Category: 2022

At London Conference, Armenian Ambassador highlights systematic destruction of cultural and religious heritage by Azerbaijan

Toneyan Mark
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 6, 2022, 23:02

 1 minute read

Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom Varuzhan Nersesyan represented Armenia at the Ministerial conference International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief held in London July 5-6.

In the national pledge Ambassador Nersesyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to democratic values, human rights including freedom of religion and belief. With a key emphasis on the plight of Christians in the Middle East, Ambassador highlighted the necessity of protecting and restoring the historic presence of Christianity in the region and Armenia’s consistent efforts towards the restoration and preservation of that millennia old heritage.

Ambassador Nersesyan emphasized Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh, as a vivid manifestation of religious intolerance and hatred. Ambassador drew attention to the targeting and desecration of the Holly Saviour Cathedral in Shushi during and after the 2020 war against Nagorno Karabakh, as well as the destruction of numerous other significant sites stressing how alarming this is against the backdrop of the complete annihilation of the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Nakhichevan.

The Ambassador also highlighted Azerbaijan’s neglect towards the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s ruling (7/12/2021) which instructed the Azerbaijani state to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration of Armenian cultural heritage.

Ambassador Nersesyan concluded by underlining the urgent need to review and reshape existing international mechanisms responsible for the protection of human rights and freedoms and reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with all interested partners in protecting the rights of religious minorities and upholding the international community’s common shared values.

UNESCO on pilgrimage to St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery

Kanayan Tamar
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 11:05

 2 minutes read

International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) has published an article about the Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery. The article reads:

On 17 December 2020, the rite and pilgrimage to St. Thaddeus Church were added to the Representative List of intangible cultural heritage with a joint nomination file with Armenia and Iran. It marks Iran’s sixteenth heritage element to be registered on UNESCO’s lists. The Pilgrimage to St. Thaddeus is a religious rite held in West Azerbaijan, Iran, at the Church of the Holy Qara (Black Church). Every year, thousands of Armenians from all over the world come to this historic site to perform this ritual.

Qara Church is one of the world’s oldest churches and one of the most significant Armenian churches. According to some scholars, it is the world’s first Christian structure, and it is located 20 kilometers northeast of Chaldoran city, next to a village of the same name. Qara means ‘black’ in Azeri, and the name comes from the fact that a portion of the church is black. The church’s main structure is made of black stones, which have been replaced with white stones following the reconstruction of some of the stones.

The Church of Thaddeus, along with the Dzordzor Chapel and St. Stepanos, was added to the World Heritage List as a collection on July 7, 2008.

This ceremony commemorates the martyrdom of Thaddeus, one of Christianity’s first apostles, and Santukhd, the first female Christian martyr.

Thaddeus, also known as Tataeus, was one of Christ’s apostles who visited Armenia in the year forty AD and preached Christianity. Many groups converted to Christianity because of his preaching, including Armenia’s King Sanatrok and his daughter Santukhd. However, the king later regretted it and became opposed to the new religion, ordering the assassination of Thaddeus, Sandakht (his daughter), and others.

The history of this ritual dates back to 1954, and it has been organized every year in St. Thaddeus Church by Armenians for 66 years with the presence of Armenians and Christians from Iran, Armenia, and other countries around the world. In addition to the Armenians, Assyrian families and some Catholic families also attended the ceremony.

The ceremony is a social and cultural event that incorporates religious, ethnic, and traditional motives. Every year in July, rituals, and pilgrimages to St. Thaddeus Church (Qara Church) are held. During these three days, ceremonies such as infant, child, and adolescent baptisms, weddings, candle lighting, and church bell ringing are held inside the church and in the surrounding area.

President discusses prospects of education and science development in Armenia with Noubar Afeyan

Emil Karabekian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 18:11

 Less than a minute

President Vahagn Khachaturyan hosted American Armenian scientist and businessman Noubar Afeyan today.

President Khachaturyan welcomed the guest and noted that he is always happy to see him in Armenia. Nubar Afeyan thanked the President for the reception.

Vahagn Khachaturyan and Noubar Afeyan discussed the prospects of education and science development in Armenia. The businessman presented to the president the current and future initiatives and programs aimed at the continued strengthening and development of Armenia-Diaspora relations in the mentioned areas.

An agreement was reached to join efforts for the implementation of social and educational multi-layered programs.

Relevant structures of Armenia, Turkey should coordinate actions to translate political agreements into results – PM

Aram Torosian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 13:38

 Less than a minute

Relevant structures of Armenia and Turkey should coordinate actions to translate political decisions into results, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the government sitting today.

“I have instructed to coordinate actions to be able to implement the agreements reach as soon as possible,” PM Pashinyan said.

During a meeting on July 1st, the Special Representatives of Armenia and Turkey agreed to enable the crossing of the land border between Armenia and Turkey by third-country citizens visiting Armenia and Turkey respectively at the earliest date possible and decided to initiate the necessary process to that end.

They also agreed on commencing direct air cargo trade between Armenia and Turkey at the earliest possible date and decided to initiate the necessary process to that effect.

Civilian car damaged as Azerbaijani forces target Armenia’s Yelpin village in Vayots Dzor

Emma Nadirian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 19:56

 Less than a minute

On July 7, at around 4:15 p.m., units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces opened fire from various types of weapons, including large-caliber rifles, at the Armenian military positions located in the western part of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, specifically in the Yelpin village of the Vayots Dzor region, as well as in the direction of the road leading to the village.

A civilian car was damaged in the shooting, the Ministry of Defense reports.

The fire from the Azerbaijani side was silenced by the retaliatory actions of the Armenian forces.

No casualties were reported on the Armenian side.

Jesus Christ statue project gets preliminary approval from Armenian government

Emma Jilavian
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 14:22

 Less than a minute

The Armenian government has given a preliminary approval for the proposal to erect a statue of Jesus Christ on Hatis Mountain, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the government sitting today.

Relevant documents have already been submitted by Multi Group Company headed by Gagik Tsarukyan.

“We believe it will increase the tourists’ interests towards Armenia,” the Prime Minister said.

He said a number of administrative decisions need to be taken and voiced hope that the relevant agencies would discuss the issue in due time to get the project going as planned.

Armenian FM, UNWTO Secretary-General discuss tourism projects

Kajoyan Gevork
Public Radio of Armenia
Armenia – July 7 2022
July 7, 2022, 15:42

 1 minute read

On a working visit to Madrid, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with Zurab Pololikashvili, the Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization Zurab Pololikashvili.

The interlocutors emphasized the importance of the implementation of the agreements reached within the framework of the visit of the Secretary-General of the UNWTO to Yerevan at the beginning of June, aimed at expanding cooperation between Armenia and the UNWTO, including through the implementation of joint initiatives and development programs in the field of tourism.

Ideas were exchanged on the projects implemented in the field of tourism in Armenia.

The Foreign Minister of Armenia stressed that Armenia attaches great importance to the tourism sector as a foundation for sustainable development and prosperity at the local, national, regional and international levels. In this regard, the Foreign Minister emphasized the support of the UNWTO, especially to the initiatives of Armenia in the direction of innovation, investments, rural and ecotourism development.

Pashinyan briefs Putin on Armenian-Turkish normalization talks

Lilit Nahapetian
Panorama
Armenia – July 7 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed security on Armenian-Azerbaijani border with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, TASS reported on Wednesday, citing the Kremlin press service.

"The sides continued their discussion of practical aspects of implementation of the trilateral agreements of leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, achieved on November 9, 2020, January 11 and November 26, 2021. In particular, the sides had an exchange of opinions on the issues of ensuring security on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and restoration of economic and transportation connections in South Caucasus," the press service said.

The Kremlin added that Pashinyan informed Putin about the recent contacts aimed at normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The conversation took place on Armenia’s initiative.

Armenian Church marks Feast of the Holy Translators

Karlen Baghdasarian
Panorama
Armenia – July 7 2022

The Armenian Apostolic Church on Thursday marks the Feast of the Holy Translators St. Sahak and St. Mesrop, Qahana.am reports.

Catholicos St. Sahak Partev and Archimandrite St. Mesrop (Vardapet) Mashtots are the founders of Armenian literature and ecclesiastical bibliography.

St. Sahak Partev was the elder son of Catholicos St. Nersess the Great, and the last Catholicos of the Armenian Church who descended from the lineage of St. Gregory the Illuminator.  He became Catholicos of All Armenians in 387 A.D., and reigned for an astounding 52 years. Being talented in music, and educated in the rhetorical arts, philosophy and linguistics, St. Sahak greatly contributed to the development of Armenian national culture. He was the strongest advocate for the creation of an Armenian Alphabet, and became its chief patron.

St. Mesrop Mashtots was born in 360 A.D. and studied the Greek and Persian languages from childhood.  He initially served as a scribe in the royal court. Leaving secular life behind, he becomes a monk and lives an ascetic life.  During his preaching of the Gospel, St. Mesrop feels the necessity to create a distinct Armenian Alphabet and to have the Holy Bible translated into Armenian. For in those years, the Bible was only available in Greek and Syriac. In Armenia, there once were ciphers, or symbols, which were used by the former pagan priests. Following the Great Conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity, the symbols fell into disuse, and the only remaining copy was in Mesopotamia with a bishop named Daniel the Syrian. Upon the order of King Vramshapouh, the symbols are brought to Armenia from Bishop Daniel. However, while teaching his new students by means of those symbols for a short period of time, Mesrop soon finds them to be lacking, as they were imperfect and defective. Together with his students he departs for Mesopotamia, and visits the cities of Antioch, Edessa, and Samosata, to conduct further research. In 404/405 A.D., St. Mesrop creates the Armenian Alphabet through Divine Grace.  For the first time in the history of the nation, the Armenian people had a specific and distinctive alphabet.

Following the creation of the Armenian Alphabet, St. Sahak and St. Mesrop opened a school for translators in the city of Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin). There they begin the translation of the Holy Bible into Armenian and did it so perfectly, that centuries hence the Armenian Translation is called the “Queen Translation of the Breath of God”. The first sentence translated from the Holy Bible is the opening verse of the Book of Proverbs: “To know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding”.

St. Mesrop Mashtots passed away in Vagharshapat, and was buried in his home village of Oshakan.  According to tradition, during the entire journey of transferring the remains of St. Mesrop to Oshakan, a canopy of light fell upon the pilgrims and accompanied them until they reached the tomb. The Church of St. Mesrop Mashtots, which exists to date, was built over his grave.

Ambassador Nersesyan calls out Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of Armenian heritage in Artsakh

Karapet Navasardian
Panorama
Armenia – July 7 2022

On 5-6 July, International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion and Belief was held in London. Armenia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom Varuzhan Nersesyan represented Armenia at the conference, the Armenian Embassy in the UK reported.

In the national pledge Nersesyan reiterated Armenia’s commitment to democratic values, human rights including freedom of religion and belief. With a key emphasis on the plight of Christians in the Middle East, the diplomat highlighted the necessity of protecting and restoring the historic presence of Christianity in the region and Armenia’s consistent efforts towards the restoration and preservation of that millennia old heritage.

Nersesyan emphasized Azerbaijan’s systematic destruction of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), as a vivid manifestation of religious intolerance and hatred. Ambassador drew attention to the targeting and desecration of the Holly Saviour Cathedral in Shushi during and after the 2020 war against Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the destruction of numerous other significant sites stressing how alarming this is against the backdrop of the complete annihilation of the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Nakhichevan.

The ambassador also highlighted Azerbaijan’s neglect towards the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s ruling (7/12/2021) which instructed the Azerbaijani state to prevent and punish acts of vandalism and desecration of Armenian cultural heritage.

Ambassador Nersesyan concluded by underlining the urgent need to review and reshape existing international mechanisms responsible for the protection of human rights and freedoms and reaffirmed Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with all interested partners in protecting the rights of religious minorities and upholding the international community’s common shared values.