Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Rev. Nersessian to lecture on Armenian Christian tradition in London

Published: Saturday January 26, 2013

An Armenian bible part of an exhibit at British Library through the
end of January. British Library at

LONDON – Centre for Eastern Christianity at the Heythrop College,
University of London will host a series of Lent term lectures on “The
Armenian Christian Tradition: History, Doctrine, Spirituality and
Liturgy” given by Revd Dr Nerses Nersessian.

The Rev Dr Nerses (Vrej) Nersessian was born in Tehran in 1948. He was
educated at the Armenian College in Calcutta, the Gevorgian
Theological Academy in Holy Etchmiadzin (Armenia) and King’s College,
University of London. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and a
Doctorate in Modern Greek and Byzantine Studies.

His doctoral thesis on The Tondrakian Movement, a religious movements
in the Armenian Church from the fourth to the fifth centuries was
published in 1987 in London and reprinted in the Princeton Theological
Monograph series 15, in Pennsylvania a year later. In 1975 he joined
the British Library curatorial staff as curator responsible for the
manuscripts and printed books of the Christian Middle East section, a
post which he held until his retirement in August 2011.

Among his British Library publications are: Catalogue of Early
Armenian Printed Books. A history of Armenian Printing
(1512-1850),(1980), Armenian Illuminated Gospel Books(1987), Treasures
from the Ark,1700 years of Armenian Christian Art, a catalogue of an
exhibition of the same name held at the British Library to mark the
1700th anniversary of the conversion of Armenia to Christianity, The
Bible in the Armenian Tradition (2001) and most recently A Catalogue
of the Armenian Manuscripts in the British Library acquired since the
year 1913 and of collections in other libraries in the United Kingdom
(2012) described as `a fitting culmination to the long and
distinguished career ‘.

He is the author of the articles on the Armenian Church Tradition in
Jesus in History, Thought, and Culture. An Encyclopedia
(ABC/CLIO2003), In the Beginning. Bibles before the year 1000 (Arthur
M.Sackler Gallery, 2006), The Blackwell Companion to Eastern
Christianity (Blackwell, 2007), Sacred Books of the Three Faiths:
Judaism, Christianity,Islam (The British Library, 2007), Byzantium
330- 1453 (Royal Academy of Art, 2009), The Orthodox Christian World
(Routledge 2012).

He was ordained a priest in 1983, elevated to the rank of archpriest
in 1991 by Vazgen I Catholicos of All Armenians of Blessed memory, and
in October of this year he was awarded the distinguished medal of
Saint Nerses Shnorhali by His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of All
Armenians, for his distinguished career in the British Library and
devoted services to the Armenian Church. Presently he is the Priest-in
-charge of the Armenian church of Saint Eghishe, Cranley Gardens,
London. He is married to Leyla Nersessian, has two sons and two
grandchildren.

Schedule lectures are as follows:

30 January 2013 4.30pm-6.00pm in the Marie Eugenie Room
The emergence of Armenia as a Christian state in the first half of the
fourth century and the founding of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Church.

A brief introduction to the country and its people before its
conversion to Christianity during the reign of King Trdat in the first
half of the fourth century. The conclusion of the formative period,
with the invention of the Armenian alphabet, the work of the
`Translators’, the joy of having the words of God in Armenian finally
leading to the founding of an Armenian literary tradition. Koriwn the
biographer of St Mesrop Mashtots, Eghishe the historian of the Battle
of Avarayr and Eznik’s work `Against the Sects’ a treatise on God and
the nature of evil.

6 February 2013 4.30pm-6.00pm in the Marie Eugenie Room
The Christology of the Armenian Orthodox Church. The attitude of the
Armenian Church to the first eight Ecumenical Councils, 325 – 787AD.

In the History of the Armenians of Agathangelos, which has an account
of the conversion of Armenia, and a distinct section called The
Teaching of St Gregory the Illuminator the basic doctrinal tenets of
the Christian faith are expounded: belief in the Trinity: the Father
who created us, the Son who saved us, and the Spirit by whom the world
was made and who acts in the world. The History also testifies that
Gregory’s son Aristakes, and whose name does appear in the list of
signatories, attended the Council of Nicaea in 325. He brought the
Nicene creed back to Armenia, to which St Gregory added the doxology
`As for us, we shall glorify him who was before the ages, worshipping
the Holy Trinity and the one Godhead the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, now and always and unto ages of ages. Amen’. This simple
but precise declaration has been the core element of the doctrinal
position of the Armenian Church which has remained intact throughout
the centuries.

20 February 2013 4.30pm-6.00pm in the Marie Eugenie Room
Contacts and initiatives for reunion between the Armenian, Greek, and
Roman Churches. The Ecumenical approaches of Nerses IV Klayetsi,
called Shnorhali (1102-1173) and Nerses Lambronatis (1152-1198).

The establishment of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in about 1199
brought the Armenian Church into direct contact with the Roman
Catholic and Greek Churches. The chance meeting in 1165 of St Nerses
with Alexious, the Byzantine duke of Mamistra, became the starting
point of Armeno-Greek ecclesiastical relations. These contacts
continued until almost the end of the century in 1193. The
Chalcedonian question in all its dimensions and complications
dominated discussion at every level and stage. The two doctrinal works
produced by Nerses called The Confession of Faith (Gir hawatoy
khostovanout’ean Hayastaneayts ekeghetswoy) and the Definition of
faith of the Armenian Church (Sahmank’ Hawatoy) found positive
acceptance in both Churches, but Greeks and the Latins were not
prepared to discuss the problem of church unity officially.

27 February 2013 4.30pm-6.00pm in the Marie Eugenie Room
The Armenian Church under the political authority of Ottoman Turkey,
Tsarist Russia, and the Soviet Union

The demise of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in 1375 and the return
of the See of the Catholicate from Cilicia to Holy Etchmiadzin, left
isolated colonies within the empires controlled by Safavid Iran, the
Ottoman Empire, and Tsarist Russia. With the removal of the political
forces that had shaped and sustained Armenian society, the continuity
and direction of the nation henceforth depended exclusively on the
leadership of the Armenian Church under its four jurisdictions: the
Holy See of Etchmiadzin, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the
Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Catholicate of Cilicia.

6 March 2013 4.30pm-5.30pm in the Marie Eugenie Room, followed by a
celebration of the Armenian Divine Liturgy in the chapel of Maria
Assumpta convent (by kind permission of the Sisters) and reception
hosted by the Centre for Eastern Christianity and the Armenian
community

The meaning of the Divine Liturgy for the Armenian worshipper. What
impression should the service have upon the worshipper?

A brief commentary on the structure and content of the Armenian Divine
Liturgy. Its distinctive theological and doctrinal features,
reflecting the Christological position of the Armenian Church.
Followed by the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in the chapel of the
Convent of the Assumption in Kensington Square, by kind permission of
the Sisters. A reception organised by the Armenian Community and
Church Council will take place in the Marie Eugenie Room after the
Divine

From: Baghdasarian

Traffic police does not dare to approach the driver violating the
traffic rules (Photos)

2013-01-26 15:48:18

Traffic Police of Armenia has repeatedly said that it will fight
against drivers who violate traffic rules and do not respect the law.

According to shamshyan.com, today, on January 26, in Sayat-Nova street
the driver of «Lexus» with state numbers 011 NN 11 parked in the
second row of the carriageway, which created obstacles for other cars.

Photographer Gagik Shamshyan reports that inspectors of Yerevan
Traffic Police often pass Sayat-Nova street, and taking account the
license plate did not dare to call the driver, who had violated the
traffic rules, to the administrative responsibility.

From: Baghdasarian

V. Chakhalyan: `I will continue my struggle in freedom’

`Now I am in freedom and first of all I want to thank Georgian diocese
of Armenian Apostolic Church as it was with me during those five years
of prison. I also thank `Yerkir’ union and all the people and
organizations which assisted me and my family and who was with me in
my struggle and did their best for me to see my freedom’, Vahagn
Chakhalyan, Armenian social and political activist in Javakh, told in
his message which he released after getting freedom.

`It’s a pity that the leading `Georgian dream’ also continued the
policy launched by Saakashvili regime and took away my name from the
list of pardoned prisoners. I do not understand why the new leading
force in Georgia believed in disinformation about me. I will now
repeat the same which I have repeated in court for many times: I was
jailed just because I claimed Georgian authorities must respect the
rights of Armenians in Javakhk, condemned Saakashvili’s policy towards
Javakhk and I had struggled against it by the legal measures.’

`I want to reconfirm once more that I am in freedom now and I will
continue my struggle in freedom’, the message by V. Chakhalyan
concludes.

26.01.13, 19:03

From: Baghdasarian

1,381 HIV cases recorded in Armenia in 24 years

news.am
January 26, 2013 | 14:22

YEREVAN. – A total of 1,381 HIV cases were recorded in Armenia, from
1988 to December 31, 2012, and 228 of these were recorded in 2012
alone, which is the most number of cases as compared to all previous
years.

Health Ministry’s National Center for AIDS Prevention official website
informs that most carriers of the HIV virus in Armenia are men, with
70.3 percent; this is 29.7 percent among women, and 1.9 percent, among
children.

The HIV virus is transmitted in Armenia primarily by way of
heterosexual intercourse (56.9%) and injection of illegal drugs
(34.1%). In addition, cases were recorded when the virus was
transmitted through homosexual intercourse, from mother to the baby,
and from blood.

AIDS was diagnosed in 691 – including 169 women and eleven children – HIV
carriers in Armenia, and 133 of these cases were recorded in 2012
alone.

A total of 305 HIV/AIDS patients – including 52 women and five
children – have died in Armenia ever since the beginning of this
disease.

All those that caught this virus through injection of illegal drugs
were men. Moreover, most of them had temporarily resided in Russia and
Ukraine. In addition, 41.6 percent of Armenia’s men with the HIV virus
likewise are injected illegal drug users, whereas 98 percent of the
infected women caught HIV through sexual intercourse.

The most number of recorded HIV cases in Armenia is in capital city
Yerevan, with 38.5 percent. Second is Shirak Region, with 10.5
percent.

The HIV/AIDS situation assessment in Armenia has shown that the
estimated number of people with HIV in the country is 3,500.

From: Baghdasarian

John Hopkins University to publish a book about Nagorno Karabakh
13:54 26.01.2013

Lusine Avanesyan
`Radiolur’
Stepanakert

The John Hopkins University will publish a book about Nagorno Karabakh
in the near future. The edition will present the details of the visit
of the students and lecturers of the University to Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Artsakh this week and will offer some remarks regarding the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Professor William Zartman
of the John Hopkins University said during a meeting at the Artsakh
State University.

`The book will be authored by students enrolled in the Master’s
Program, who are present here today. Every student will write down his
view of the conflict and maybe these fresh ideas and fresh creative
approaches will provide an opportunity to your republic to come out of
economic and political isolation and move along the path of economic
and political development,’ the Professor said.

From: Baghdasarian

Feast of St. Sarkis to be celebrated grandiosely

12:22, 26 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, ARMENPRESS. The holiday of the patron of love St.
Sarkis will be celebrated grandiosely and excitedly. As “Armenpress’
reports, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II has declared this day
as the day for blessing the youth. This year it is celebrated on
January 26.

General St. Sargis together with his son and 14 courageous soldiers
was martyred for the sake of Christian religion.

Sarkis was a Greek from the area of Cappadocia on the Anatolian plain.
He was a proud, brave Christian and served as a Roman army officer
during the reign of Emperor Constantine (roughly 337 A.D.). Sarkis’
valor, strength, and bravery earned him the rank of general.

Sarkis used his position of power for spiritual growth, going from
town to town purging the land of pagan idols, teaching the Gospel, and
building churches where pagan temples once stood. Sarkis had a good
model in the piety of the Emperor Constantine.

When Constantine died, Christianity throughout the region came under
attack from the new Roman leader, Julian the Apostate. Under his
leadership, pagans set about destroying churches and persecuting
Christians.

Seeing this, Sarkis prayed. Jesus appeared to him and said, ‘It is
time for you to leave your country and your clan, as did Abraham the
Patriarch, and go to a country which I will show you. There you will
receive the crown of righteousness prepared for you.”

Sarkis left behind his noble title and power and headed with his son,
Mardiros, to Armenia, where they were welcomed by King Diran, and
grandson of King Drtad.

While Sarkis and Mardiros were in Armenia, the Emperor Julian,
attempting to take over the known world, continued to move eastward
toward Antioch in Syria. Whenever the Roman army came upon Christians,
they were instantly killed. Many people fled the invading armies. King
Diran urged Sarkis to escape and seek refuge among the Persians.

When Sarkis and his son arrived in Persia, King Shapur, hearing of his
bravery, appointed him a commander of the Persian military. As he
continued to be victorious in battle, Sarkis also continued to give
the credit to God.

When Julian’s troops started raiding lan Outnumbered by the Greek and
Roman forces, Sarkis’ troops were frightened. He told them that if
they believed in the Creator of heaven and earth, their hearts would
never be shaken. Many of his soldiers were baptized by the priests
traveling with the army, and they succeeded in fending off a Roman
attack.

Some of Sarkis’ soldiers, who had not been baptized, went to King
Shapur and told him that Sarkis was rebelling against the Persian
ruler by preaching belief in Jesus. The king called Sarkis back to the
palace, where he, his son, and the newly-baptized soldiers were
expected to attend a feast honoring the pagan gods.

At the temple, the king asked Sarkis to offer a sacrifice to the pagan
gods. Sarkis refused, saying he would only worship the one, true God.
The king began to criticize Sarkis and his faith. But Sarkis could not
tolerate such talk, so he spat in the king’s face and knocked down the
temple idols. The king and his followers were enraged by Sarkis’
actions, so they killed his son, Mardiros, before his eyes.

The king then ordered Sarkis imprisoned. In prison Sarkis was
strengthened by his relationship with the Lord. King Shapur heard of
this and ordered Sarkis’ execution.

At his execution, Sarkis began to pray. An angel descended from heaven
and told him, “Be strong. Do not fear the killers of your body; for
the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven is open for you.” Upon seeing the
angel and understanding the power of everlasting life, many of the
pagans who had gathered for the execution became Christians.

Sarkis made one last passionate plea for people to accept Jesus
Christ, and then was killed.

On the occasion of the popular holiday various events will be held in
Yerevan on January 26. Events are also expected to be held in the
Lover’s Park in Yerevan.

From: Baghdasarian

Jamestown Foundation: Beijing has shown that it is more than prepared
to be a new player in the complex geopolitical game in the South
Caucasus

arminfo
Saturday, January 26, 13:16

China’s economic role in the south Caucasus is expanding rapidly,
writes Paul Goble, Jamestown Foundation.

“China’s economic role in the south Caucasus is expanding rapidly,
with Beijing’s investments in Azerbaijan alone now approaching a total
of one billion US dollars and its bilateral trade with that country
exceeding that figure on an annual basis. But as impressive as those
figures are, China appears set to play an even larger political role
in the region not only because of its interest in the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway as a land route to Europe, but also because
of its concerns about the ways in which instability there could have a
negative impact on China
(
ekonomicheskaja-ekspansija-i-politicheskij-pragmatizm.html).

There are at least three reasons for this conclusion, which seems
counter-intuitive since in their public statements so far, Chinese
leaders have made it clear that the Caucasus-North and South-is not a
place that is central to their interests. Indeed, the absence of such
declarations and Beijing’s apparent disinterest constitute the first
of China’s advantages: Unlike the major powers, such as the Russian
Federation, the United States and France, China does not show itself
to be and is not viewed by others as being closely tied to one country
in the Caucasus and thus at odds with others. At a time when
many in the region are questioning the motives and actions of these
other powers, that gives Beijing an opening that-judging from its
policies elsewhere-it is likely to exploit.

Second, China brings to any discussions in this region two
extraordinary advantages arising from its own more general approach to
foreign affairs. On the one hand and in sharp contrast to some other
major powers, China’s leaders are prepared to deal with the
governments in the Caucasus countries without challenging their
domestic arrangements or approach to democracy and human rights. They
focus exclusively on economic and geopolitical interests from a
realist perspective, something that governments in the region
appreciate especially as they have been stung by the criticism of
others.

And on the other, China brings to the south Caucasus and that region’s
currently frozen conflicts-namely between Georgia and the Russian
Federation, and between Armenia and Azerbaijan-its unique experience
of working with Taiwan, a place that Beijing insists is de jure part
of China, but one that it interacts with as a de facto independent
country. For Tbilisi, Moscow, Baku and Yerevan, that experience is at
least suggestive of some of the possible ways forward in dealing with
the so-called “breakaway” republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and
Karabakh.

At the same time, the region is beset by growing anger in Baku about
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk
Group’s failure to resolve the Karabakh conflict, ongoing fears in
Tbilisi that Moscow will continue to back Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
as well as the absence of any outside mediators for any of these
conflicts who are not viewed by someone as parti pris-Turkey, for
example, is unacceptable to Armenia. As a result, China is in a
position to promote itself or even to be asked to play a role in both
cases that few in the region-and quite possibly few elsewhere or even
in Beijing itself-now foresee.

And third, in the South Caucasus as in other regions, China takes a
long-term approach to all issues. Its leaders do not feel compelled to
show progress in this or that year but instead work to advance
Beijing’s interests over decades or even longer. Others may seek to
exploit that approach especially if they are interested in maintaining
the status quo or oppose a resolution that would change it. But this
vision gives China some real advantages because it means that
Beijing’s representatives can focus always on their own pragmatic
interests rather than on playing to the crowd.

What are Beijing’s interests in the Caucasus? The most obvious are
the expansion of trade with the petroleum-rich Caspian basin
countries, the establishment of land-based transportation and
communication links between Asia and Europe (see EDM, January 10), the
recognition of China as a rising super power, and, above all else,
political stability and maintenance of the territorial integrity of
states. And its promotion of these interests over the longer term
means that China will seek to block the kind of border changes and
tectonic power shifts that some in the region and beyond appear
interested in.

Chinese activities in the South Caucasus are beginning to attract
attention. But quite clearly, this country’s moves deserve to be
followed closely now that Beijing has shown that it is more than
prepared to be a new player in the complex geopolitical game in the
South Caucasus,” the author writes.

From: Baghdasarian

Council of Armenian organizations in Samtskhe-Javakheti welcomes
Javakhk activist’s release

19:10 – 25.01.13

The Council of Armenian organizations in Samtskhe-Javakheti welcomes
the release of activist Vahagn Chakhalyan, reports akhaltskha.net.

The Council hails the changing environment in Georgia and the fact of
release of political prisoners of Armenian descent.

The previous authorities’ policy ran counter to democratic principles,
with numerous violations of human rights reported.

The Council hopes for further reforms and the Armenians in Georgia,
particularly in Javakhk, will see their numerous problems resolved.

From: Baghdasarian

Peninsula residents honoured on Australia Day
LOCAL NEWS

26 JAN 13 @ 12:02AM BY JOHN MORCOMBE

HARMICK HACOBIAN (OAM)

The founder and president of the Hamazkaine Armenian Sydney Dance
Company, Harmick Hacobian, has been awarded the Medal of the Order of
Australia for his services to the Armenian community. Mr Hacobian, of
Forestville, found the dance company in 2000. He was also president of
the Armenian Chamber of Commerce in Australia from 1997-2009 and a
co-founder of the Armenian Galstaun College at Ingleside in 1987. In
2010 he was awarded the Hamazkaine Medal of Honour by the Armenian
Hamazkaine International Committee.

From: Baghdasarian

DISTRIBUTION OF PRE-ELECTION BOOKLETS HINDERED

06:07 PM | TODAY | OFFICIAL

In 24 January, 2013 an alarm from the representative of the “Heritage”
party S. Barkhudaryan was received in Malatia division of the RA Police
that near the house 33, Raffi street the distribution of pre-election
booklets was hindered.

During the preparation of the materials in Malatia division of the
RA Police S. Barkhudaryan was invited to the mentioned division of
the police. The latter refused to come reasoning that he was busy.

In order to find out the real circumstances of the incident measures
are taken, reports the Press Service of the Prosecutor General’s
Office.

From: Baghdasarian