Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Press TV, Iran
Jan 6 2014

Christians in Iran celebrate Christmas

Christians in Iran celebrate Christmas. Christians in Iran believe the
New Year brings new possibilities, hope for new beginnings and end to
the previous year or past misfortunes. Many Christians in Iran are
buying presents and ready to celebrate Christmas. Over 150,000
Christians in Iran, most of them Armenians, celebrate Christmas in
with friends and family members in churches throughout the country. We
got a chance to visit Tehran’s Sarkiss Cathedral an Armenian Apostolic
Cathedral and Prelacy to experience their celebrations. Christmas is
the annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely
observed holiday celebrated generally on December 25th by millions
around the world. The original date of this celebration in Eastern
Christianity was January 6th which is still the date the Armenian
Apostolic Church celebrates Christmas day. Under Iran’s constitution
Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians are recognized as religious
minorities have representatives in Iran’s parliament and are allowed
to carry out their religious rituals.

Watch the video at

Armenian Christmas celebrated in Cleveland – VIDEO

January 06, 2014 | 13:03

CLEVELAND. – Armenian Community of Cleveland, Ohio, traditionally
celebrates the Christmas Eve in the St. Gregory of Narek Armenian
Church, Armenian News-NEWS.am reporter informs from the United States.

More than one hundred Armenians gathered in the Armenian Church of
Cleveland at the Divine Liturgy on the Eve of the Feast of Theophany,
followed by the weekly sermon delivered by the pastor of St. Gregory
of Narek Armenian Church Rev. Fr. Hratch Sargsyan.

`The God sent his Son to us. It was a gift so that we get a chance to
have our sins forgiven. At first glance, one would think that the Son
of God could not be born in a place, in which Jesus was born, but He
came and proved that He was the Son of God, the promised Messiah, who
would bring salvation to the nations. Centuries have passed since the
birth of our Lord, and if we ask, what has changed since the birth of
Christ, at first, we would say that the world is still in the fights
and there is evil. But our Lord has brought hope to the world in which
we, believers, see our salvation,’ said Fr. Hratch.

The liturgy and sermon were followed by the Jrakalouyts
(lamp-lighting). The celebrations continued in the Cultural Hall of
the St. Gregory of Narek Church, where everyone was served traditional
fish and rice dishes, as well as Armenian national cookies either
prepared at the hall on the donations or brought by the members of the
congregation.

The youngest members of the Armenian community prepared short scenes
about Christmas. The celebration was concluded by the arrival of Santa
Claus and distribution of gifts to children.

Note that a genuine Armenian Santa not only brings gifts but also
teaches children how to pray and how to cross themselves.

Message of His Holiness Karekin II on the Feast of the Holy Nativity
and Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

13:13 06.01.2014

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

`I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.’
John 14:6

Dear and faithful people in Armenia, Artsakh and the Dispersion,

It is with the exultation of Christ our Lord’s Holy Nativity that we
offer today our joyful gratitude to God. We glorify our Savior – the
infant Jesus born in Bethlehem. On the blessed day of the Holy
Nativity, the earth became heaven, and the ray of Justice with the
light of righteousness dawned to illuminate the souls of men, so that
they know, see, and find their salvation.

The Son of God humbled Himself from the heights of heaven, became man
and came to earth, to save man who had been exiled from paradise
through the deception of the intriguer, from sin and from the power of
Satan who breeds sin. He came to return the lost generations of the
first-created man who had come out against God in transgression to the
kingdom of heaven, and to turn them into the children of God. `Teach
me the way I should go, Lord, for to you I lift up my soul.’ (Psalms
143:8). In response to this plea of mankind that was raised up to
heaven by the psalmist’s lips:, the voice of our Savior resounded: `I
am the Way and the Truth and the Life.’

By making truth and life one with Himself, our Lord proclaimed that
truth is a value equal to life. He dispersed the darkness of aimless
wanderings and sinfulness with the rays of truth, and granted to men
the Holy Spirit of Truth (John 14:17), so that the path of mankind be
established in a life of peace and righteousness – a life founded on
love and honesty for one another.

Through the Lord’s act of salvation, the defeated evil fights today as
well with fury for the souls of men, trying to obscure with fog the
light of truth brought by Christ; so that men do not see the path that
leads to heaven, and by leading them astray through snares of
deception, be denied the eternal life of the kingdom of God. Evil has
no rest – it works day in and day out and works through men. Evil
creates the path when vigilance for the truth is lacking in life, and
falsehood finds its collaborators. The beguiling ways of evil are
strengthened when man strays from the principles taught by Christ –
filling life with falsehoods and distortions. It is thus that the
presentation of realities are transformed into intrigues and false
evaluations; arbitrary and selfish interpretation in religions, give
birth to cults; by the demands of the defense of human rights, society
is at times also compelled to adopt behaviors that are contradictory
with societal thinking and value structures.

It is in this manner that morality in the world cedes ground to
immorality, freedom of speech is transformed to licentiousness of
speech, and testimony becomes the distortion of truth. By distorting
the truth, political interests often oppose peace and justice, frenzy
to acquire the material and selfish desires oppose mercy and
philanthropy, and multiply the conflicts, sorrows, wants and pains in
the world.

The world shall be liberated of these life-agitating realities when
men accept the truth of Christ, when they witness the presence of the
Lord through their faithful works, and like the Apostle, proclaim,
`…the truth of Christ is in me!’ (2 Corinthians 11:10). Only by
bearing the truth can mankind secure the progress of life,
reformation, beneficial results and development; because nothing that
lasts is built on deception – neither relationships between
individuals, nor a vibrant societal life or statehood. When truth is
not within men, dedication, righteousness and brotherhood have no
value; however through truth they take on strength and the power to be
transformed into work.

In our reality, dear pious faithful, regrettably we also find
impropriety and slander, indifference towards the general welfare of
the country. Traditional family values are in retreat, and in the
face of difficulties, the spirit of conscientiousness. Unreserved
behavior and insult are regarded as courageous; responsibility is
subordinated to rights. Frequently, the right to express one’s
personal opinion is wrongly utilized to distort the truth, in order to
spread subjective or biased opinions.

It is in this mentality that falsehood is veiled with a mask of truth,
debate becomes argument, discussion transforms into scorn and
condemnation, from which the Spirit of God’s truth and the wisdom of
God move away; and we have difficulty – yes, even cease – to see the
good and the just; and faith and trust in one another, as well as hope
and optimism for the future, all weaken in our lives.

Dear faithful, it is the child born in Bethlehem who is the way, the
truth and the life. We must rely on Him, we must bear His truth in
our hearts so that our lives are transformed, be filled with
unwavering trust, and the strength to overcome difficulties, and
everything will be made right through the power of God’s benevolent
will. The truth is liberating. `And you will know the truth, and the
truth will make you free.’ (John 8:32), says our Lord. Let us live
and work with Christ’s truth; let us make his word and commandments
the light that disperses the darkness in our lives; let us make His
love and mercy for us the power that unites us – the power that
creates the unity of the nation. Let us keep steadfast and strong our
unanimity, spirit of harmony, let us care for and attend to one
another, for our country and the elevation of our spiritual and
national life. It is in this manner – and only in this manner – that
we shall build and create our vibrant and prosperous homeland. It is
only in this way that we shall transform the 100th anniversary
commemorating the Genocide of the Armenians into the platform of
victory for our righteous cause, and lead to a just and positive
solution the fundamental issue of Artsakh. It is in this way we shall
keep the Diaspora vibrant and energetic, and become the hope and
refuge for our Syrian-Armenian brothers and sisters bearing the
adversities of conflict. And may all of our labors be with the Lord.

It is with this wish and the good tiding of the Holy Nativity that we
extend our greetings to the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our
Holy Apostolic Church: His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great
House of Cilicia; His Beatitude Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Armenian
Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian,
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; to all of our oath-bound and
devoted clergy; and to the graceful heads of our sister Churches.

With pontifical blessings and the appeal for the graces of the Holy
Nativity, we greet the President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh
Sargsian and the First Lady, present here for the Divine Liturgy
today. We convey our greetings to the President of the Republic of
Artsakh, Bako Sahakian, to all high-ranking state officials of the
Armenian people, to the leaders of diplomatic missions accredited in
Armenia and representatives of international organizations.

>From God-built Holy Etchmiadzin and the Holy Altar of Descent of our
Lord and Savior, with the good tidings of the Holy Nativity, we extend
our pontifical love and blessings to all of our sons and daughters
dispersed throughout the world.

On this joyful day, let us pray for the graces of the Savior’s birth
to always reign over the earth, and with the entreaty of the prophet,
`Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace
will kiss each other.’ (Psalms 85:10).

May the illuminated rays of our Lord Jesus Christ’s birth give
brilliance to our Holy Church, our Homeland, to Armenian life in the
Diaspora, so that it be glorification to the Most-High God and grant
to our nation constant and endless spiritual happiness, and today and
always, may we always proclaim with joy,

Christ is Born and Revealed
Great Tidings to All

TURQUIE
La livre turque reprend sa chute sur fond de scandale politico-financier

ANKARA, 06 jan 2014 (AFP) – La monnaie turque a repris sa dégringolade
lundi et atteint un nouveau plancher historique face au dollar à plus
de 2,19 livres (TL) pour un dollar, toujours affaiblie par le scandale
politico-financier qui éclabousse le gouvernement turc.

En fin de matinée, la devise turque s’échangeait à 2,1947 TL pour un
dollar, après avoir franchi les 2,18 TL pour un dollar la semaine
dernière, et à 2,9851 TL pour un euro, s’approchant de la barre
symbolique des 3 livres pour un euro.

Dans le même temps, le principal indice de la bourse d’Istanbul (BIST
100) restait stable, oscillant entre très légère baisse et très légère
hausse depuis le début de la séance.

Depuis le 17 décembre, la devise turque subit, comme la bourse
d’Istanbul, le contrecoup du scandale de corruption qui fait tanguer
le gouvernement du Premier ministre islamo-conservateur Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, à la veille des élections municipales de mars et
présidentielle d’août 2014. Avant cette crise, la livre avait déjà
subi une forte baisse depuis l’été, victime des décisions de la
Réserve fédérale américaine (Fed) qui affectent tous les pays
émergents.

Dans un entretien accordé dimanche au Financial Times, le ministre de
l’Economie Mehmet Simsek a concédé que la faiblesse de la monnaie
nationale avait `à l’évidence des implications macroéconomiques
négatives pour la Turquie`. `Pour la première moitié de 2014 nous
anticipons une croissance plus faible, plus modeste, à cause du
resserrement (de la politique monétaire de la Fed) et des conditions
politiques et économiques intérieures`, a ajouté M. Simsek.

Les autorités politiques turques s’efforcent depuis quinze jours de
rassurer les milieux d’affaires sur les conséquences économiques de
cette crise politique. La semaine dernière, le vice-Premier ministre
en charge de l’économie Ali Babacan a maintenu à 4% ses prévisions de
croissance pour l’année 2014.

lundi 6 janvier 2014,
Ara ©armenews.com

Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA, Iran
Jan 5 2014

No problem to be solved in ME without Iran: US archbishop

Tehran, Jan 5, IRNA – Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Primate of the
Armenian Prelacy of Tehran, said Sunday that no problem in the Middle
East region would be solved without Iran since the country is
internationally known as an influential regional power.

In a meeting with Vice-President for Women Affairs Shahindokht
Mowlaverdi, the archbishop said the Iranian Armenians make great
efforts to introduce Irans real image to the world.

Referring to the unfair sanctions imposed on Tehran by certain states
for its peaceful nuclear activities, Archbishop Sarkissian said the
Iranian Armenians condemn the Wests hostile stance against Iran.

As to Irans significant role in resolving regional crises, he stressed
that Tehrans representative should participate in the Geneva II
conference on Syria, slated for January 23.

1394**1422

Heat emission of Armenia’s gas should be measured in real time – ruling party MP

January 05, 2014 | 11:09

YEREVAN. – The heat emission of the Russian natural gas entering
Armenia should be measured in real time.

Ruling Republican Party (RPA) MP Vardan Ayvazyan, who is also Chairman
of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, told
the abovementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In the past month, the RPA MP paid visits to the infrastructure
facilities of Armenia’s ArmRusGazprom Company. As a result, it was
found out that the limitary heat of gas combustion was not identical,
and it could range from 20-30 percent.

`The problem is that it is not specified as to what calorific-value
gas enters our system at which point,’ Ayvazyan explained.

Pursuant to the natural gas agreements recently signed between Armenia
and Russia, calorific value indicators will not be applied for Armenia
until the year 2016.

`And then [what]? It is indispensable to specify as to who will follow
the gas parameters in a synchronous mode. Otherwise, different
customers will receive gas at different heat emission,’ Vardan
Ayvazyan concluded.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIE
Trois sociétés pharmaceutiques arméniennes ont demandé des certificats GMP

Trois sociétés pharmaceutiques arméniens ont demandé au ministère de
la santé d’obtenir des certificats de Bonnes Pratiques de Fabrication
(GMP) a indiqué le ministère.

Le ministère a annoncé que le gouvernement allait approuver une
procédure de suivi de la conformité des sociétés pharmaceutiques à la
réglementation GMP et la délivrance de certificats. Il a dit qu’une
fois que le document entrera en vigueur trois sociétés arméniennes ont
décidé de faire appel au ministère pour obtenir des certificats
correspondants, mais il n’a pas révélé les noms de ces sociétés.

Le ministère a indiqué également que les normes GMP ont été approuvées
par le gouvernement de l’Arménie en 2010 et harmonisées avec les
normes européennes. Actuellement, il existe six grandes sociétés
pharmaceutiques en Arménie.

dimanche 5 janvier 2014,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

ARMENIENS D’UKRAINE
Le livre sur les Arméniens d’Ukraine proposé pour le Prix Taras
Shevchenko à Kiev

A Kiev (Ukraine), le livre illustré de l’arménologue, philosophe et la
spécialiste de la culture arménienne en Ukraine Irina Kayuk titré «
Encyclopédie illustrée de la culture arménienne en Ukraine » est
proposé parmi les ouvrages concourant pour le Prix Shevchenko. Selon
Irina Kayuk c’est l’association pan-ukrainienne « Prosvida » qui
aurait proposé le livre pour le Prix Taras Shevchenko. Lors de la
présentation de « Encyclopédie illustrée de la culture arménienne en
Ukraine » en décembre dernier à Kiev des membres du Comité Tars
Shevchenko étaient présents. Etaient également présents l’archevêque
Krikoris Bouniatian responsable de l’Eglise arménienne pour l’Ukraine,
l’Ambassadeur d’Arménie en Ukraine Djivan Movsissian, la présidente de
l’association culturelle « Ukraine-Arménie » Elena Hovhannissian ainsi
que des membres de l’Académie des sciences d’Ukraine. L’ouvrage est
exceptionnel car il intègre pour la première fois les `uvres liées à
l’Arménie et aux Arméniens, issues de 44 musées nationaux d’Ukraine
ainsi que des archives. Le livre comprend 593 photographies et
illustrations.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 5 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

ARMENIENS DE SYRIE
Un élève arménien tué à Alep lors d’une explosion, plusieurs autres
élèves et adultes sont blessés

Un écolier arménien a été tué le 3 janvier dans le quartier arménien
Souleymanié à Alep suite aux bombardements. L’explosion a également
blessé plusieurs autres élèves qui attendaient l’autobus devant
l’école. Deux adultes, Krikor Kevorkian et Levon Lahmetchian figurent
également parmi les blessés de l’explosion de la bombe. Selon l’agence
de presse officielle syrienne Sana, les « terroristes » ont multiplié
leurs actions face aux victoires de l’armée syrienne qui a « éliminé »
de très nombreux « foyers terroristes ». Les batailles d’Alep étant
des plus importantes de ces confrontations armées entre les troupes
régulières syriennes et les groupes armés de l’opposition syrienne
financés en grande majorité par des pays étrangers dont l’Arabie
Saoudite et la Turquie.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 5 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Primate’s Christmas Message

By MassisPost
Updated: January 3, 2014

`An Encounter with God, the Creator’

`Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.
Jesus replied: `A certain man was preparing a great banquet and
invited many guests.
At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had
been invited,
`Come, for everything is now ready” (Luke 14:15-17).

Beloved faithful in Christ,

The Nativity of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is an invitation to
mankind to encounter God, the Creator. The parable of the wedding
banquet in the Gospels is an image of the birth of Jesus in which we
see the humility of the Son of God humbling Himself from heaven to
earth. The positive response of the invited guest serves as the
opportunity to be elevated to God through Christ. In other words, to
adopt a new standard and quality of life which is nothing else but
life shaped and lived in the Christian faith.

`Christ is Born and revealed!
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ!’

Dear faithful Christian, once again we are called to greet and humble
ourselves before the Nativity of Christ, so that we may with His Birth
be reborn in our God-given life. To live with Christ means to adorn
our lives with character and shape, making Him our own mission and
purpose and to draw mankind closer to God.

The Nativity of Christ is the image of the humility of the Son of God
who descends from heaven to earth, taking upon Himself human form and
serving the world and all mankind.

The Nativity of Jesus is an invitation to each of us to emulate
Christ’s own example to become noble servants and to lead man to God,
for that is the ultimate goal of the Christian life. To remain
steadfast in this path means to live life with the spirit and
awareness of our Christian faith, to live life in emulation of Christ
as a servant, who leads us always to do God’s will, to live a holy
life making the Gospel our rudder in life, and to make ourselves the
golden ring that connects man to God.

`Christ is Born and revealed!
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ!’

The invitation to greet and humble ourselves before the newborn Jesus
is extended to each and every of us. How shall we respond as
individual Christians, as a people, as a nation and a Church?
Undoubtedly, our response shall be a favorable one and shall be
expressed through our steadfast Christian faith and our readiness to
celebrate the mystery of the Birth of Jesus as the foundation of our
lives. If our active faith in the Birth of Jesus is not expressed in
our daily life then we have failed in our response to the invitation.
To respond to the invitation means to live a life of faith to the
fullest with a sincere heart, a loving spirit, a forgiving and a
merciful soul, in humility and selfless service, or simply by
fulfilling the commandments of the Gospel of Christ. To celebrate the
Birth of Jesus is to make the Infant Jesus the mirror of our spiritual
life, and motivated by a sense of fear and ignominy to abandon all our
hardened evil tendencies and habits that do reflect neither Christ nor
the Christian faith. To celebrate the Birth of Christ today means to
live a holy life that reflects the holiness of the Birth of the Infant
Jesus. This is why Christ, pointing to children, said `to such belongs
the kingdom of God.’

Beloved faithful, with each celebration of the Feast of the Nativity
of Christ is the beginning of a new spiritual journey. The Birth of
Jesus is an invitation to a new life. The Birth of Jesus is the active
presence of God in the life of the world so that we too may be reborn
in our life and sanctify it. The Birth of Jesus is the invitation to
man to make his life an active presence of God in the life of the
world, in creativity. Therefore, let us respond to the invitation we
have received through our good works of faith, through our service and
sacrifice, so that we may uphold our God-given Motherland Armenia and
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and embody in our Christian life
in the vision of our Armenian values.

`Christ is Born and revealed!
Blessed is the Revelation of Christ!’

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate
Feast of the Holy Nativity – 2014