints. On saints’ days the church remembers and
celebrates those Christians who have bore an exemplary witness to
Jesus Christ and to his gospel-these include the apostles, the
martyrs, the confessors, teachers, ascetics, bishops, priests,
deacons, kings, queens, princes, and people from all walks of life,
male and female, young and old. In our tradition, saints are
commemorated and celebrated on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays, except during the weekdays of Great Lent and the 50 days of
Easter. This coming year, the Armenian Church will canonize the
martyrs of 1915 genocide as saints.

The church does not always celebrate. There are also days of fasting,
set aside for self-restrain and self-examination; hence festivities
are not compatible with the ethos of the days of fasting. In the
Armenian tradition, Wednesdays and Fridays are designated as days of
fasting, except during the eight days of the Christmas festivities and
during the forty days after Easter festivities. We also have ten
weeklong fasts preceding major feasts and
commemorations, observed from Monday through Friday, except for the
fast of the Nativity which is six days. And there is the great fast
(medz bahk) of Great Lent, preceding the feast of feasts: the
Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Easter).

The liturgical calendar poster indicates all these with names and
dates=80’showing all Sundays and other dominical days, saints’ days,
and days of fasting.

As part of the celebration and commemoration of feasts and saints’
days, as well as observing days of fasting, the Armenian Church has
assigned Bible readings for all these days. To see the daily Bible
readings prescribed in our lectionary, please visit the Prelacy’s
website at armenianprelacy.org. And for more info about Feast and
Fast, please click here
().

To order copies of the liturgical calendar poster, please contact the
Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or at [email protected]. The cost of
the poster is $5.00 plus shipping and handling.

BIBLE READINGS FOR 2015

Bible Readings for the entire year of 2015 are now on the web
page. Click here ().

MURONORHNEK PILGRIMAGE

A Pilgrimage to experience the Blessing of the Holy Oil (Muronorhnek)
in Antelias, Lebanon, is being organized with two options: Option A,
to Lebanon
only (July 12-21); Option B, to Lebanon, Armenia and Artsakh (July
12-28).
Space is limited; reservations must be made by February 12. Check
details below:

SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PHILLY

DONATE TO FUND FOR SYRIAN RELIEF

Following the Divine Liturgy at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in
Philadelphia, on Sunday, December 21, the Sunday School held its
annual Christmas Pageant in Founders Hall in the presence of
Archbishop Oshagan who presided over the Liturgy and the Pageant. The
youngest students, ages 2 to 5, delighted the audience with a
selection of three songs that reminded people of God’s love for them
and their remembrance of Jesus’ birthday in a pre-Pageant
performance. The older students, via Gospel readings,
carols, and hymns in Armenian and English, reenacted the story of the
Nativity. Unique to this year’s Pageant were flashbacks to and from
the
21st and 1st centuries and how the celebration has changed throughout
time, but ultimately remembering the true reason for the season.

Santa presented the children with gifts, but first presented
Archbishop Oshagan a gift from the Sunday School-a check for one
hundred dollars
for the Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief from the children from Philly
for the children of Syria, `to keep the Armenian schools open and to
meet the educational needs of all children in Syria.’ The Prelate
accepted the gift with heartfelt appreciation and he told the
students, =80=9CThis means more to me than one million dollars!’

Archbishop Oshagan and Archpriest Fr. Nerses Manoogian with the Sunday
School students.

Before distributing gifts to the children, Santa Claus presents a
check to
Srpazan on behalf of the Sunday School students to help children in
Syria.

CONCERT OF ARMENIAN CHAMBER MUSIC

Fourteen works of chamber music by thirteen Armenian contemporary
composers, in their first U.S. performance was offered on Sunday,
December 21, at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, co-sponsored with
Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society (New York
Chapter) and the Composers Union of Armenia.

The concert featured three performers from Armenia, soprano Noune
Karapetyan, violinist Sarkis Karapetyan and pianist Nune Hakobyan, who
presented an
array of compositions in various genres that were received with
enthusiasm
by the audience.

Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, pastor of the Cathedral, delivered opening
remarks. Musicologist Krikor Pidedjian, who was instrumental in
organizing the concert together with composer Konstantin Petrossian,
followed with an introduction.

Composer Aram Satian, president of the Composers Union of Armenia, who
was
especially invited, made closing remarks and played his composition,
Ave Maria, which was rendered by a guest in the audience, soprano
Narine Ojakhyan. A reception followed in the Cathedral’s John
Pashalian Hall.

Concert performers and organizers, from left, Mrs. Berjouhi Yessaian,
Mr. Zaven Varanian, Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Mr. Aram Satian,
Mrs. Asdghig Sevag, Mr. Sargis Karapetyan, Ms. Noune Karapetyan,
Mr. Krikor Pidedjian and Mr. Konstantin Petrossian.

THIS WEEK IN ARMENIAN HISTORY

Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Russian Victory in the Battle of Sarikamish (January 4, 1915)

The alignment of the Ottoman Empire with the Central Powers (Germany
and Austria-Hungary) and its declaration of war against Russia brought
inevitably a winter campaign in the Caucasus. Russia had taken Kars
during the Russo-Turkish War in 1877 and feared a campaign aimed at
retaking Kars and the port of Batum in Georgia.

An initial Russian offensive in the first half of November was stopped
25 kilometers inside Turkish territory along the Erzerum-Sarikamish
axis. War Minister Enver Pasha devised an operation plan and decided
to take personal
charge and execute his plan through a winter offense. The Turkish
Third Army included 83,000 regular troops, reserves, and personnel of
the Erzerum fortress added to 118,000. The Russian Caucasus Army was a
well-equipped 100,000 troops. It included two battalions of Armenian
volunteers, commanded by Hamazasp (Servantzdian) and Keri.

The Turkish plan was two-step: a sudden initial attack and a second
step with two corps (Ninth and Tenth) of the army proceeding at full
speed. After
a very hard march under heavy snow in the mountainous territory, and
various delays, the Turkish army started its attack on Sarikamish on
December 29, instead of December 25 as planned. The troops were worn
out, half-starved, and short of guns and ammunition. Enver thought
that the Russians, who had initially evacuated Sarikamish, were
retreating to Kars, when they were actually executing an encircling
movement.

The IX and X Turkish Corps, totaling 12,000 men, began to attack
Sarikamish. At the end of the day, they were driven off, losing 6,000
troops. Enver’s positive mood was replaced with disappointment when he
received information that the Russians were preparing to encircle his
forces with a force of five regiments. On January 1, the commander of
the XI Corps pressed a frontal attack on Sarikamish lasting for the
next 4 days; after that the heavy fighting began to lose
momentum. Snow hindered advancing forces which were supposed to bring
the relief.

On January 2, Russian artillery fire caused severe casualties. Enver
Pasha
received two reports; both were saying that they did not have any
capacity
to launch another attack. The Russians were advancing now and the
circle was getting narrower. On January 4, Turkish Brigadier General
Hafız Hakkı Pasha toured the front line and saw that the fight was
over.

Afterwards, Turkish divisions started to surrender. Hafız Hakkı
ordered a total retreat on January 7. The Ottoman Third Army started
with 118,000 fighting power and was reduced to 42,000 effectives in
January 1915.
Russian losses were 16,000 killed in action and 12,000 who died of
sickness, mostly due to frostbite.

Enver was the strategist of the operation and the failure was blamed
on him. Beyond his faulty estimate on how the encircled Russians would
react, his failure was on not keeping operational reserves that
matched the needs of
the conditions. He did not have enough field service to factor the
hardships faced by the soldiers and analyzed the operational
necessities theoretically rather than contextually. Carrying out a
military plan in the winter was not the major failure of the
operation, but the level of its execution.

The Armenian detachment units are credited no small measure of the
success
which attended by the Russian forces, as they were natives of the
region, adjusted to the climatic conditions, familiar with every road
and mountain path, and had real incentive to fierce and resolute
combat.

On his return to Constantinople, Enver Pasha blamed his failure on the
actions of the local Armenians, initiating the repressive measures
against the
empire’s Armenian population that were an early stage of the Armenian
Genocide.

Previous entries in `This Week in Armenian History’ can be
read on the Prelacy’s web site ().

SYRIAN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY NEEDS OUR HELP MORE THAN EVER

The crisis in Syria requires our financial assistance.

Please keep this community in your prayers, your hearts, and your
pocketbooks.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY
IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT.

THE NEED IS REAL.

THE NEED IS GREAT.

DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON
LINE. TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE
() AND SELECT SYRIAN
ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU. OR IF YOU PREFER YOU MAY MAIL YOUR
DONATION TO:

Armenian Prelacy

138 E. 39th Street

New York, NY 10016

Checks payable to: Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief

Thank you for your help

ARMENIAN LANGUAGE CORNER

Prepared by the Armenian National Education Committee (ANEC)

Two Other Ways to Say `New Year’ in Armenian

1. Amanor

As anyone knows, `new year’ is nor dari (Õ¶Õ¸Ö=80 Õ¿Õ¡Ö=80Õ«) in
Armenian, and of course, New Year = Nor Dari (Õ=86Õ¸Ö=80
Õ=8FÕ¡Ö=80Õ«). But, unlike English, the Armenian language has a
second, much older and `fancy’ way to name the first day of the
forthcoming year as Amanor (Ô±Õ´Õ¡Õ¶Õ¸Ö=80).

Someone may suppose that this word is related to aman (Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ¶)
`vessel’ and nor (Õ¶Õ¸Ö=80) `new,’ and that it designated a custom of
replacing the old china on New Year. Besides the fact that such a
pricey custom did not exist among Armenians, this would go against
language rules. In that case, the word would be amananor or amannor,
which has never existed.

They would be partly right, however: the second part of Amanor is nor
=80=9Cnew.’

What about the first? This is the Classical Armenian (Krapar) word am
(Õ¡Õ´ `year’), derived from the Proto-Indo-European word

sama. The word am does not exist alone in Modern Armenian, but it
appears in compound words. Besides Amanor, how do you say, for
instance, `decade’ in Armenian? Dasn-am-eag
(Õ¿Õ¡Õ½Õ¶-Õ¡Õ´-Õ¥Õ¡Õ¯). What about `biennial’ or `that happens every
two years’? Yerg-am-ea (Õ¥Ö=80Õ¯Õ¡Õ´Õ¥Õ¡Õµ).

In the same way that Latin annus lives in English annual, Krapar am
lives in Modern Armenian amenamea (Õ¡Õ´Õ¥Õ¶Õ¡Õ´Õ¥Õ¡Õµ). Don’t put
aside Latin and Krapar!

2. Gaghant

Did you know that Armenian Gaghant (Ô¿Õ¡Õ²Õ¡Õ¶Õ¤) and the English word
calendar are related?

English calendar comes from Old French, and then from Latin
calendarium (`account book’), which has its origin in calendae
(=80=9Cthe first day of the month’).

This Latin word was also the source for the Greek word khalándai,
which actually took a different meaning, `new year.’ The word and the
meaning went into Classical Armenian as gaghant (kaghant, in Classical
Armenian pronunciation). Most interestingly, the word was only
inherited by Western Armenian.

The familiar figure of Gaghant Baba (Ô¿Õ¡Õ²Õ¡Õ¶Õ¤
Õ=8AÕ¡ÕºÕ¡), incidentally, is only known to Western Armenians too;
Eastern Armenians know him as Tsemer Babig (Õ=81Õ´Õ¥Õ¼
Õ=8AÕ¡ÕºÕ«Õ¯, `Grandfather Winter’). Gaghant Baba appears to be the
Armenian version of French Père Noël (“Father Christmas”), but unlike
his French colleague, the name is unrelated to Christmas, because it
means `Father New Year.’ Since Père Noël and Santa Claus bring
presents on Christmas, perhaps this is why many people mistakenly
think that Gaghant is a synonym of Dzenunt
(Ô¾Õ¶Õ¸Ö=82Õ¶Õ¤, `Christmas’), which
is a mistake. Gaghant Baba has a different timing: he actually comes
to Armenian children in the wee hours of New Year. By the way, if
people tell you that they are coming for a visit on Gaghant, be aware:
this means January
1.

Previous entries in `The Armenian Language Corner’ can be read on the
Prelacy’s web site ().

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

Komitas: Victim of the Great Crime

By Meline Karakashian, PhD

This is a well-researched account of the life of musicologist and
priest, Komitas Vartabed (1869-1935) in English. An Armenian edition
was published earlier. The book provides information about Komitas’s
development,
his immense contribution to the preservation of Armenian folk music,
and his psychiatric hospitalizations following the Genocide of
1915. This volume
encapsulates the story of the Great Crime whose 100th anniversary will
be commemorated in 2015, and its psychological consequences, with
Komitas Vartabed being a prime example of a victim and survivor.

Komitas: Victim of the Great Crime, 224 pages, $20.00 plus shipping &
handling

Ô»Õ´ Õ¸Ö=82Õ²Õ¥ÕºÕ¡Õ¿Õ¸Ö=82Õ´Õ¨ (Eem Ooghebadoome)

(My Travelogue – Memoirs)

By Vrej-Armen

Vrej-Armen Artinian, a prolific editor and writer based in Montreal,
presents his memoirs, from his birth and early life in Egypt to his
settlement in Canada in the 1960s to current days. Profusely
illustrated with photographs, drawings, and handwritten texts, the
book is the story of a life, but it is also a valuable recollection
about life in the Armenian community of Egypt at its heyday in the
1940s-1960s, and the development of the Canadian Armenian community
since then.

Eem Ooghebadoome, 317 pages, softcover, $30.00, plus shipping and
handling.

To order books or for information contact the Prelacy Bookstore by
email ([email protected]) or by telephone (212-689-7810)

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 7-Armenian Relief Society, NJ Shakeh Chapter presents
=80=9CThe Sound of Music’ (in Armenian), performed by the Bedros
Atamian Theatrical Group of Hamazkayin Sanahin Chapter, Montreal,
Canada. Director and playwright, Lena Khacherian, at Fort Lee High
School, 3000 Lemoine Avenue, Fort Lee, New Jersey. Tickets: $50, $35,
$25. Contact: Ani Keshishian 201-417-0204; Anik Kechichian
201-394-4408; Lena Tarakjian 201-592-7991.

February 9-11-Ghevontiantz gathering of clergy serving the Eastern
Prelacy.

March 1-One Nation, One Culture: A Cultural Evening of Song & Dance
dedicated to the Armenian Genocide 100th Anniversary, Felician
College, 262 South Main Street, Lodi, New Jersey at 4 pm. Organized by
the New Jersey
chapter of Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society, with
co-sponsorship of AGBU Ararat NY, Homenetmen Regional Executive,
Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, and Tekeyan Cultural
Association of Greater New York.

March 5-Official opening of Exhibit on Armenian textiles, `Stitching
to Survive: Handwork of Armenian Women,’ 6-8 pm, at the United
Nations, New York. Reception to follow. Organized by the Armenian
Relief Society, Inc., and the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the UN.

March 6-Conference, `Rebuilding a Nation: The Armenian Woman’s Century
of Resistance and Empowerment,’ 10 am-4 pm, at
Salvation Army Auditorium, 221 East 52nd Street, New York
City. Organized by the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of the
Armenian Relief Society, Inc.

March 13-15-`Responsibility 2015,’ International conference for
Armenian Genocide’s centennial at Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York,
featuring prominent historians, policymakers, authors, and
artists. Organized by the ARF Eastern US Centennial Committee, under
the auspices of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of America,
Eastern Region. for information.

March 20-Musical Armenia, presented by Eastern Prelacy and Prelacy
Ladies Guild, Weill Recital Hall, 8 pm, Carnegie Hall, New York
City. Featured artists Patil Harboyan, piano and Heather Tuach, cello,
will present a
program dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide
that will include works of Armenian composers Atamian, Babajanian,
Gomidas, Khatchaturian, Saradjian, Stepanian, and Talalyan. Tickets
are $25 and will be on sale after December 20th at the box office and
the Prelacy, 212-689-7810.

March 13-15-International conference, `Responsibility 2015′ marking
the Armenian Genocide’s centennial, at Marriott Marquis Hotel, New
York City. Organized by the ARF Eastern United States Centennial
Committee, under the auspices of the Armenian Genocide Centennial
Committee of America, Eastern Region. For information visit the web
site ().

April 25-Connecticut Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day at the
Connecticut State Capitol. Keynote speaker: Noted author Chris
Bohjalian.

April 26-Centennial commemoration of Genocide. Joint united Divine
Liturgy in New York City (site to be announced), presided by
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan. To be
followed by Times Square gathering `100 Years to Remember.’

May 7, 8, 9-National Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoration in
Washington, DC, organized under the patronage of the Diocese and the
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Presided by His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great House of
Cilicia. May 7, Ecumenical
Service at the National Cathedral, 7 pm; May 8, A Journey Through
Armenian
Music at the Music Center at Strathmore, 7:30 pm; May 8 & 9, Exhibits,
Films, and Events at various venues; May 9, Divine Liturgy at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, 10 am;
May 9, A Time to Give Thanks, banquet, 6 pm (location to be
announced).

May 10 to June 4-Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Aram I to the
Eastern Prelacy.

July 18-Blessing of the Holy Muron (Oil) by His Holiness Aram I, at
the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias,
Lebanon. For
details click here.

October 5-9-Clergy gathering of Eastern, Western, and Canadian
Prelacies.

Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy’s web
site.

To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add
[email protected] to your address book.

Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.

Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected]

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIDJAN : LE GOUVERNEMENT FERME LES LOCAUX DE RADIO FREE EUROPE

REVUE DE PRESSE

En Azerbaïdjan, le bureau de Radio Free Europe a ete perquisitionne
et ferme pour une duree indeterminee. L’Azerbaïdjan est l’un des
pires pays en matière de liberte de la presse, Radio Free Europe
constitue l’une des dernières voix independantes dans le pays, d’où
l’inquietude d’autant plus grande que cette attaque est la deuxième
en quelques semaines visant des medias qui ne sont pas lies au pouvoir.

L’operation fait partie d’une campagne generale de repression des
medias independants en Azerbaïdjan, estime le directeur de Radio
Free Europe dont les locaux a Bakou ont ete investis vendredi par un
commando de policiers. Les journalistes ont ete forces de quitter le
bureau ; l’equipement et les ordinateurs ont ete confisques. Pendant
la perquisition, la vingtaine d’employes a ete confinee dans une
salle durant plusieurs heures, sans accès au telephone et a l’internet.

Au debut du mois, une celèbre journaliste d’investigation de cette meme
radio, qui a consacre de nombreux articles a la corruption au sein du
regime, avait ete arretee et placee en detention provisoire pour deux
mois. Khadija Ismayilova est accusee par cette perquisition, a indique ce samedi
un responsable du departement d’Etat.

mardi 30 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

Fr. Hovagimian of Vienna Mekhitarists Interviewed

Reporter, 17 December 2014

For nearly 250 years the Mekhitarian/Mekhistarist Monastery of Vienna
has retained its status as one of the spiritual and cultural pillars
of the Armenian Diaspora. It was established in 1773, after a group of
monks separated from the mother Venice congregation to Trieste. In
1810 the congregation moved again, this time to Vienna, when Emperor
Francis I of Austria provided them with refuge in an abandoned
Capucine abbey in the St. Ulrich suburb of the city.

The monastery includes a church, museum, library, and school. The
library has the largest and the oldest collection of Armenian
newspapers: some 170,000 volumes. The museum has one of the most
significant Armenian coin collections, the oldest dating from the 4th
century B.C. It also has ancient tapestries, ceramics, maps, a huge
globe of the world, old Armenian silver works, Bibles, paintings by
Naghash Hovnatan and Aivazovsky, and cartoons by Saroukhan. Its 2,600
illuminated manuscript collection is the third-largest after that of
Armenia and Jerusalem. The library also has an estimated 500,000
books. The street where the monastery is located is called
Mechitaristengasse. It’s in the 7th district of Vienna.

The Mekhitarist congregation was founded by Mekhitar Sebastatsi in
Constantinople in 1701 and after a short stay in the Peloponnesians,
established itself in the San Lazzaro island in Venice.

Keghart.com interviewed Father Vahan Hovagimian, the head of the
Vienna monastery, in late fall.

Keghart: Tell us about yourself, Father Hovagimian.

Father Hovagimian: I was born in Kamishle, Syria in 1958. I lived in
Lebanon and came to Vienna in 1972 to continue my schooling and to
study at the university. I was ordained priest in 1984. I am in charge
of the parish, the library and the museum. My title is “Hiurungal
Vartabed”– guest priest, custodian.

Keghart: How many priests are there in the monastery?

FH: We have six priests here and 18 in other countries.

Keghart: What’s the focus of the Mekhitarist mission?

FH: Our motto is “Ora e labors” (“prayers and work”). Praying in
community and working together. In addition to spiritual work, we
are–as always–occupied with education/schools, parish work, research,
and publishing.

Keghart: How many students do you have here?

FH: In 2000 we had 380 students. We now have almost 30. Our student
numbers shrank because of the availability of many schools around us.
The glory days of our school were from the post-WWII years until the
’60s.

Keghart: How are your relations with the local municipality?

FH: We have good relations with the municipality and with the state.
They support us when we ask for their financial help. When we ask for
help, say, for renovations, they help us, but only when the cost is
too high. They pay one-third of the cost. The monastery also has
private buildings and receives monthly rents from these buildings.

Keghart: I understand you have another source of revenues…liqueur production.

FH: We produce six types of very popular Mechitharine liqueurs. They
are generally speaking stomach-friendly beverages which are based on
ancient recipes our Founder Mekhitar Sebastatsi brought with him to
Europe. One of them is good for the heart. Others are for diabetics or
for people with stomach problems. We also have an appetizing bitter.
They come in .70L (22 Euros) and .35L (13 Euros).

Keghart: There are about 4,000 Armenians in Vienna, many of them
recent immigrants from Armenia. Can you talk about the community?

FH: For years our community had about 3,500 people, almost all from
Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iran. In the past ten years
immigrants–mostly from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Syria–have joined the
community. I don’t have exact population figures, but it’s safe to say
that the number of the newcomers is 4,000.

Keghart: Can you tell us about Mekhitarian’s great tradition of
research and publishing?

FH: We publish four to five books a year. Recent publications include
“Symposion, 200 Jahre Mechitharisten in Wien” and of course “Hantes
Amsoria 2014” and the “National Library Series” which started in 1889
and so far contain 227 volumes. We also continue with the “Studies of
the Armenian History” series. We sell “Hantes Amsoria” around the
world, including in Armenia. “Hantes Amsoria” and other journals can
be obtained through subscription.

Keghart: Considering your vast library of books and publications, do
Armenian and non-Armenian scholars utilize them for their research?

FH: The library is open to all–to “odars” and particularly to Armenians.

Keghart: How many visitors/tourists stop by the monastery every year?

FH: We get more than 3,000 visitors a year; almost 1,000 Armenian.

Keghart: Is it true that the Nazis occupied the monastery as their
offices during WWII? If yes, what did the monks do?

FH: I know that our monastery was used in the WWII as headquarters for
Marines. The monks went to the Middle East. The monastery treasures
and books were hidden in the basement of the monastery.

Keghart: Is the Mekhitarian Brotherhood growing?

FH: For three weeks recently I was in Venice, in our main mother
monastery at St. Lazzaro. We had the ordination of two young deacons.
We hope that in 2015 they can become priests. Two days after the
ordination of the deacons, four youngsters made their vows, to devote
their lives to God and to the Armenian Nation.

From: Baghdasarian