FORMER MIRROR-SPECTATOR EDITOR ARA KALAYDJIAN DIES
Ara Kalaydjian
asbarez
Thursday, March 1st, 2012
WALTHAM (The Armenian Mirror Spectator)-Ara Kalaydjian, the former
editor of the Armenian Mirror-Spectator and a respected figure in
the community, died on February 26.
He leaves his wife, Shoushanig (Hovsepian) Kalaydjian; siblings
Antranig Kalajian and his wife, Rose, of Germany, Alex Kalaydjian
and his wife, Annie, of Watertown and Arek Kalaydjian and his wife,
Lisa, of North Andover; Brothers-in-law John Hovsepian and his wife,
Carol, of Florida and Joe Hovsepian and his wife, Rosin, of New
Jersey, and sister-in-law Angele Vosgerichian and her husband, Nick,
of Connecticut. He also leaves Mayda Yetimian and many other nieces
and nephews.
Kalayadjian, born in Jerusalem in 1938, was the son of Karnig and Mary
(Chinchinian) Kalaydjian, both from Marash, who survived the Genocide,
eventually settled in Jerusalem, Palestine. He was educated at Sourp
Tarkmanchatz School in Jerusalem. During the first Arab-Israeli war
in 1948, his family moved to Zahle, Lebanon, where for two years he
attended the Armenian Mekhitarist School. Upon returning to Jerusalem,
he resumed his studies at Sourp Tarkmanchatz and graduated in 1951.
That same year, he left for Cyprus and enrolled at the AGBU Melkonian
Educational Institute in Nicosia. He graduated in 1957 and started
teaching at the local Melikian School.
In 1965, he returned to Jerusalem. In addition to being the personal
secretary to Patriarch Yeghishe Derderian, he was the editor-in-chief
of Sion, the official publication of the patriarchate, and director
of the printing press of the monastery. He also taught Armenian
literature at the seminary and at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
>From an early age, he contributed to various Armenian publications
and newspapers. In 1967 he compiled and published a catalog of the
manuscripts of the Monastery of Moush. That same year he published
two works of the poet Bedros Tourian: Daghk (poems) and Namagani
(the letters of the poet). He edited and published the first volume
of Arpiar Arpiarian’s Complete Works. He researched and edited the
letters of Patriarch Krikor the Chainbearer of Jerusalem. He prepared
a complete catalog of the earliest printed Armenian books and also
translated into English Krikor Keusseyan’s book on Carzou.
In 1978, he and his wife, Shoushan, emigrated to the United States and
settled in Boston, where he assumed the position of managing editor of
the Baikar Weekly, published by the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party.
For 10 years, from 1987-1997, he was the editor of the Armenian
Mirror-Spectator.
For a brief period, he taught Armenian at the University of
Massachusetts/Boston. In 2000, Ore Orin (Day to Day), a compilation
of many of his writings about contemporary national and international
subjects was published.
He was a member of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party and the
Knights of Vartan.
Services were held at St. James Armenian Church, 465 Mt. Auburn St.,
Watertown, on Friday, March 2. Interment followed in Grove Hill
Cemetery, Waltham.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to St. James Armenian
Church or the AGBU Educational Projects in Armenia, 55 East 59th
St., New York, NY 10022. Arrangements were made by the Giragosian
Funeral Home.