PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:
April 25, 2013
NOTE TO OUR READERS
A special edition of Crossroads will be sent tomorrow (April 26) with
coverage of April 24th events in our parishes.
CATHOLICOI ISSUE JOINT STATEMENT
A joint message dated April 24, 2013, was issued by His Holiness
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness Aram,
Catholicos of
Cilicia.
In their message the Catholicoi are demanding that the Turkish
government recognize the Armenian Genocide, compensate Armenians for
losses, and return churches, monasteries, church properties, and all
religious and cultural sites to their rightful and legal owners, the
Armenian people.
The Catholicoi stated: `On the threshold of the 100th anniversary
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, we shall pursue together the
rightful and legal demands for justice for the Armenian people.’
To read in Armenian click here
(); in English click here
().
PRELATE DELIVERS INVOCATION IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Archbishop Oshagan opened the United States House of Representatives
with a prayer as the guest chaplain yesterday, April 24.
His Eminence’s prayer was as follows:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Almighty God, we seek your holy guidance in all our endeavors,
especially in the deliberations of our leaders in this noble body,
because strong and wise leadership is essential for the well-being of
nations.
Today we are mindful of another April 24, ninety-eight years ago, the
beginning of the genocide of the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, the
first genocide among so many that followed in the 20th century.
We beseech you, O Lord, to bless this land of America and its
people. Empower them to continue serving your goodness, as they did
when they sheltered the remnants of the Armenian nation.
Give your children wisdom, love and compassion, that they may live
and prosper with the gifts of your spirit-justice, truth, freedom,
and righteousness.
Your name will be praised forever and ever. Amen.
THE PRESIDENT ISSUES APRIL 24TH STATEMENT
President Obama yesterday issued his annual statement on `Armenian
Remembrance Day. The President again reaffirmed that his views have
not changed and `a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts
is in all of our interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowledging and
reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a
foundation for a more just and tolerant future.’
To read the message click here
().
TIMES SQUARE GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION
Under sunny, but chilly skies, thousands gathered at Times Square in
New York last Sunday for the 98th anniversary commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide.
The theme of this year’s event was `Turkey is Guilty of Genocide:
Denying the Undeniable is Criminal,’ and paid tribute to the 1.5
million Armenians who were massacred by the Young Turk government and
to the millions of victims of subsequent genocides worldwide. The
gathering is organized every year by the Knights and Daughters of
Vartan, with the united participation of the churches and political
and charitable organizations.
A scene of the platform at Times Square.
Armenian Genocide survivors, left to right, Perouz Kaloustian,
Arshalouis Dadir, and Charlotte Kechejian, brave the cold at the 98th
Armenian Genocide Commemoration in Times Square last Sunday.
SPECIAL SERVICES AT ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH IN WATERTOWN
FOR MARATHON VICTIMS AND INJURED
Special services took place last Sunday at St. Stephen’s Church,
Watertown, in memory of the victims of the tragedy at the Boston
Marathon on April 15 that eventually brought the entire city of Boston
and environs to a standstill. The police events that centered in and
around Watertown were just blocks from St. Stephen’s Church.
Last Sunday’s sermon by Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian was
simply titled `Tears,’ and focused on the events that affected the
lives of so many people, not just in Boston, but around the world.
Following the Liturgy, the congregation proceeded outside with flowers
in remembrance of those who died, and with prayers for the many
injured. The parish has already raised more than one thousand dollars
to contribute to the `Boston One Fund,’ that will provide aid to the
victims, survivors, and their families.
Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian led a special prayer service outside
of St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown, Massachusetts, in the aftermath
of
the Marathon bombings.
DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM
St. Gregory of Datev Institute will hold its 27th annual Summer
Program for youth ages 13-18 at the St. Mary of Providence Center in
Elverson,
Pennsylvania, from June 30 – July 7, 2013. The Program is sponsored by
the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). For
registration and information, please contact the AREC office at
212-689-7810 or at [email protected] or click here
().
CORRECTED PHOTO AND CAPTION
In last week’s issue about St. Gregory Church, North Andover,
Massachusetts and their Sunday School students taking on leadership
roles of Board of Trustees members, a photo and caption were
mismatched. Here is the correct photo:
Armen Hovsepian greets parishioners and gives them the Sunday bulletin
as they enter St. Gregory Church in an exchange of roles by Sunday
School students
BIBLE READINGS
Note: Continuing until Pentecost (May 19), each day four Gospels are
read in the following order: (1) Morning-Luke; (2) Midday-John; (3)
Evening-Matthew; (4) Evening dismissal-Mark.
Bible readings for Sunday, April 28, Apparition of the Holy Cross,
are: (1) Luke 11:33-12:12; (2) Acts 17:1-15; 1 John 1:1-10; John
7:14-23; (3) Matthew 13:53-58; John 19:25-30; 4) Mark 6:30-44.
Readings for the Apparition of the Holy Cross (morning): Galatians
6:14-18; Matthew 24:30-36.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When
Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside
her, he said to his mother, `Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to
the disciple, `Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple
took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in
order to fulfill the scripture), `I am thirsty.’ A jar full
of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine
on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had
received the wine, he said, `It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head
and gave up his spirit. (John 19:25-30)
For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings click here
().
APPARITION OF THE HOLY CROSS
This Sunday, April 28, the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of
the Apparition of the Cross (Yerevoumun Sourp Khatchi). The Apparition
of
the Holy Cross is the first feast dedicated to the Holy Cross in the
Armenian liturgical calendar. It is celebrated in remembrance of the
appearance of the sign of the cross over the city of Jerusalem in 351
that remained in
the sky for several hours. The apparition extended from Golgotha to
the Mount of Olives (about two miles), and was brighter than the sun
and was seen
by everyone in Jerusalem. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cyril, used this
occasion to remind Emperor Constantius of Byzantium of his father’s
(Constantine the Great) orthodox faith. Cyril said the Apparition was
further
reason to return to orthodoxy.
Traditionally, the Armenian translation of Cyril’s message is read on
this feast day during the Antastan prior to the Gospel lection. This
event is celebrated by the Armenian and Greek churches. The Greeks
observe it on the fixed date of May 7, while the Armenian date is
moveable depending on the date of Easter. It is celebrated on the
fifth Sunday of Easter, which is the fourth Sunday after Easter.
Cyril is a revered Doctor of the Church and he is remembered in the
Armenian Church’s liturgical calendar. This year he was honored on
Saturday, March 3.
Here is a short excerpt from Cyril’s letter about the apparition:
`In those holy days of the Easter season, on 7 May at about
the third hour, a huge cross made of light appeared in the sky above
holy Golgotha extending as far as the holy Mount of Olives. It was not
revealed to one or two people alone, but it appeared unmistakably to
everyone in the
city. It was not as if one might conclude that one had suffered a
momentary optical illusion; it was visible to the human eye above the
earth for several hours. The flashes it emitted outshone the rays of
the sun, which would have outshone and obscured it themselves if it
had not presented the watchers with a more powerful illumination than
the sun. It prompted the whole populace at once to run together into
the holy church, overcome both with fear and joy at the divine
vision. Young and old, men and women of every age, even young girls
confined to their rooms at home, natives and foreigners,
Christians and pagans visiting from abroad, all together as if with a
single voice raised a hymn of praise to God’s Only-Begotten Son the
wonder-worker. They had the evidence of their own senses that the holy
faith of Christians is not based on the persuasive arguments of
philosophy but on the revelation of the Spirit and power; it is not
proclaimed by mere human beings but testified from heaven by God
Himself.’
POPE FRANCIS EXTENDS THANKS
Pope Francis wrote to His Holiness Aram I to thank him for the
delegation he sent to Rome for his recent enthronement ceremony.
After words of thanks, the Pope noted: `As a brother in faith, I
humbly ask you for the support of your prayers, that the Lord may
guide and accompany me in my new mission. In listening to what the
Spirit says
to the churches, let us pledge ourselves anew to cultivate the hope of
unity and to undertake all that is necessary to build peace and
communion between us, not forgetting our common service to humanity,
above all the poor, the weak, and the suffering.’
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MONASTICISM
The University of Salzburg in cooperation with the Holy See of
Etchmiadzin and the Holy See of Cilicia, organized an international
conference
on `Monasticism in the Armenian Churches,’ last week. Archbishop Nareg
Alemezian, the Ecumenical Officer and Dean of the Seminary, presented
a paper on the theme, `The challenges to the Brotherhood of
Cilicia in the 21st Century.’ The conference examined differences in
monasticism between the East and the West, and different training
programs.
()
Birth of Hovhannes Shiraz (April 27, 1915)
Poet Hovhannes Shiraz, one of the most popular names in Armenia and
the Diaspora during Soviet times, was born in Alexandropol (later
Leninakan, now Gumri), in 1915. His birth name was Onik Karapetian. At
the age of five, he lost his father, who was killed in the Turkish
invasion of Armenia that followed the Armenian-Turkish war of 1920. He
grew in poverty. He went
to work at the textile factory of Leninakan in 1932. He published his
first poems in the factory newspapers. Apparently, he first signed
them with the pseudonym Hovhannes Shirak (Gumri is located in the
plain of Shirak).
One year later, he was hired as teacher in the village of Haji Nazar
(now Kamo), in the district of Akhurian. He published his first book
of poetry, `Spring Initiation,’ in 1935, with the pseudonym Hovhannes
Shiraz. According to his testimony, writer Atrpet (1860-1937) gave him
the pseudonym of Shiraz (a city in Iran, well known for its flowers),
saying: `The poems of this young man have the perfume of the fresh and
dew-covered roses of Shiraz.’ In the same year, Shiraz became a member
of the Writers Union of Armenia.
He attended the Faculty of Philology of the Yerevan State University
between 1941 and 1947, where he studied Armenian language and
literature. Afterwards, he lived from his pen. He also followed the
courses of the Institute of Literature Maxim Gorky of Moscow from
1952-1954.
Shiraz’s most important collection of poetry was `Lyre of Armenia’
(three volumes, 1958, 1965, and 1974). He won the State Prize of
Soviet Armenia in 1975 and the Hovhannes Tumanian prize in 1982.
Although the press run of his books was over half a million copies and
his poems were translated into 58 languages, Shiraz ran into many
problems with censorship. His patriotic poetry, particularly his
evocation of the historical injustice suffered by Armenians and the
lost territories of Western Armenia and, at the time, Gharabagh, was
forbidden several times. In 1974, when the well-known literary critic
Suren Aghababian told Shiraz about receiving the Lenin Medal, the
response was: `And what do they want from me in exchange? To buy my
silence?’
He was never allowed to travel outside the Soviet Union, but many of
his unpublished poems were smuggled outside the country and published
in
the Diaspora press. For instance, the first draft of his poem `The
Armenian Dante,’ about the Armenian Genocide, was written in 1941.
Only a few excerpts were published in Armenia during his lifetime and
a few chapters in Beirut and Tehran. The entire poem was posthumously
published
in 1990. His poem `Ani,’ about the medieval capital of Armenia,
written in 1950, was also published in excerpts in the Diaspora, and
the final edition only appeared in 2012.
A behind the scenes shot of the making of the film, Shiraz, in Gyumri,
in 1983. Hovhannes Shiraz is second from left, sitting in the
carriage.
Shiraz first married poet Silva Kaputikian (1919-2006). They had a
son, the future sculptor Ara Shiraz. Shiraz and his second wife,
Shushan, had seven children, including poet Sipan Shiraz (1967-1997).
Shiraz, who had become a living legend, passed away in Yerevan on
March 14, 1984. He was buried in the pantheon of Komitas Park, where
many famous Armenians are buried.
The Armenian Language Corner is prepared by the Armenian National
Education Committee (ANEC) and is published in Crossroads bimonthly.
Comments or suggestions for future columns are welcome and can be sent
to [email protected] or to the Crossroads editor
[email protected].
The Armenian Carpet
British polymath Sir William Jones (1746-1794) enunciated for the
first time the existence of the Indo-European family of languages in
1786. It already comprised languages from England to India. In the
early nineteenth century, the Armenian language was also incorporated
into the family, and
in 1875 German linguist Heinrich Hübschmann (1848-1908) demonstrated,
contrary to generally held belief, that Armenian was not part of the
Iranian branch, but was an independent branch.
For the past hundred and thirty years, extensive research has been
carried to study the Armenian language and its relations with its
relatives
within the family. It has been shown that Armenian has the closest
relation with Iranian and Greek, to the point that we may consider
them first cousins.
Similar to other Indo-European languages, English is a distant cousin
to Armenian. This would not be surprising, if we consider the
geographic distance between the lands where Armenian and English were
and are spoken. But it is surprising to find out that both languages,
despite that distance, share a few words with practically the same
phonetics and meaning.
One of them is our familiar term carpet. According to the Online
Etymology Dictionary, it comes from Middle English carpet `coarse
cloth’ (late 13th century) and was derived from Middle French carpite
`heavy decorated cloth'(< Old Italian carpita `thick woolen cloth' <
Italian carpire, Latin carpere `to pluck').
Let's go to Armenian. Classical Armenian (krapar) had a word, capert
(Õ¯Õ¡ÕºÕ¥Ö=80Õ¿; the Western Armenian pronunciation is gaberd), which
already appears in the Bible and means`piece of cloth.' It may or may
not be related to the word cap =80=9Cknot' (Õ¯Õ¡Õº, Western Armenian
gab); the etymological dictionary of famed linguist Hrachia Adjarian
(1876-1953) says nothing about that, which means that he did not
consider it possible.
The colloquial form of capert was carpet, said Adjarian, and brought
forward a collection of words in Armenian dialects very close to the
English one: carpet (Õ¯Õ¡Ö=80ÕºÕ¥Õ¿) in Salmast, Van, Yerevan, and
Tiflis, the same as in Kharpert and Sepastia (accented on the last
syllable). They call it carpret (Õ¯Õ¡Ö=80ÕºÖ=80Õ§Õ¿)(accented on the
first syllable) in Gharabagh, and called it garpet (Õ¯Õ¡Ö=80Õ¢Õ¥Õ¤) in
Alashkert and Moush. The Armenians from Tigranakert (Diarbekir) used
the word crpit (Õ£Õ¡Ö=80Õ¢Õ«Õ¤), and the Armenians in Hamshen say
carpit (Õ£Õ¡Ö=80Õ¢Õ«Õ¤). Interestingly, all of these words mean `rug
without hair.'
At the turn of the twentieth century, the German linguist Erich
Berneker published an etymological dictionary of the Slavic languages
in two volumes (Heidelberg, 1908-1914). He noticed that the Armenian
dialectal words were the same as the abovementioned European words,
and also German karpet, Hungarian and Serbian karpit (`curtain'), and
Serbian krpita (`rug to cover the table'). Adjarian took note of this
and asked himself whether the source of these words was not, instead
of Latin carpo `to knit wool or thread,' the late Armenian form
carpet. In the end, the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia had been one of
the main commercial venues for European traders in the Middle Ages,
including carpets. Florentine merchant Francesco Balducci Pegolotti
reported that carpets
were imported from Sis, the capital of Cilicia, and Ayas, its main
port, to Florence in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth
centuries. What could have been a `thick woolen cloth' in Italian, if
not a rug?
Thus, the ubiquitous carpet may have flown from Armenian, through
Italian and French, into the English language, and centuries later,
when Persian carpets were introduced in Europe, the word carpet went
down to the floor.
()
PLEASE DO NOT FORGET OUR ONGOING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR THE ARMENIAN
COMMUNITY
IN SYRIA WHERE CONDITIONS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE DIFFICULT.
THE NEED IS REAL.
THE NEED IS GREAT.
DONATIONS TO THE FUND FOR SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF CAN BE MADE ON LINE.
TO DONATE NOW CLICK HERE () AND
SELECT SYRIAN ARMENIAN RELIEF IN THE MENU.
The Fund for Syrian Armenian Relief is a joint effort of: Armenian
Apostolic Church of America (Eastern Prelacy); Armenian Catholic
Eparchy; Armenian
Evangelical Union of North America; Armenian Relief Society (Eastern
USA, Inc.); Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 17-28-Online Charity Auction by Armenian Relief Society Eastern
USA, to benefit worldwide programs of the ARS Eastern USA. To bid on
auction items or make online donations visit
() or contact committee at
[email protected].
April 26-Armenian National Committee of New York presents `Beyond
Recognition: Justice for the Armenian Genocide,' St. Illuminator's
Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, 6:30 pm. Professor Henry
Theriault of Worcester State College will speak on the topic of
reparations and the Armenian Genocide.
April 28-Armenian Genocide Commemorative Committee of Merrimack Valley
98th observance, 3 pm, North Andover High School; musical performance
by soloists Knarik Nerkasaryan, Victoria Avetisyan, and Yeghishe
Manucharyan, accompanied by pianist Levon Hovsepyan. Complimentary
admission. Reception to follow.
April 28-`Empowering Armenian Community with Financial Knowledge
(Strategies for Building a Better Retirement,' presented by Anna
D. Bennett, Financial Planner, 1 pm at St. Illuminator's Cathedral,
221 East 27th Street, New York.
May 2 to June 30-`History of Armenia: Past, Present, Future,' a series
of eight seminars presented on Thursdays, 7 pm to 8:30
pm, at St. Illuminator's Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York
City. Sponsored by the Cathedral and the UN Armenian
Mission. Facilitator:
Artur Martirosyan, Ph.D.
May 4-St. Stephen's Church Ladies Guild (Watertown) presents a Country
Western Night. Gather your best country attire, polish the boots, get
out the scarves, dust off the cowboy hats and join us for a night of
fun and bluegrass music. Great food and other surprises starting at
5:30 pm. $35 per person. For reservations: Lori Krikorian 508-339-2082
or [email protected].
May 5-`A New Atlas for a New Generation.' Speaker:
Dr. Vartan Matiossian, Executive Director of Armenian National
Education Committee (ANEC), St. Illuminator's Cathedral, following the
Divine Liturgy in Pashalian Hall. Copies of the Atlas of Historical
Armenia will be available for sale.
May 5-`Walk-Armenia,' sponsored by the ARS of Eastern USA, Inc., and
organized by Agnouni, Bergen, Shake and Spitak chapters of New Jersey,
following the Divine Liturgy (12:30 pm) at Sts. Vartanantz Church, 461
Bergen Boulevard, Ridgefield, New Jersey. Registration fee is $20
which includes t-shirt and lunch. Student fee $10. Proceeds to benefit
ARS Eastern USA projects in Armenia and Camp Haiastan in Franklin,
Massachusetts. For information: Hasmig 201-944-4507; Arpie
201-666-0885; Aida 201-835-0869, or email to [email protected].
May 7-`Treasured Objects,' an illustrated interactive lecture by
Dr. Susan Pattie, at Graduate Center at the City University of New
York Middle East and Middle Eastern American Center, 365 Fifth Avenue,
New York City, 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Copies of her most recent book,
`Treasured Objects: Armenian Life in the Ottoman Empire,' coauthored
with colleagues at the Armenian Institute in London, will be available
for purchase. For information: [email protected].
May 12-St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, Mother's Day
celebration organized by the Senior Citizens Committee.
May 17-Opening reception of `Ladies from Your Past' exhibit at the
Rosenthal Library Rotunda at Queens College, 6-20 Kissena
Boulevard. Flushing, New York sponsored by the Anthropology Museum of
the People of New York and the Armenian Cultural Educational Resource
Center Gallery. Exhibit will continue through September 30. For
information/reservations contact the Museum at 718-428-5650.
May 16, 17, 18-National Representative Assembly hosted by Soorp Khatch
Church, Bethesda, Maryland.
May 16 and 17-National Association of Ladies Guilds (NALG) Conference
in conjunction with the National Representative Assembly, hosted by
Soorp Khatch Church, Bethesda, Maryland. This year's raffle drawing
will benefit the Mother and Child Clinic in the Akhorian region of
Armenia and the Syrian-Armenian Relief Fund. To purchase ($10 each;
three for $25) contact NALG Executive (Sharke Der Apkarian at
[email protected] or 978-685-7243.
June 7-Concert dedicated to the 300th Jubilee of Sayat Nova featuring
Elie Berberian (Canada) and his band performing songs by Sayat Nova
and
other favorite minstrels, 8 pm, at the Armenian Center, 69-23 47th
Avenue,
Woodside, New York 11377. Donation: $25, includes post-concert
reception. For tickets: [email protected] or 212-689-5880.
June 13-St. Gregory Church, North Andover, Massachusetts, 4th annual
Cigar Night & Dinner in Blessed Memory of Rev. Fr. Vartan
Kassabian. Surf & Turf dinner, open bar, cigars, live & silent
auction, raffles. Tickets must be purchased in advance by sending a
check for $150 payable to St. Gregory's Mens Club, 158 Main Street,
North Andover, Massachusetts 01845, or contact Greg Minasian at
[email protected], or 978-470-3075.
June 30-July 7-27th Annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute, at St. Mary
of Providence Center, Elverson, Pennsylvania, sponsored by the
Prelacy's Armenian Religious Education Cou8ncil (AREC). For
information contact the AREC office3 by email
([email protected]) or phone (212-689-7810).
July 4-11-4th Annual Summer Camp for Orphans will take place in
Dzaghgztazor, Armenia, sponsored by the Eastern Prelacy. Orphans ages
13 to 16 who are enrolled in the Prelacy's Orphan Sponsorship program
are eligible to attend to learn about the Armenian Church and
history. The week
long program includes Bible study and prayers and meditation combined
with
summer fun activities and fellowship with other campers. For more
information contact Archpriest Fr. Aram Stepanian by email
([email protected]) or by phone (508-865-2454).
July 14-`A Hye Summer Night VII' Dinner Dance sponsored by Ladies
Guild of Sts. Vartanantz Church and Armenian Relief Society
`Ani' Chapter of Providence, Rhode Island, at the Providence Marriott
Hotel, One Orms Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02904, 6 pm to
1 am. Featuring: Joe Kouyoumjian (oud), Brian Ansbigian (oud), David
Ansbigian (oud), Leon Janikian (clarinet), Ken Kalajian (guitar),
Jason Naroian (dumbeg), Armen Janigian (Daf). For tickets ($50 per
person) and information: Joyce Bagdasarian (401-434-4467); Joyce
Yeremian (401-354-8770).
August 18-St. Sarkis Church, Dearborn, Michigan, Blessing of the
Grapes and Homecoming Picnic, at Lakeshore Park, 601 South Lake Drive,
Novi,
Michigan. Food, music, dancing, magic show, volleyball, soccer, tavlou
tournament, mountain biking, swimming.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacy's web
site.
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Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
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[email protected]