ARMENIAN CEMETERY IN CYPRUS IN PITIABLE STATE
By Georges der Parthogh
AZG Armenian Daily
04/04/2006
The Nicosia Municipality has threatened to sue the Armenian Church
for failing to implement a court order demanding that the 300-year-old
Armenian cemetery be restored.
Doctor Vahakn Atarayan, Armenian representative in the Cypriot
Parliament, said that eleven months have passed since the municipality
asked the church to bring the historic 18th century cemetery back to
its pre-bulldozer state, but nobody is dealing with the problem and
nothing is being done.
Last April demolition work at the. cemetery was halted after the
Ministry of the Interior took out an injunction to stop the work.
The Armenian Prelature had started digging up the graves, as part of
its plane to put remains together in a new communal pit adjacent to
the small chapel, and convert the area to a park, while rumors were
ripe that it would be sold to real estate developers.
The late Bedros Kalaydjian who was the Armenian Representative at the
time had deplored the decision of the Church and had said that “the
demolition was carried out in an unprofessional manner and caused a
lot of grief and an insult to the memory of the deceased.”
Berge Kouyoumdjian is a concerned member of the community. In a letter
to the local press he said: “It is almost the first anniversary of
the cemetery’s cynical desecration, and I remember that soon after
this outrage, the municipality delivered an order with a time limit of
one month, instructing those responsible to restore this sacred site,
repair the chapel and clean up the area.
Nearly a year on, this order remains ignored and. the cemetery is
now in an even worse state. There is rubbish all over and the area
looks like a landfill site. Shards of human bone crushed by the
bulldozers and mixed into the soil are scattered on the surface so
that it is impossible not to walk on them. Historic headstones lie
in a heap and exhumed bones fill black rubbish bags in the derelict
chapel. When will we, the descendants of over 400 souls buried there,
see restoration work started on this European heritage site?

ARONYAN IS THE THIRD IN THE WORLD
A1+
[06:46 pm] 03 April, 2006
FIDE made public the list of the best chess players of the
world. The list is topped by the world champion Veselin Topalov from
Bulgaria. After winning the Linares tournament Levon Aronyan improved
his rating and moved on to the third place.
The top ten is the following:
1. Topalov – 2804
2. Anand – 2803
3. Aronyan – 2756
4. Svidler – 2743
5. Leko – 2738
6. Ponomaryov – 2738
7. Morosevich – 2730
8. Karmic – 2729
9. Gelfand – 2727
10.Ivanhoe – 2723
As for the other Armenian chess players, Vladimir Hakobyan is in the
16th place, Karen Asryan – in the 61st and Smbat Lputyan – in the 94th.

APRIL 4 IS THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR MINE AWARENESS AND ASSISTANCE IN MINE ACTION
A1+
[05:18 pm] 03 April, 2006
On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each
year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day
for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (resolution 60/97). It
called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the
United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment
and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where
mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the
safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment
to social and economic development at the national and local levels.
“A single landmine – or even the fear of its presence – can hold an
entire community hostage. It can prevent farmers from growing crops,
refugees from returning home, even children from playing,” says UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his message issued especially for the
day. “It blocks the delivery of humanitarian relief and impedes the
deployment of peacekeepers. In post-conflict societies landmines remain
one of the greatest impediments to rebuilding and renewal”, he adds.
The battle against landmines is being won, with some countries already
achieving mine-free status. But victory will depend on the unflagging
commitment of the governments of those countries where mines still
exist and on the sustained support of the international community,
according to Max Gaylard, director of the United Nations Mine Action
Service.
“The task of eliminating landmines is enormous, but it can be completed
in years, rather than decades, as long as mine-affected countries do
everything in their power to become mine-free, and donor countries
and organizations maintain their interest and financial support,”
Gaylard adds. “Unlike so many of the global problems of our day, this
one can be solved. April 4 is an opportunity to remind the world that
there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2005, 84 countries are
affected to some extent by landmines and unexploded ordnance, which
together kill or maim between 15,000 and 20,000 adults and children
annually, down from an estimated 26,000 in the late 1990s. Fourteen
United Nations agencies, programmes, departments and funds are together
helping find and destroy these devices and providing other mine-action
services in 30 countries and three territories.
“Mine action” refers to a range of efforts to clear landmines and
explosive remnants of war and to mark and fence off dangerous areas. It
also includes assisting victims, teaching people how to remain safe in
a mine-affected environment, advocating for universal participation
in international treaties related to landmines, explosive remnants
of war and their victims, and destroying landmines stockpiled by
governments and non-state armed groups.
Landmine facts & figures:
– Number of countries thought to be affected to some extent by
landmines and explosive remnants of war: 82
– Number of landmines still buried in the ground worldwide: Unknown
(what’s more important than the quantity is their impact on lives
and livelihoods)
– Number of governments reported to have used landmines as of 2005: 3
– Number of countries that are producing or capable of producing
landmines: 13
– Number of countries confirmed to have traded or exported landmines
in 2005: 0
– Number of countries participating in the antipersonnel mine-ban
treaty: 149
– Landmines still stockpiled worldwide: 167 million
– Number of countries reporting new victims of landmines and explosive
remnants of war in 2004-2005: 58
– Estimated number of new casualties each year: 15,000 to 20,000
– International funding for mine action in 2004: $399 million
– World’s top donor for mine action in 2004: USA ($96.5 million)
– Country receiving the largest amount of mine action funding in 2004:
Afghanistan ($91.8 million)
– Number of countries where mine risk education services were provided
in 2004-2005: 61
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY
Mira Yardemian
Public Relations Director
Rue Mexique – Kantari
P.O. Box 11-1748
Riad El-Solh 1107 2090
Beirut – Lebanon
Beirut, 26/03/2006
Armenian Paintings
From the Beginning till the Present
During her very short visit to Beirut, the Cultural Hour at Haigazian
University, in cooperation with the Hamazkaine Cultural Association,
succeeded to organize an informative gathering with researcher and art
critic Mayda Saris of Istanbul, Turkey, on her new release `Armenian
Paintings: From the Beginning till the Present’.
Saris acknowledged the interest in her book of the Armenians in the
Diaspora in general, and the Lebanese Armenian public in particular,
thanking her publisher Agos, and promising the audience with more releases
related to contemporary Armenian paintings and artists.
The Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Arda Ekmekji, through the aid of a power
point presentation, briefly covered the book, concentrating on the most
important paintings and artists.
Saris’ work is considered a groundbreaking book, since it’s the first of
its kind in the entire corpus of the Armenian art publications that
explores the Armenian art from Antiquity to modern times.
In the book, Saris gives the reader a comprehensive but brief overview
about the origin of the Armenian people, their folklore, faith, lifestyle,
culture and art which have been the source of inspiration for Armenian
artists, architects, in short the men and women of the art.
By reading the book, one can conclude that obviously the works of the
Armenian painters are not only a part of the Armenian culture, but also a
part of the culture of countries they lived in. Moreover, they are a part
of the world culture where they create their works addressing the feelings
of modern humanity as well as many traditional themes.
Saris considers the Armenian artists not duly recognized in their native
countries. According to her, `there was a big void to be filled=85that should
have been the moral obligation of the Armenians of Turkey’.
Well, `Armenian Paintings: From the Beginning till the Present’, did fill
that void and fulfilled part of that moral obligation.
At the end of the presentation, the audience proceeded to the Mugar
building where Mayda Saris signed her books.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
April 3, 2006
International Broadcast of Easter Divine Liturgy
The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Shoghakat TV Company, working in
conjunction with the `First Channel’ of Armenian television (`H1′), is
pleased to announce the live global telecast of the Pontifical Divine
Liturgy on Easter Sunday in Holy Etchmiadzin.  The celebrant will be His
Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.
Armenian communities throughout the world will be able to watch Easter
Divine Liturgy in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin on Sunday
morning, April 16, 2006, on the Armenian H1 `First Channel’ available
through satellite providers. 
Please refer to the list below for times and dates of the live broadcast in
your community:
Republic of Armenia – Sunday, April 16 at 10:30 AM
Republic of Nagorno Karabagh – Sunday, April 16 at 10:30 AM
Middle East
Lebanon – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Syria – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Israel – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
United Arab Emirates – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Kuwait – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Iran – Sunday, April 16 at 9:00 AM
Iraq – Sunday, April 16 at 9:30 AM
Europe
United Kingdom – Sunday, April 16 at 6:30 AM
France – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Germany – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Austria – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Italy – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Switzerland – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Spain – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Netherlands – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Belgium – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Sweden – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Czech Republic – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Hungary – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Baltic States – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Romania – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Ukraine – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Greece – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Cyprus – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
North America
United States (New York) – Sunday, April 16 at 1:30 AM
United States (Chicago) – Sunday, April 16 at 12:30 AM
United States (Denver) – Sunday, April 16 at 11:30 PM
United States (Los Angeles) – Saturday, April 15 at 10:30 PM
Canada (Montreal) – Sunday, April 16 at 1:30 AM
Canada (Toronto) – Sunday, April 16 at 1:30 AM
Mexico (Mexico City) – Sunday, April 16 at 12:30 AM
South America
Venezuela – Sunday, April 16 at 1:30 AM
Argentina – Sunday, April 16 at 2:30 AM
Brazil – Sunday, April 16 at 2:30 AM
Uruguay – Sunday, April 16 at 2:30 AM
Africa
Egypt – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
South Africa – Sunday, April 16 at 7:30 AM
Ethiopia – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Sudan – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Asia
Turkey – Sunday, April 16 at 8:30 AM
Russian Federation (Moscow) – Sunday, April 16 at 9:30 AM
Russian Federation (St. Petersburg) – Sunday, April 16 at 9:30 AM
Russian Federation (Krasnodar) – Sunday, April 16 at 9:30 AM
Georgia – Sunday, April 16 at 10:30 AM
India – Sunday, April 16 at 11:00 AM
Thailand – Sunday, April 16 at 12:30 PM
Singapore – Sunday, April 16 at 1:30 PM
Australia & Pacific
Sydney – Sunday, April 16 at 3:30 PM
New Zealand – Sunday, April 16 at 5:30 PM

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Phone: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian
FILMMAKER ANDREW GOLDBERG TO PREVIEW AND DISCUSS NEW PBS DOCUMENTARY
Andrew Goldberg, producer and director of the upcoming PBS documentary
The Armenian Genocide, will show clips and discuss the creation of the
film in a special program on Sunday, April 9, at the Armenian Library
and Museum of America (ALMA), 65 Main Street, Watertown, MA. The
program will take place through the cooperation of ALMA, the National
Association for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR), and Facing
History and Ourselves.
Over the past several years award-winning filmmaker Andrew Goldberg has
produced several acclaimed documentaries on Armenian subjects that have
been broadcast throughout the U.S. on PBS and around the world, bringing
the Armenian story to an audience of unprecedented size. The Armenian
Genocide, his newest project, has been several years in the making and
will have its premiere on PBS on April 17.
Documentary Features Leading Scholars
Featuring interviews with the leading experts in the field such as
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Samantha Power and New York Times
best-selling author, Peter Balakian, this film features
never-before-seen historical footage of the events and key players of
one of the greatest untold stories of the 20th century.
The Armenian Genocide is narrated by Julianna Margulies and includes
historical narrations by Ed Harris, Natalie Portman, Laura Linney, and
Orlando Bloom, among others. Filmed in the U.S., France, Germany,
Belgium, Turkey, and Syria, the program features discussions with
Kurdish and Turkish citizens in modern-day Turkey who speak openly about
the stories told to them by their parents and grandparents.
Rare and Remarkable Footage
One remarkable segment which Goldberg will show during his presentation
on April 9 is footage of Raphael Lemkin – the inventor of the word and
legal concept of genocide – discussing the Armenian Genocide on American
television in 1949.
Andrew Goldberg is the founder and owner of Two Cats Productions, a
documentary and commercial production company in New York. He has been
producing films for over 10 years and holds a BA in history from
Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. His
other films include A Yiddish World Remembered for PBS which won an Emmy
in 2002, The Armenians, A Story of Survival, which aired on PBS stations
nationally in 2002, and Images of the Armenian Spirit.
Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). There will be a
question and answer period and reception with refreshments following the
program. The museum and gift shop will be open prior to the program.
The Armenian Library and Museum is located in Watertown Square at the
corner of Main Street and Church Street. Parking is available behind
the museum building and in adjacent areas. The lecture will begin
promptly at 4:00 p.m.
More information about the lecture is available by calling 617-489-1610,
faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing to NAASR, 395
Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

Armenian National Institute
1518 K Street, NW Suite M
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: (202) 383-9009
Fax: (202) 383-9012
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
April 3, 2006
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE DANIEL FRIED SPELLS OUT U.S. POLICY ON THE
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
“To foster reconciliation and peace based on an understanding of
history, not a denial of it.”
Washington, DC – Speaking to an audience of Armenian-Americans gathered
in Washington for a national conference organized by the Armenian
Assembly of America and co-sponsored by more than a dozen U.S.-based
Armenian community organizations, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried called on “Turkey to reflect
more seriously about subjects which have been taboo for generations in
that country.” He added: “We do not support…export of denialist
literature or positions. We do support efforts by Turkey to deal with
its history more seriously.”
While continuing to avoid the term ‘genocide,’ and reflecting earlier
language used by President George W. Bush in his April 24 commemorative
statements, Fried applied what has been referred to as the dictionary
definition of the events: “murders on a mass scale, killings without
justification, deportations. Over 1.5 million people lost their lives,
innocent victims.”
Admitting that the administration has “a policy which many of you
disagree with,” the Assistant Secretary also stated that “the United
States government has never denied the events of 1915.”
Stressing what additional steps Turkey needs to take, Fried remarked:
“We believe that the tragedy of 1915, the killings, is of enormous human
significance and its historical assessment should be determined not on
the basis of politics, but introspection among civic leaders and
scholars. This process has begun in Turkey where it needs to take
place.”
Speaking about the pace of this process in Turkey, he went on to say,
however: “It is certainly not going fast enough to satisfy you. It is
not going fast enough to satisfy us.”
He granted that “dealing with the history of the mass killings of
Armenians is painful for Turkey,” but also expressed hope that it will
“bring greater understanding to Turks of their own history.”
Fried also underlined the U.S. view that “a productive dialogue is the
best way to establish a shared understanding of history that honors the
victims of these horrific events.”
In what appeared to be an oblique reference to the independent report
prepared by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) at
the request of the much-disputed Turkish-Armenian Reconciliation
Commission (TARC), Fried added: “It produced a serious look at those
issues which we have recognized officially.”
Despite the implied State Department recognition of this report, Fried
also made it clear that the “U.S. position on events of 1915 has not
changed.”
It may be noted that the ICTJ report, issued in 2003, reached the
conclusion that “the Events, viewed collectively, can thus be said to
include all of the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in the
[1948 Genocide] Convention, and legal scholars as well as historians,
politicians, journalists and other people would be justified in
continuing to so describe them.”
The Assistant Secretary concluded his remarks by saying: “We will
continue to urge our Turkish friends to face difficult issues of their
past seriously, and we will urge Armenia to help the Turks make this
possible without ever sacrificing historical truth or your position.”
A complete transcript of the March 27, 2006, statement and remarks made
by Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried may be viewed at:
T he Armenian National Institute is a Washington-based organization
dedicated to the study, research, and affirmation of the Armenian
Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian, Coordinator of Public Relations
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 44; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
April 3, 2006
___________________
“NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE TURKISH RESPONSE TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” IS TOPIC
OF PANEL DISCUSSION IN NYC ON THURS., APRIL 20
Prof. Israel Charny, Dr. Dennis Papazian, & Mr. Aram Arkun are Featured
Speakers
* * *
Over the past several years, the Armenian Genocide has become a topic of
intense discussion among Turks both within the Republic of Turkey and
abroad. The European Union, United States, and other states have raised the
issue directly and indirectly with the Turkish state.
Unexpectedly, recent years have also seen an increase in Genocide discussion
among Turkish intellectuals. These remarkable recent developments will be
the subject of a panel discussion on the evening of Thursday, April 20,
titled “New Directions in the Turkish Response to the Armenian Genocide.”
Professor Israel Charny, of Jerusalem, a leading international scholar of
genocide, will head the roster of distinguished speakers. He will be joined
by Dr. Dennis Papazian and Mr. Aram Arkun.
The event is being jointly sponsored by the Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), and the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan.
DR. ISRAEL CHARNY, Ph.D., founder and director of the Institute on the
Holocaust and Genocide in Jerusalem, is a leading international scholar in
the field of genocide who has published extensively on the subjects of
genocide as well as on marriage and family therapy. He is editor-in-chief
of the acclaimed Encyclopedia of Genocide, which has appeared in English in
the U.S. and U.K., with a partial edition in French, and which can also be
purchased for computer use in an electronic edition. He is a clinical
psychologist and a professor of Psychology and Family Therapy in the Program
for Advanced Studies in Integrative Psychotherapy, which he founded in 1993,
at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His latest book, Fascism and
Democracy in the Human Mind (forthcoming from the University of Nebraska
Press) has been hailed as “one of the most important books of this decade,”
and as a momentous and innovative work of scholarship. He recently took
part in a conference in Istanbul on Turkish-Armenian relations.
(Please note that on the afternoon of Sunday, April 23, 2006, Dr. Charny
will be the main speaker at the annual Genocide commemoration organized by
the Knights of Vartan, in Times Square, New York City.)
DR. DENNIS R. PAPAZIAN is a professor of history and director of the
Armenian Research Center (ARC) at the University of Michigan, Dearborn. He
is a former president of the Society for Armenian Studies, former editor of
the Journal of the Society for Armenian Studies, an international lecturer,
and a frequent radio, TV, and newspaper commentator. A former university
administrator, he has been the recipient of various grants, awards, and
honors, and recently received a medal from Armenia’s Genocide Institute.
Dr. Papazian has worked with objective Turkish scholars who oppose the
denialist narrative of the Turkish state to encourage research and
publication for the education of the Turkish public. It was Dr. Papazian
who brought Taner Akçam to America as a researcher at the ARC.
Aram Arkun is coordinator of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center
of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of American (Eastern). A specialist
in modern Armenian history, he has delivered research papers on topics
pertaining to the Armenian Genocide; participated in conferences on
Armeno-Turkish relations; and conducted research in the Ottoman state
archives in Istanbul. He has published a number of articles and annotated
translations on Ottoman and Iranian Armenian topics, as well as on
contemporary Armenian events, in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and
books. He is editor of the periodical Ararat, chairman of the Armenian
Student Association “Arthur H. Dadian Armenian Heritage Award” committee,
and a member of the board of directors of the Columbia University Armenian
Center.
The panel discussion on “New Directions in the Turkish Response to the
Armenian Genocide” will take place on Thursday, April 20, beginning at 7:15
p.m., in Guild Hall of the Diocesan Center, Second Avenue (corner of 35th
St.), New York City. Admission is free and open to the public. For
information, please contact: Dr. Arthur Kubikian at (718) 786-3842; or Aram
Arkun, at (212) 686-0710, ext. 26, e-mail [email protected].
–4/3/06

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (E.)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
April 3, 2006
___________________
HOLY WEEK AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL WILL BE OBSERVED APRIL 9 THROUGH APRIL 16,
EASTER SUNDAY
St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral will observe Holy Week, April 9 through 16,
with a series of special services, culminating in the Easter Sunday
celebration on April 16, 2006.
Holy Week is the sacred commemoration of the dramatic events leading to the
Resurrection of Jesus Christ, His victory over death and the redemption of
humanity and the fallen world. The Armenian Church re-enacts these episodes
in the days leading up to Easter. What follows is a brief schedule of Holy
Week events:
PALM SUNDAY–the commemoration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into
Jerusalem–falls on April 9. Fr. Mardiros Chevian (dean of St. Vartan
Cathedral) will be the celebrant for the services, which will begin with a
Morning Service at 9:30 a.m., and will continue with the Divine Liturgy at
10:30 a.m. The Turun-Patzek or “Door-Opening” Service will be held after
the Divine Liturgy.
April 13 is GREAT AND HOLY THURSDAY, and the day’s services memori¬alize the
Last Supper, Jesus’ vigil in the Garden of Gethsemane, His arrest and trial.
Two separate services will be celebrated on this day. In the morning, the
Divine Liturgy, beginning at 11:00 a.m. This will be followed by a
luncheon.
In the evening, the “Washing of the Feet” ceremony will start at 7:00 p.m.,
with the Khavaroom or Vigil Service following at 8:30 p.m. Archbishop
Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese, will officiate. During the
Washing of Feet ceremony, twelve individuals will serve as surrogates for
the apostles. This year, in recognition of the 1600th anniversary of the
Armenian alphabet, the twelve will be selected from individuals with the
names Sahag, Mesrob, Vramshabouh, and names associated with the Holy
Translators.
The crucifixion and death of Christ will be observed on April 14–GREAT AND
HOLY FRIDAY–and again two services will occur. The Order of the
Cruci¬fixion of Christ will begin at 12:00 noon. This will be a short
service enabling working people in Manhattan to attend, and it will be
followed by a luncheon in the Diocesan Complex’s Yerevan Room.
That same evening, at 7:30 p.m., the Order of the Entombment of the Lord, or
Taghoom Service, will take place.
On GREAT AND HOLY SATURDAY, April 15, the Divine Liturgy will be preceded by
a scripture-reading ceremony at 6:00 p.m. Easter Eve Liturgy will begin at
7:00 p.m. The St. Vartan Cathedral Youth Choir, under the direction of Maro
Partamian, will sing the liturgy. (The St. Vartan Cathedral Youth Choir is
made up of students from the Diocesan Khrimian Lyceum, and Diocesan Armenian
Saturday schools of New York and New Jersey.) Students of the Diocesan
Khrimian Lyceum will also provide the Scripture readings. A reception will
follow the services.
The drama of Holy Week will culminate on EASTER SUNDAY, April 16. Easter is
the central holy day of the Christian calendar, and commemorates the
discovery of Christ’s empty tomb and the news of His glorious Resur¬rection.
Matins will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Divine Liturgy will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America, will celebrate the Liturgy and deliver the homily. The St.
Vartan Cathedral Choirs will sing the Divine Liturgy under the direction of
Maestro Khoren Mekanejian. Florence Avakian will accompany on the organ.
Immediately following the service, the traditional Antasdan ceremony, or
“Blessing of the Fields,” will be conducted on the cathedral plaza. This
will be followed by the release of doves ceremony on the cathedral plaza,
where Haig Dadourian will serve as “godfather.”
Please note that after a year hiatus, the annual Easter Luncheon and program
has been reinstated. The luncheon–featuring a traditional Armenian lamb
dinner–will follow the services in Haik and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium.
The reception will include a home-blessing service, entertainment by the
Yeraz Dance Ensemble directed by Karnig Nercessian, and the recognition of
the various names associated with the holiday. The donation for the
luncheon for adults is $30; for children twelve and under, $20.
For more information on these observances, call the Diocese of the Armenian
Church at (212) 686-0710. St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral is located at 630
Second Avenue (corner of 34th Street) in New York City.
–4/3/06

PRESS RELEASE
Union of non-governmental organizations
“Yerkir”
for Repatriation and Settlement
Agatangeghos str., apt. 267
Web:
Contact: Robert Tatoyan
e-mail: [email protected]
Yerevan, April 4, 2006
GRAND OPENING OF EXHIBITION ON THE HISTORY OF THE KARABAKH BORDER
REGIONS TAKES PLACE ON APRIL 4TH, 2006
During the grand session on the 60th anniversary of the National
Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan held on December 14, 2005, Ilham
Aliev, President of Azerbaijan, stated that he will allocate funds to
the scientific community of Azerbaijan in order to prove that
Armenians are not natives of Kharabagh and appeared there beginning
from the second half of the 18th century.
?Yerkir? Union for Repatriation and Settlement is organising the
second Exhibition of the cycle ?History of the border regions?. The
event will be held from April 4th to 18th at the Naregatsi Art
Institute?s Yerevan Center. This exposition will be exclusively
devoted to the archeological excavations of Shushi, Handaberd and
Tigranakert in Kharabagh, which prove Armenian constant presence in
Artsakh from ancient times.
A scientific symposium covering the academic excavations and
researches on the Karabakh border territories will be held on April
13th, 2006, at 11AM.