Author: Kanayan Tamar

Ä°ZMIR CATHOLIC CHURCH HOME TO HOLY LANCE

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 13 2014

Ä°ZMÄ°R – Anadolu Agency

An Ä°zmir church is home to relics from the era of Jesus. One of them
is the Holy Lance, which is believed to have pierced the side of Christ

The priest of the church, Stefano Negro, says the originality of
the lance was traditionally approved and sealed by the Vatican and
that the seal of the document on the history of the lance, cannot be
opened. AA Photo

The Holy Lance, which is believed by Christians to have pierced the
side of Jesus as he hung on the cross and became a legend, is being
kept in Ä°zmir’s Santissimo Rossario Catholic Church as a relic.

The priest of the church in Alsancak, Stefano Negro said the Gospel of
John mentioned the lance, known to Catholics as the Spear of Longinus.

“In the Bible, we see John’s testimony. Jesus died after three hours of
pain. Everyone was surprised how fast he died because it is a painful
and long manner of execution. The Roman soldier who saw that Jesus
died and wanted to prove it pierced his side with the lance,” he said.

Noting that the first state that recognized Christianity was an
Armenian state, Negro said the first relics from the life of Jesus
had been collected by Christians and these relics had been kept in
the Nakhchivan region.

He said that the Dominican priests began establishing the Catholic
society in the 1300s and the region became a Catholic area. “As of the
1600s, Armenians began migrating to the Ottoman Empire. The Dominican
priests who also sought asylum in the Ottoman Empire in the 1720s
moved to Ä°zmir with relics. They were hosted in the Saint Polycarp
Church with the relics and the holy lance for many years. Then the
lance was taken to the Santissimo Rossario Catholic Church, which
was established 110 years ago,” he said.

Vatican-approved relic

Negro said the relics had been moved throughout history, and continued:
“We don’t have a mathematical proof, but it was determined that the
lance dates back to the 1st century. What was told and the wound
of Jesus confirm the holy lance according to the church. There are
three known holy lances; we know that one of them is in our church
in Vienna. Nobody knows which one is the original.”

There are three classes of sacred relics. The first-class is a part of
the saint’s body, the second-class is a piece of the saint’s clothing
or something used by the saint, while the third-class is an object
which has been touched to a first-class relic. The class of the lance
in the Ä°zmir church is not clear.

Feeling the pain Jesus suffered

Churches were raven for relics in the Middle Ages, said Negro, adding,
“Churches were considered as rich as their relics.”

He said some religious scholars who had examined the lance in their
church were sure that it was the original mentioned in the mythos and
this claim was officially documented in the 1800s. “The originality
of the lance was traditionally approved and sealed by the Vatican
and the seal of the document, which tells the history of the lance,
cannot be opened.”

Negro said the legend of lance dated back to the 3rd-4th centuries
and the approval dated back to the 15th century.

The relics meant respect for their society, said Negro, and the
Spear of Longinus reminded of the pain Jesus had suffered. “While
commemorating the day when Jesus died, we put the lance’s protective
case on the altar. After the prayer, we decorated the holy lance
with flowers. In this way, we show believers Jesus’ pain better,”
Negro said.

May/13/2014

TURKISH, ARMENIAN ACTIVISTS DISCUSS NORMALIZATION PROCESS

Today’s Zaman (Turkey)
May 12, 2014 Monday

by SINEM CENGIZ

A group of Turkish activists came together with their Armenian
counterparts on Monday in the Armenian capital of Yerevan at a training
course with the aim of debating the future of the Turkish-Armenian
reconciliation process.

Organized by the eight Turkish and Armenian nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) as part of the “Support to Turkey-Armenia
Rapprochement Project” and funded by the European Union, the training
course entitled “Closed Borders, Open Minds” aims to support for the
better ties between Ankara and Yerevan which have been cool over the
1915 events.

The first training course takes place in Yerevan from May 12-18 with
the participation of 20 Turkish and Armenian activists, and the second
will take place in Istanbul in September.

The aim of the course is to deepen the two sides’ awareness of their
shared history; shape positive opinions; and clarify political contexts
with regard to the Armenia-Turkey normalization process. it also aims
to create a platform for future cross-border cooperation by bringing
together youth leaders from both countries and to serve as a framework
for intercultural dialogue and communication between the participants.

The project’s participants aim to work with policy-makers to advocate
a faster Armenia-Turkey normalization process. The participants listed
their expectations for the course as follows: “The outcome of the
project should have an impact on a governmental and societal level,
develop relations between universities in both countries and raise
public awareness regarding Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.”

A historic reconciliation process was launched between Turkey and
Armenia in 2009, when the two sides signed protocols to normalize
diplomatic relations, but the move was not well received by
neighboring Azerbaijan. The protocols, signed in Zurich, shook
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, as a territorial conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh area has yet
to be resolved. The ratification of the protocols stalled after
Turkey insisted that Armenia first agree to find a solution to the
long-standing Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

Meanwhile, 2015 marks the centennial of the tragic events of 1915
that led to the relocation of the Armenian population from Anatolia
by the Ottoman Empire during World War i; as it approaches, tension
and preparations have been gaining momentum in Turkey and Armenia.

Backed by many historians, Armenia says about 1.5 million Armenians
were killed in what is now eastern Turkey during World War i in a
deliberate policy of genocide ordered by the Ottoman government.

Turkey says there were heavy losses of life on both sides during
the fighting, in which Armenian partisans supported invading Russian
forces.

Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande paid an official visit to
Armenia on Monday. Before his visit to Yerevan, Hollande had stated
that France would make a strong effort for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict to be resolved through negotiations, according to reports.

FRENCH PRESIDENT HIGHLIGHTS INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 13 2014

13 May 2014 – 9:45am

French President Francois Hollande said at a joint business forum
in Armenia yesterday that France was the biggest Western investor in
Armenia, News.am reports.

He clarified that over half of EU investments in Armenia (about 120
million euros this year) belonged to France. However, the president
noted that France was only the tenth largest business partner of
Armenia.

Hollande reminded that France had an Armenian community of 500,000
people.

ARMENIA’S C.BANK CUTS REFINANCING RATE TO 7.25 PCT FROM 7.50 PCT

Reuters
May 13 2014

YEREVAN May 13 (Reuters) – Armenia’s central bank cut its key
refinancing rate to 7.25 percent from 7.50 percent on Tuesday after
data showed annual inflation within the government’s 2014 target.

Annual inflation was 4.4 percent in April, the central bank said, up
from 3.8 percent recorded in March. That is within the government’s
target range of between 2.5 percent and 5.5 percent for 2014.

Monthly inflation in April was 0.5 percent, compared to deflation of
0.4 percent in March.

The central bank kept its refinancing rate unchanged at 7.50 percent
in March. (Reporting by Hasmik Lazarian; Writing by Margarita Antidze;
Editing by Megan Davies)

ZONE BROUGHT AT EDGE OF WAR

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – Monday, 12 May 2014, 15:43

The government agency called the ministry of foreign affairs of the
‘zone’ has announced through its most popular functionary Shavarsh
Kocharyan that there is nothing new in the speech of the U.S. co-chair
of the Minsk Group.

Had the MFA of the ‘zone’ confessed that there is something new in
this statement, the head of this agency Edward Nalbandyan should
have been tried in a demonstrative trial for the failure of foreign
policy, as well as high treason. Had there been ‘nothing new’ in this
statement, the minister of defense Seiran Ohanyan would not make an
urgent statement in reaction to this nightmare.

The administration of the ‘disputable territories’ also hurried to
react. Hence, those reacted who are responsible for blood or, in
other words, war. Edward Nalbandyan is not responsible for blood. He
is not responsible for anything at all.

The political leadership of the ‘zone’ understood at once that
inflating a discussion on the report would illustrate the complete
foreign political failure and the absurd in which the ‘zone’ has
appeared. The ‘zone’ was led by hand from the safest situation in
its history into a disaster.

The global system of security with the supremacy of the United
States conducted a policy of ‘dual containment’ of Turkey and
Russia in which the ‘zone’ acquired great importance. However, this
situation determined the perspective of loss of power and altogether
a significant public status of the current elite and those serving it.

It was impossible. Hence, the ‘zone’ has been led to the edge beyond
which is a new war.

J. Warlick’s report is a conceptually worded challenge to Russia’s
system in the South Caucasus and beyond where Russia is trying
to establish its political dominance. The United States has never
announced about the possibility of war as something inevitable in the
South Caucasus, which indicates a revision of its regional policy. The
United States has made it clear that its policy aimed at stability in
the South Caucasus cannot have the same expression because it plays on
support to the positions of the direct opponents of the United States.

While these opponents played ‘moderate games’, the American policy
remains the same but now it has lost every meaning. The United
States will not make efforts and political expenditure to contain
war in the region. From now on the United States is interested in
confrontation and escalation in the Black Sea and Caucasian region as
an important factor of influence and intensification of a creative
regional geopolitical game. Among scenarios which were narrated in
Lragir.am’s publications, this scenario or scenarios were put forth,
and therefore this situation is not something new but the situation has
changed cardinally, and it is time to remember about previous warnings.

What will intensification of confrontations in the Black Sea-Caucasian
region mean to the interests of the United States?

First of all, Russia’s geopolitical isolation is intensifying. In
addition to this, not only Russia is concerned but the entire
Russian military, political and economic system over a vast space is
concerned. All the elements of this system will encounter pressure
and mandatory choice at best. Apparently, our ‘zone’ will have no
right and opportunity to choose.

Nobody cares about the choice by the ‘zone’. The ‘zone’ has become an
element of the system, and its interests will not be taken into account
in any way and anywhere. The United States is interested in complete
elimination of the ‘zone’ as it is a hindrance to implementation of
its interests and interests of its partners and allies.

Immediately after ‘September 3’ the Americans could offer the ‘zone’
only one way that has no alternatives – normalization with Turkey
and Azerbaijan. They communicated this to the ‘zone’ substantially
and specifically, using different channels and means. J. Warlick’s
report is part of this initiative which was put forth last fall only
at the level of experts.

The ‘zone’ was let understand that normalization with Turkey and
Azerbaijan and territorial concessions are the only way of keeping
relative sovereignty and save the ‘zone’ as an ethnic hotbed.

The irony is in that improvement of relations between the United States
and Turkey is not so strategic, not to say temporary. In other words,
the concessions of the ‘zone’ may be considered in a short-term policy,
whereas in terms of perspectives the United States does not claim
responsibility and does not express interest in the new configuration
in this direction.

At the same time, the containment policy of the United States on Turkey
and Azerbaijan in terms of security of the ‘zone’ was determined by
the factor of the ‘zone’, not the factor of Russia which the United
States viewed as one of the multiple factors of containment of Turkish
expansion in the region. As a result of occurrence of a new situation
the ‘zone’ has lost the political support of the Western community,
first of all the United States and NATO in terms of its security.

The ‘zone’ was not within NATO’s responsibility and did not have
similar formal duties on behalf of the United States but it had full
political support which is not little, and had stepped on the way to
a more serious stage of integration with NATO and supply of arms from
member states of the alliance. Now everything has been lost, and the
west has finally figured out this obscure problem called the ‘zone’.

The ‘zone’ has appeared in the role of direct opponent of the United
States and NATO, and one may expect repetition of the Yugoslavian
scenario.

Having appeared in such a lamentable state of international isolation,
the ‘zone’ has become Russia’s finger puppet which will never and
under no conditions hold a biased position in a future conflict,
and the CSTO is a dummy as it is unable to agree on simply political
issues. The CSTO is a hangout of lost and confused presidents of
‘zones’ in Putin’s anteroom in a narrow circle of solitude.

However, everything will not be limited to one ‘zone’. One of the
strategic goals of the West is intensification of confrontation
between Turkey and Russia, and therefore all the political hindrances
on this track will be removed while, at the same time, factors
for confrontation will be created. In this respect the shift of
responsibility by the West for the ‘zone’ is more than obvious.

The plans are obvious, and they already suppose military defeat of
the ‘zone’ in the war with Azerbaijan, already with Turkey’s support,
and demonstration of military and political inconsistency of Russia
and CSTO. It would be an important and effective lever of collapse
of the Russian system.

Of course, Russia will try to give the ‘disputable territories’
to Azerbaijan and strengthen its own foothold, and at the same time
normalize its relations with Turkey but it will not be allowed to,
and the ‘disputable territories’ will be given to Azerbaijan but not
as part of the Russian plan.

At present, the zonal society is confused as much as its government but
still denies that this is the only way to save from great delusions in
the result of repetition of history. The zonal propaganda keeps its
tail between its legs and is trying to pretend that nothing special
has happened. War is awaiting us, whether a propagandist or a deserter,
the essence does not change.

– See more at:

ARMENIA SHOULD RETURN FIVE OCCUPIED DISTRICTS TO AZERBAIJAN, HEIKO LANGNER SAYS

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 12 2014

11 May 2014 – 12:04pm

The basic principles of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution
voiced by OSCE co-chair James Warlick are quite sane, German political
analyst Heiko Langner told Vestnik Kavkaza in an interview.

According to Langner, Armenia should withdraw its military forces from
five Azerbaijani districts adjacent to Karabakh so that Azerbaijani
people, who lived there before the occupation, can return to their
homes.

A possible interim status for Karabakh itself would be a good temporary
solution, which could stop mutual hatred and raise trust, the German
expert believes.

Disgrace in LA on Shushi Liberation Day

Lragir.am
Country – Saturday, 10 May 2014, 17:49

Yesterday an event was organized at Los Angeles City Council by Paul
Krekorian, a member of California State Assembly, to celebrate Shushi
Liberation Day. The event was attended by the representative of
Karabakh to the United States Robert Avetisyan, as well as the
Armenian Consul General in Los Angeles Sergey Sarkisov.

Sarkisov is a Russian Armenian businessman, the owner of RESO
insurance, he and his brother Nikolay Sarkisov are on the list of
Russian billionaires.

Nikolay Sarkisov is the Armenian Consul General in Lyon.

Edward Enfiajian, a participant of the liberation of Shushi, was
invited to the event. He told our reporter that the speakers never
mentioned Commandos, Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan, who worked out and
implemented Shushi action.

`History is falsified while the participants of the developments are
still alive,’ Edward Enfiajian says. What could the reason be? One can
guess that the Russian businessmen, including the Sarkisovs, as well
as the governments of Armenia and Karabakh, are doing everything to
rule out any `anti-Russian element’ in diplomatic turnover. Meanwhile,
Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan has spoken against severe dependence of Armenia
on Russia’s intentions for many times.

Edward Enfiajian is also indignant that the celebration in Los Angeles
did not mention that on May 8 California State Assembly recognized the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, apparently, because the recognition
of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh does not fit in the Russian
`initiatives’ for the Karabakh settlement.

`After the events of Crimea Karabakh organized a firework and a
concert whereas the recognition of NKR by one of the biggest states of
America was not anyhow marked in Stepanakert,’ Edward Enfiajian said.
IN fact, both the Armenian consul to LA and the representation of
Karabakh are working within the orbit of Russian politics.

– See more at:

Liturgy to bring life to Armenian church after 50 years

May 11, 2014- 2 Comments

By Evie Andreou

THE DIVINE Liturgy will echo within the walls of the Armenian Church
of Virgin Mary in northern Nicosia for the first time in 50 years
today.

For the hundreds of the Armenian Cypriots attending ` some from abroad
` it will be a profoundly emotional moment as they return to a church
and its surrounding buildings which once formed the core of their
everyday lives. The medieval church of Virgin Mary, or Sourp
Azdvadzadzin, is located in the heart of what was the Armenian quarter
of Nicosia until 1964, when the community abandoned the area during
the inter-communal troubles. The last liturgy took place in January
1964.

`I don’t know if I will be able to control my tears when I hear the
choir sing from the balcony,’ said Sebouh Tavitian who as a boy used
to serve in the church every day with his cousin.

I met Tavitian and other members of the Armenian Cypriot community at
the church on Friday when they went to clean and prepare it for
today’s service.

He remembers the time when the church compound met most of the
community’s religious, educational and social needs from births,
baptisms, weddings and funerals. Within its confines was a pre-school
and elementary school, the Armenian Bishopric, the monument to the
genocide and even a scouts’ hall.

`I am very emotional. I belong to the generation that grew up in the
area. I attended all schools here, I served the church every day with
my cousin, I was baptised here, and my parents got married here as
well as all my relatives,’ said Tavitian.
`Back then there was no TV, no computers. We used to spend our time
playing football in the church’s yard, we were also scouts.’

Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra, the spokesman of the Armenian MP Vartkes
Mahdessian, explained how Armenian was spoken everywhere.

`On funerals they would plaster announcements on the electricity poles
to inform everyone. Opposite the church complex is the first hotel in
Nicosia established in 1875 by the Soultanian family. The Armenian
Club was one of the oldest clubs in Nicosia, it was established in
1902, and it hosted the community’s cultural events,’ he said.

For Sirvat Kouyoumdjian, a member of the Women’s Church Committee and
once a resident of the quarter, her most vivid memory was the church’s
icon.

`There used to be an icon of Saint George in the church and it was a
miracle maker. People used to come and place their babies’ shoes in
front of it so that they would grow and be healthy,’ she said

`This is my first time here since 1964. I was sleepless for two
nights,’ said another helper, Elsie Utidjian. `I used to live in
Tanzimat Street. I was baptised in the church and attended both
pre-school and elementary school here.’

`I have mixed feelings. I am excited. I am very happy I was able to be
part of the group that helped prepare the church,’ said Anahid
Eskidjian also a member of the Women’s Church Committee with Utidjian
and Kouyoumdjian.

Like them, she also went to school there, as did her brother who has
been living in the United States since 1964. He, and many former
pupils who now live abroad, have returned especially for the service.

`It will be like a reunion after all these years,’ said Eskidjian.

The liturgy will be carried out by the Armenian Archbishop Varoujan
Herkelian, and the Armenian Church’s Choir will take its traditional
place in the balcony.

HISTORIC BUILDING

Sourp Azdvadzadzin was originally a Latin church built in 1308-1310
after being commissioned by King Henry II of Cyprus. It stood on an
earlier 12th century church which, before being destroyed by
earthquake in 1303, had housed religious orders and been a nunnery.

The monastery came under the Armenian Church in 1504. Two firmans
(edicts) issued in 1571 and 1614 during the Ottoman rule, confirm the
Armenian ownership of the church.

Over time the church underwent various changes. It was restored in
1688, 1884 and 1904. Between 1960 and 1961, the Antiquities Department
replaced the medieval tombstones in the floor and installed new
flooring.

Between 1964 and 1998 the church complex was used as barracks for the
Turkish Cypriot militia and Turkish soldiers.
It was restored between 2009 and 2012 by the UNDP-ACT and USAID
funding in close co-operation with the office of the Armenian
Representative Vartkes Mahdessian and the Armenian Prelature of
Cyprus.

Press TV, Iran
May 11 2014

Iran music maestro Loris Tjeknavorian talks to Press TV

Loris Tjeknavorian has made nearly 100 recordings and written more
than 75 compositions, including symphonies, operas, requiems, chamber
music, ballet music, concertos, choral works and an oratorio.

He has conducted international orchestras throughout the world in
numerous countries including Austria, the UK, the US, Canada, Hungary,
Finland, the former USSR, Armenia, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa,
and Denmark.

The literary opera, Rostam and Sohrab and the requiem Departed and the
Survived are among his best-known works.

Back in 2008 Loris Tjeknavorian was awarded Austria’s Cross of Honor
for Science and Art First Class.

The award was bestowed upon the veteran artist during a ceremony held
by the Austrian Embassy to celebrate Austria’s National Day in Tehran.

Watch the video of the interview at

East Ukraine referendum raises fears of dismemberment

11:12 ¢ 11.05.14

Pro-Russian separatist leaders pressed a referendum on self-rule
across eastern Ukraine on Sunday that has raised fears in Kiev and the
West of civil war and dismemberment, Reuters reports.

Clashes flared anew on the outskirts of Slaviansk, the most heavily
defended rebel redoubt, as the first voters appeared at polling
stations, making their way through streets criss-crossed with
barricades of felled trees, tires and rusty machinery.

“I wanted to come as early as I could. We all want to live in our own
country,” said Zhenya Denyesh, a 20-year-old student voting at a
three-storey concrete and glass university building.

Asked what he thought would come after the vote, he replied: “It will
still be war.”

Ukrainian leader Oleksander Turchinov told pro-Russian eastern regions
on Saturday that if they move to secession it would be taking a step
into the abyss. He said such a move would destroy the economy of the
region, that produces 16 percent of Ukraine’s GDP.

Kiev and the West accuse Moscow of engineering the crisis, portraying
the Ukrainian government as a body hostage to militant anti-Russian
nationalists, and backing the rebel fighters with special forces, an
allegation Moscow denies.

Armenian News – Tert.am