MASHDOTS COLLEGE’S ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE: STUNNING MOMENTS WITH OUR HISTORY
Wednesday, August 6th, 2014
Near Mt. Ararat in Western Armenia (Turkey)
BY GARBIS DER-YEGHIAYAN
The history of the Armenian people is a story stained with tragedy,
destruction, and injustice – but, nevertheless, also a story of faith,
perseverance, accomplishment, and hope.
Although brutally massacred and ruthlessly driven from our homeland and
denied our precious liberties, we have never forgotten our precious
heritage and have carried with us our deep pride and resolved to
prevail wherever we have settled. No one has expressed this notion
better than William Saroyan in his famous quote: “When two of them
meet anywhere in the world see if they will not create a New Armenia.”
Mashdots College’s annual pilgrimage to Western Armenia, Cilicia,
and Cappadocia, July 5-20, 2014 not only depicted the beauty and
spirit of our ancestral homeland, but it also served to strengthen our
bonds as a people, and helped us to better understand and appreciate
our centuries-old precious heritage and to observe first-hand the
unparalleled accomplishments of our martyred ancestors and the immense
sacrifices endured by the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. For
if we are to perpetuate our treasured traditions and sacred values,
we must never forget what it means to be an Armenian. This incredible
experience also offered us a panorama of unforgettable moments.
Suddenly, the past and the present fused seamlessly. These are no
ordinary sightseeing trips but a fateful encounter with our historical
roots. As we walked through the ancient streets of our ancestral lands,
from village to village, from city to city, we were beholden in awe the
priceless Armenian treasures “hidden” in plain sight. This sky, this
very same earth, this very land was where our parents and grandparents
were born, grew up, lived, toiled, and worshipped in churches that now
lie in various stages of neglect, ruin and outright desecration. Yet,
we experienced heart-warming and triumphant moments as well. As we
crisscrossed this historically rich land, time and again we are
transfixed by the historical sites, structures and objects that
trumpeted the golden age of our courageous people’s history.
The pilgrimage covered the following regions and cities: Adana,
Deort-Yol, Aintab, Berejik, Urfa, Dikranagerd, Bitlis, Van-Aghtamar,
Pergri, Igdir, Bayazid, Mt. Ararat, Ani, Kars, Garin-Erzurum, Mush,
Kharpert, Zara, Seoastia-Sivas, Gessaria, and Uchisar-Pasabagi,
Cavusin, Urgup, Goreme and Kaymakli Underground City in Cappadocia.
Special Moments with our History:
MAJESTIC MT. ARARAT — As we approached the town of Bayazid, a distant
view suddenly took our first-time visiting pilgrims by surprise.
Across the northeastern horizon rose a breathtakingly beautiful scene,
Mount Ararat, dwarfing the other ranges in view. From a distance its
most distinguished feature was its gracefully outlined ascending,
capped by ice fields. We were all transfixed wanting to feast our
eyes on the symbol of our survival. Perhaps nothing will ever rival
the emotions we all felt during our face-to-face encounter with Mt.
Ararat. As we symbolically climbed our majestic mountain we enjoyed
an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience – “the dream of our life”
as described by the pilgrimage participants. It was a spiritual lift
that inspired hope within us for a brighter future for all Armenians.
ANI — Needless to say, we were deeply touched by our visit to our
10th century capital City of Ani. When our first steps touched the
earth inside the city walls, our thoughts soared to the majesty of
our kingdom at its finest. Before us stretched fields of tall grass
punctuated periodically by outcroppings of stones, some alone,
others in randomly arranged piles and still others in neat rows
forming walls. We moved around reverently so that we could attach the
umbilical cord of our soul. Ani spreads in a triangular plan more than
two kilometers long from the north to the south walls. The city grew
from the seventh to eleventh centuries to acquire the characteristics
of an urban center with a population of 100,000 Armenians. This
site – at the crossroads of trade routes and positioned typography
to enhance the physical safety of its inhabitants – had been chosen
by the Armenian Bagratid sovereigns as the religious and political
capital of Armenia. During the thirty-year reign of Gagik I, Armenian
Renaissance in the arts and politics flourished. Once known as the
City of 1001 Churches, it became known beyond the Armenian Kingdom
as a Christian metropolis. It was a special thrill to marvel at the
Ani school of architecture with its complex spatial geometry, yet how
saddening to realize that at the main gate and at church entrances,
descriptive inscriptions and signs did not include the word “Armenian”,
what a travesty and a doomed effort to rewrite history! We visited
the Church of the Redeemer (under reconstruction), Church of Saint
Gregory of Tigran Honentz, the Mother Cathedral (under reconstruction),
Church of our Lady, Church of Saint Gregory of Abughamrentz, Church of
the Apostles, and the Monastery of Holy Virgins. We were only a few
yards away from the rushing water of the Akhurian River, and which
joins the Araxes River. The Republic of Armenia lays just a stone’s
throw from where we were standing. The river demarcates the border
between Armenia and Turkey. A bridge, now ruined, spans the Akhurian
River in a single arch 30 meters in length.
HOLY CROSS ARMENIAN CATHEDRAL – This exquisite 10th century edifice
is the birthplace of our soul. When we arrived at the dock for the
motorboat to the Island of Aghtamar, we had just enough time to
jump on board. As the boat approached the island, the facade of the
renovated church loomed larger and larger, with our emotions growing in
amplitude. Manuel, a distinguished Armenian architect under commission,
oversaw the construction of this marvel of Armenian architecture from
915 to 921A.D. including the cathedral, a monastery, and a palace. What
a strong commitment our ancestors should have possessed to have built
over one thousand years ago such a magnificent masterpiece. Building
the cathedral alone on this same site today would be considered a
major construction project requiring the cooperation of hundreds
of planners, organizers, designers, workers, and benefactors. One
could have nothing but admiration and pride for the accomplishments
of those who turned the island into Manuel’s unusually insightful
architectural and artistic design for King Gagik Ardzrouni. When we
finally reached the island, we began our ascent up the narrow path
toward the church several hundred feet away. We stood in awe and
stopped several times to look around and take pictures. The church
is captivating. The exterior of the church is in superb condition
and boasts a remarkable series of bas-relief carvings and friezes
representing biblical stories as well as depictions of heroic events
in Armenian history. Its classical beauty makes this one of the most
photographed edifices in Western Armenia.
WORSHIPPING IN OUR CHURCHES – Yes, functioning, but also ruined and
converted! We prayed and sang sharagans at the following sites: Adana
– Sourp Hagop (now Yagh mosque), Deort Yol – Sourp Asdvadzadzin,
Aintab – Sourp Asdvadzadzin (now Kurtulush mosque), Urfa – Sourp
Asdvadzadzin (now Salaheddine Ayoubi mosque) and Armenian Evangelical
(now Firfirli mosque), Dikranagerd – Sourp Giragos, Van – Sourp Khach,
Ani – Mother Cathedral, Kars – Holy Apostles (now Kumbet mosque),
Erzurum – Sourp Minas, Mush – Sourp Asdvadzadzin, Kharpert – Sourp
Asdvadzadzin, Sourp Garabed, Sourp Varvara, as well as the Assyrian
Church, Bolis – Sourp Asdvadzadzin Patriarchal Cathedral.
LOCATING ANCESTRAL HOMES – What an emotional encounter, what an
indescribable moment to witness the tears of joy when several of our
pilgrimage participants carrying pictures of their ancestral homes
could locate them! Rightful owners and current residents embracing
each other . . . what an incredible scene!
SPECIAL VISITS – The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople
(established in 1461), and worshipping at the Sourp Asvadzadzin
Patriarchal Cathedral. Our local Armenian tour guide informed us that
there are more than 2,500 Armenian churches and monasteries in Turkey,
the majority of which are either in ruins or are being used for other
purposes. The vibrant Armenian community is Istanbul takes special
pride in its 40 active Armenian Apostolic, nine Armenian Catholic,
and three Armenian Evangelical Churches. In addition, there are 18
day schools in Istanbul: Thirteen K-8, two 9-12, and three K-12. It
is estimated that 70,000 Armenians live in Turkey today and the
overwhelming majority is concentrated in Istanbul. The Armenian
presence in Turkey is reinforced by a constant flow of illegal
immigrants from Armenia who settle in Turkey in search of better job
opportunities. The official numbers are not validated, as it is a
highly seasonal process, but estimates vary between 40,000 and 50,000.
Visiting the editorial offices of the bilingual Turkish-Armenian
newspaper Agos in honor and memory of its visionary editor-in-chief,
Hrant Dink, who was assassinated on January 19, 2007 by a 17-year
old Turkish nationalist. Dink was best known for advocating
Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and human and minority rights in
Turkey.
For me, these annual pilgrimages reinvigorate and rejuvenate me to
renew my vow, to strengthen my faith and to continue my mission with
renewed vision, commitment, and hope as an Armenian educator serving
our youth in the United States. Each and every pilgrimage represents
the elegy of a grateful grandchild and son who has come to tombstone
of his forefathers to shed tears that have welled up in his heart for
so long. It is the bitter-sweet reminiscences of a devoted grandchild
and son who has come to pay tribute to his people. Our Ancestral
Lands welcomed us with open arms and heart. The pilgrimage forged a
special bond among the participants who experienced stunning moments
with our history. After all, we saw the amazing treasures together,
we felt vivid emotions together, we prayed and sang together, we shed
tears together, we smiled and laughed together, and . . . we paid a
special tribute together to our people, who preferred torture and
death to slavery and injustice, cognizant that the seeds of their
sacred faith shall bud and blossom and that over death Armenia shall
rise in glorious victory.
As we boarded the plane, elated for having tested and overcome the
challenges of the legacy that our ancestors had bequeathed to us,
we were all smiling with the knowledge that we were carrying out of
our lands pictures and stories that would uniquely impact our lives
and redefine our legacy.
During the flight, thousands of feet above the land, we continued
enjoying a supreme closeness with our ancestors. Their spirit was
more real to us than it had ever been before. It was as sacred,
solid and enduring in its reality as the Holy Cross Church on the
Island of Aghtamar, and as strong as our proud Majestic Mt. Ararat.
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