Athens2004 Official Website

Armenian Athletes at Athens 2004 Olympics

Name National Olympic Committee Sport

AGAEV Mamed – ARM Wrestling
ALEKSANYAN Gevorg – ARM Weightlifting
ANDREASYAN Aram – ARM Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
ANDREASYAN Serob – ARM Rowing
ARAKELIAN Avetik – ARM Athletics
ASMARYAN Gevorg – ARM Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
ATOYAN Gegham – ARM Weightlifting
AVETISYAN Varduhi – ARM Swimming
BAKHTAMYAN Norayr – ARM Shooting
BERBERYAN Martin – ARM Wrestling
DANIELYAN Artur – ARM Weightlifting
DANIELYAN Ashot – ARM Weightlifting
GALSTYAN Haykaz – ARM Wrestling
GALUSTYAN Vaghinak – ARM Wrestling
GEGHAMYAN Levon – ARM Wrestling
GEVORGYAN Arayik – ARM Wrestling
GHAZARYAN Armen – ARM Weightlifting
GHAZARYAN Marine – ARM Athletics
HAYRAPETYAN Arshak – ARM Wrestling
HOVHANNISYAN Zhirayr – ARM Wrestling
HOVSEPYAN Hayk – ARM Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
ISRAYELYAN Varuzhan – ARM Judo
JAVAKHYAN Vahagn – ARM Athletics
JUHARYAN Vahan – ARM Wrestling
KAMALYAN Tigran – ARM Weightlifting
KHACHATRYAN Sos – ARM Weightlifting
KHURSHUDYAN Hripsime -ARM Weightlifting
KOLOYAN Mikayel – ARM Swimming
KYAPANAKTSYAN Khachatur-ARM Weightlifting
MALUMYAN Artak – ARM Boxing
MARKOSYAN Suren – ARM Wrestling
MARTIROSYAN Armen – ARM Athletics
MARTIROSYAN Tigran – ARM Weightlifting
MATEVOSYAN Samvel – ARM Boxing
MELIKYAN Arsen – ARM Weightlifting
NALBANDYAN Aleksan – ARM Boxing
NAZARYAN Armen – ARM Judo
NURIJANYAN Eric – ARM Athletics
PAPOYAN Davit – ARM Wrestling
SARGSIAN Sargis – ARM Tennis
SARGSYAN Makar – ARM Rowing
SARGSYAN Meruzhan – ARM Athletics
SHAHNAZARYAN Andranik – ARM Archery
TOROSYAN Aida – ARM Athletics
TOVMASYAN Harutyun – ARM Boxing
TOVMASYAN Marat – ARM Boxing
VARDANYAN Garsevan – ARM Wrestling
VASILYAN Varazdat – ARM Weightlifting

Athens 2004 Official Website

Armenian Coaches at the Athens 2004 Olympics

ADAMYAN Vardan – ARM Rowing
ALAVERDYAN Pashik – ARM Weightlifting
BABAYAN Tigran – ARM Judo
BICHAKHCHYAN Vahan – ARM Weightlifting
DANIELYAN Roman – ARM Weightlifting
GASPARYAN Aram – ARM Wrestling
GEVORGYAN Samvel – ARM Wrestling
JULFALAKYAN Levon – ARM Wrestling
KHACHATURYAN Sargis – ARM Athletics
MARGARYAN Samvel – ARM Wrestling
MEHRABYAN Rafik – ARM Boxing
MIRZOYAN Hoksen – ARM Wrestling
NIKOGHOSYAN Seyran – ARM Shooting
SARGSYAN Bagrat – ARM Tennis
SIMONYAN Simon – ARM Canoe/Kayak Flatwater
YENOKYAN Hrant – ARM Wrestling

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Athens 2004 Official website

Armenian Referees/Judges at Athens 2004 Olympics

KAZARIAN Levon – Armenia – Wrestling

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Tenterfield Star, Australia
Aug 19 2004

Entertainment – International ensemble on the way to Tenterfield
Thursday, 19 August 2004

A GROUP of four international artists is set to bring a unique
musical experience to the audience at a concert in Tenterfield next
Thursday, August 26.

The four musicians, known as the Tavantinsuya Ensemble, play violin,
clarinet, viola and piano in a wide repertoire of works. They combine
in different ways to present a variety of duos, trios and quartets
and for this concert they have chosen works highlighting the elegance
of Mozart, the romantic warmth of Max Bruch and the Latin American
rhythms of Salzelo. They’ve included some folk-style intensity of the
music of Armenian composer Khacharturian as well as selections from
George Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’, an intriguing short piece by
young Australian composer Nigel Sabin and some popular clarinet
pieces.

The concert will take place at the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School
of Arts from 8pm with pre-concert wine and cheese available from 7pm
to 8pm and during intermission from the Friends of the Sir Henry
Parkes Memorial School of Arts.

Meet the artists

Ronald Woodcock

Ronald Woodcock had toured in over 87 countries during a
distinguished career as concerto and recital soloist, chamber player,
teacher and orchestral conductor.

He has performed in centres such as London, Vienna, Paris, Berlin,
Warsaw, Copenhagen, Tel Aviv and Buenos Aires as well as in remote
countries such as Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Peru and the Solomon
Islands where he has introduced Western classical music to audiences
for the first time.

Iola Shelley

Iola Shelley was born in Wales and began piano lessons at four. At
the age of 13 she was the youngest student ever to receive the LRAM
and ARCM Performing Diplomas. Along with an illustrious solo piano
career, she has also studied cello, oboe and organ.

In Christchurch, Iola Shelley was one of the founding members of the
Christchurch Conservatoire which was formed in 1978 by members of the
Camerata Piano Quartet.

Graham Evans

Graham Evans first learnt the piano but later took up the clarinet
which became his professional instrument. He was a member of the Band
of the Irish Guards which led to winning a scholarship at the Royal
College of Music. On graduating, he joined the Northern Sinfonia,
Britain’s longest established chamber orchestra. He toured
extensively throughout Europe, the USA and South America as well as
recording with leading musicians for the major record companies.

Louise Woodcock

Louise Woodcock studied viola and piano at the Capetown College of
Music, gaining her LRSM (Performers) and winning a scholarship to the
Vienna Academy of Music. She was a member of the Capetown, Durban and
Auckland Symphony Orchestras and violist in the New Music Group
chamber ensemble in Auckland. For 20 years she was a string teacher
for the Education Department of South Australia and being appointed
string examiner for the Australian Music Examinations Board.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Aug 19 2004

Fighter is Glendale’s badge of honor

Vanes Martirosyan is the most prominent success story from local
boxing program that is due for a comeback in September.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press

GLENDALE – When Vanes Martirosyan went to Rosemont Middle School, he
had a tendency to be disruptive. An energetic boy and an aspiring
boxer, the Armenian-born kid would lose his focus, leading to
trouble.

Once, his guidance counselor at Rosemont wanted to suspend him.
Instead, Officer Ron Williams, who ran Glendale’s Police Athletic
League youth boxing program, made a deal with the counselor: If Vanes
slacks off, Williams will suspend him from boxing.

“I suspended him two times,” Williams said. “Each time, he came back
with more dedication and determination, and his schooling improved.”

Now, Martirosyan is an 18-year-old welterweight fighter representing
the United States in the Olympics. Today, he will fight Cuba’s
Lorenzo Aragon, a two-time world champion.

Martirosyan should be the poster boy for the Police Department’s
boxing program, which has produced several successful professionals
but no other Olympians. He joined the program at 7, a few months shy
of the minimum age requirement – Williams made an exception for him.
He quickly became one of the program’s best boxers. By 14,
Martirosyan outgrew the program, and Williams recommended another
gym, where he could get sponsorship to travel to the top tournaments.

The poster boy image has one problem. For now, the Police
Department’s boxing program, designed to give discipline and
direction to troubled youth, is in hibernation.

The program lost its venue last year, when Roosevelt Middle School
underwent major renovations. Then, facing budget cuts, the department
reassigned Williams from the Police Activities League to regular
patrol.

“Some of the kids who are looking to have a way to get rid of their
frustrations and get their discipline, this is a good venue for
them,” Mayor Bob Yousefian said. “They come in and punch the bags.
This is a way to take aggravation out on a bag rather than a person.
It’s keeping a lot of at-risk youth out of jails, and it’s generating
less headaches for the police department.”

Sgt. Ron Insalaco said the program will be back in September at
Wilson Middle School, with a civilian and a sworn officer running the
program. Williams will not be involved, Insalaco said.

Martirosyan is the program’s most high-profile success story, but
he’s not the only one. William Abelyan, a featherweight, has a 23-5
record. William Adamyan, a light welterweight, has a 9-1 record.
Ernie Zavala, a light welterweight with an 18-3 record, trains with
Freddie Roach, Mike Tyson’s trainer.

Just as important, Williams said, are the people who joined the
program and never had success in the sport.

“Even if a kid can’t box or had no athletic ability, when he or she
put on that [Police Athletic League] shirt, there was a sense of
pride,” Williams said. “It’s difficult to weigh the program’s
success, but from the comments I get today, it’s clear that it’s a
valuable asset to the department and the city.”

Martirosyan’s success is a little easier to measure. Entering the
Olympic qualifying tournament, he was ranked the No. 14 amateur
welterweight, and he shocked most boxing experts by grabbing the
welterweight Olympic spot. After he dominated Algeria’s Benamar
Meskine, 45-20, in his opening fight Sunday, NBC’s Olympic website
called him “America’s Longest Shot.” If he beats Aragon today, that
long shot may have a golden shot.

“I’m positive he’s going to win a gold medal,” Williams said. “You
heard it here first. Positive.”

Hartford Courant , CT
Aug 19 2004

Tradition Takes Back Seat
August 19, 2004
Combined Wire Services

For all the talk of reaching back to the ancient roots of the games,
some Olympic venues have all the reverence of a real-life beer
commercial.

Tanned, toned dancers in orange bikinis gyrate at beach volleyball.
Laker Girl wannabes in flashy dresses shimmy at men’s basketball.
Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” blares from the speakers at
baseball.

These may be your great-great-grandfather’s games in terms of
location, but some venues at the Athens games offer all the subtlety
of Wrestlemania – or the NBA, which helped coordinate entertainment
during basketball games.

“From the first to the last detail, they are responsible for that,”
basketball venue manager Dimitris Karydas said Wednesday. “It looks
to you the same because it is the same.”

Tuesday night’s sold-out game between the United States and Greece,
which didn’t need extra hype, was sexed up even more with a
nine-member dance group from Russia and Ukraine called the Red Foxes,
who shook their shoulders and fan-kicked their way through Jennifer
Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.” Wearing silky-red, low-cut halter dresses
and black high heels, the dancers smiled and tossed their hair (in
varying shades of blond) with unwavering enthusiasm.

For Dad and country: Norik Martirosyan lost a hand in a grenade
explosion, so he uses his other one when he’s chain-smoking
cigarettes – an old, unhealthy habit that Martirosyan’s son, Vanes,
has begged his father to stop.

When Vanes won the Olympic trials after the two favorites in his
weight class were disqualified, Norik said, “Vanes, if you win a gold
medal, I’ll quit smoking.” So Vanes Martirosyan, of Glendale, Calif.,
an 18-year-old underdog, son of an Armenian immigrant, is determined
to win Olympic gold in the 152-pound class so his father will quit
smoking. And for one other reason.

“For all the time I have been boxing,” Vanes said, “my father has
told me what a lucky boy I am to be growing up in the United States.
… He has told me, since I can remember, that there would be no
greater honor for a sportsman such as me to win a gold medal to honor
our country.”

Martirosyan will fight 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist Lorenzo
Aragon of Cuba in the second round today. Martirosyan outpointed
Benamar Meskine of Algeria in the first round.

Busy in Beijing: The Beijing Olympics are four years away, but
construction of the venues is so far ahead of schedule the
International Olympic Committee has asked Chinese organizers to slow
down to better manage their cash flow.

The Chinese have been equally zealous about preparing their athletes
for the 2008 Games. And China has gotten off to a dazzling start in
Athens, ranking second to the U.S. in the medal count with 22
overall.

Ratings report: NBC’s television ratings for the first five days of
the Summer Olympics in Athens are 5 percent higher than the same span
of the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.

The network telecasts for last Friday through Tuesday were watched by
an average 15.4 percent of the 108.4 million U.S. households with
televisions, compared with 14.6 percent for the first five days of
the Sydney games, NBC said, citing Nielsen Media Research Inc.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Aug 19 2004

FM urges Russia to boost efforts towards Karabakh settlement

MOSCOW, August 19 (Itar-Tass) – Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mamedyarov has urged Russia to more actively participate in the
settlement of the situation around the mostly Armenian populated
Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno Karabakh.

`Russia is a co-chairman of the Minsk Group and we expect it to make
active efforts in that direction,’ the foreign minister told a press
conference at the Itar-Tass news agency on Thursday.

The problems of use of the southern part of the Caspian Sea should be
resolved positively, Elmar Mamedyarov said.

He said that he hoped a `meeting of the special working group for
settlement of the legal status of the Caspian Sea, planned for
September, will take place in Moscow at set dates’.

Mamedyarov said Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan had agreed upon
several issues concerning the northern part of the Caspian, `but
problems remain in the south’.

`I hope that political efforts will yield the same positive results
as in the north,’ he said.

Associated Press
Aug 19 2004

Ward advances to boxing quarterfinals, but Cuban ousts Martirosyan

GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports Writer

(08-19) 06:00 PDT ATHENS, Greece (AP) —

Though Andre Ward’s six-year winning streak is still intact, the
American light heavyweight now faces for his biggest test yet.

Ward, a top U.S. medal hopeful from Oakland, Calif., beat Italy’s
Clemente Russo 17-9 Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals at
Peristeri Olympic Boxing Hall. Up next: Russia’s Evgeny Makarenko,
who has a streak of his own. He hasn’t lost at a major international
event since 1999.

The Americans finished up a 6-1 run through the preliminaries
Wednesday, sending an impressive eight fighters into the second
round, with two advancing on byes.

But in their first match Thursday, welterweight Vanes Martirosyan
lost 20-11 to Lorenzo Aragon, Cuba’s two-time world champion.

Light welterweight Rock Allen has his first match of the games in
Thursday’s evening session. Except for the heavyweights, all
remaining fighters must win two more matches to reach the semifinals,
where a medal is guaranteed.

Ward, who hasn’t lost since he was 14 years old, easily beat Russo in
both fighters’ first bout of the Olympics.

“I wanted to go out there and look perfect, but there’s no such thing
as perfect,” Ward said. “I was nervous. I always have nerves. Every
time you go into a fight, somebody’s trying to take your head off,
crush your dreams.”

Dancing across the ring and scoring points with both hands, Ward
wrapped up an unremarkable fight by coasting through the fourth round
— perhaps saving his energy for his next bout.

On Tuesday, Ward will fight two-time world champion Makarenko for a
berth in the semifinals and a guaranteed medal. Makarenko owns a
6-inch height advantage on Ward, as well as nearly nine years of
experience in the amateur style.

But Ward, a natural middleweight who bulks up to take on light
heavyweights, has power and quickness that have led him to multiple
national championships — and he likes a challenge.

“I saw (Makarenko) walk out. He’s big,” Ward said with a grin. “He’s
not the first big guy I’ve fought, though. I’ve been fighting giants
my whole life.”

Shortly before Ward’s bout, Martirosyan, an 18-year-old from
Glendale, Calif., was done in by the 30-year-old Aragon’s experience
and aptitude for the amateur style. Aragon seemed to score points
with any sort of punch, while Martirosyan only scored for his best
hits.

Martirosyan, who was born in Armenia, staggered Aragon twice with
quick shots to the head, but the Cuban piled up enough early points
to hang on in a fight much closer than the score.

“He tries to frustrate you with the holding,” Martirosyan said. “He
holds you, pulls you back and makes it look like you’re holding, and
you’re not. It frustrates you. I thought I scored more points, and I
thought I should have won.”

It’s a familiar refrain for fighters facing the Cuban team, which is
given a world of respect by amateur judges.

Martirosyan was the second American eliminated, joining light
flyweight Rau’Shee Warren.

With nine Olympic rookies facing a field featuring Cuban and Russian
veterans gunning for multiple gold medals, not much was expected from
the Americans. Their amateur program has been eroded by easy pro
money and the decidedly un-American judging standards that reward
workmanlike precision over creativity.

But as super heavyweight Jason Estrada demonstrated Wednesday night
with a flashy performance in winning his preliminary bout, the U.S.
fighters are determined to have some fun in Athens.

“That’s the American style of boxing,” coach Basheer Abdullah said.
“That’s what we do. We entertain. Unfortunately, that’s sometimes not
the way it’s perceived here in international amateur boxing.”

The 262-pound Estrada moves on to fight Cuba’s Michel Lopez Nunez.
Estrada beat Lopez Nunez for a gold medal in last year’s Pan American
Games, and he believes his quick hands will give him the edge again.

“Regardless of what happens, I’m going to have fun,” said Estrada,
from Providence, R.I. “All I really wanted to do was have fun and get
the cobwebs out. … For me, (boxing) is something to entertain
people.”

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
Aug 19 2004

FOREIGN MINISTER EXPRESSES SATISFACTION WITH MOSCOW TALKS
[August 19, 2004, 19:51:04]

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov staying
in the Russian capital on an official visit, commented the results of
the talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, AzerTAj
Moscow-based correspondent reports.

The relations with Russian Federation, according to him, are one of
the priority directions of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy, and can be
marked at the moment as a strategic partnership of the two
independent states.

The Minister noted the talks were focused on the set of political and
economic issues including fight against terror, narcotics traffic and
illegal migration, as well as a number of international problems.

The parties also dwelled on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Azerbaijan’s stance on the conflict
was accepted to a large extent by the Russian side, Minister
Mammadyarov stated. He stressed that the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
should be solved on the principles of the international law including
that of territorial integrity of states. Minister Lavrov’s `Russia
stands for urgent resolution of the conflict’ shows that the position
of Azerbaijan demanding withdrawal of the Armenian forces from the
occupied territories and return of refugees to their native lands
becomes more and more acceptable for Russia.

Touching on the economic issues, the Azerbaijan Foreign Minister
advised as well that very interesting debates had been held over
several economic issues. In context of the instructions of both
Presidents and the documents signed between the two countries, the
Ministers supported increase in commodity turnover, development of
trade and economic links, and `North-South` transport corridor

On the same day, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mamadyarov met with the Russian State Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov to
discuss prospects of the Azerbaijan-Russia relationship development
and the two countries interparliamentary links.

He also gave a talk on the `Exo Moskvy’ radio and answered a number
of questions concerning prospect of the Russia-Azerbaijan
cooperation.

PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian

CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER August 19, 2004

PARTICIPANTS PRAISE PAN-DIASPORA
CONFERENCE ON EDUCATION
The international conference on education, organized by the Catholicosate of
Cilicia, received praise from the participants. The conference took place in
Bikfaya, Lebanon, August 5 to 7.

All of the participants considered the conference to be a good opportunity
to look at the question of education in a broader perspective and an
important forum for sharing experiences. Many hoped that there would be a
continuous process and urged the Catholicosate to take a leading role in
reorganizing education in the Diaspora.

His Holiness Aram I reaffirmed his conviction that Armenian Christian
education must acquire a priority place and be a major focus on the agenda
of the Church, particularly in the Diaspora. The Catholicos considered the
conference to be a significant and concrete step forward in terms of
developing a pan-Armenian policy on education. Such a policy, His Holiness
said, must first critically review the present educational methodologies,
strategies and programs; second, it must take into consideration the impact
of globalization and the actual realities and emerging concerns related to
specific environments; and third, it must aim to make education more
relevant and credible. The globalized world, His Holiness concluded,
constantly and seriously challenges us to take seriously our educational
norms and values by remaining faithful to the Gospel message.

ST. SARKIS PARISHIONERS BEGIN VISIT TO ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH
A large group of parishioners and friends of St. Sarkis Church (Douglaston,
NY), under the leadership of their pastor, V. Rev. Fr. Anoushavan Tanielian,
are now in Armenia through August 30. The group is planning extensive tours
in Armenia as well as a trip to Artstakh.

A unique event is planned for this Saturday in Yerevan. Many of the
individuals on the tour are sponsors of children through the Prelacy Orphan
Sponsorship program. Father Anoushavan has planned a reunion of sorts with
the children and their sponsors at a special dinner party in Yerevan.
Approximately 45 children are expected to attend the gathering. What a great
idea!

ST. GREGORY IN PHILADELPHIA INCLUDES THE YOUNG
IN BLESSING OF GRAPES CELEBRATION
St. Gregory Church in Philadelphia always makes an extra effort to involve
young people in the life of the church. Rev. Fr. Nerses Manoogian has
initiated many wonderful and meaningful ways of bringing youthful
participation to the church services. In one such event, now a tradition in
Philadelphia, on Assumption Day, young girls in the parish are recruited to
take part in the Blessing of Grapes. After the blessing ceremony, the girls,
dressed in traditional Armenian costumes, are given baskets of the blessed
grapes to distribute to the parishioners. This year the distributors of the
grapes were: Ankine Sarkessian, Aleen Streeter, Hripsime Sarkessian, Noune
Sarkessian, Tzoline Karakelian and Lousig Khararjian.

AREC WILL ORGANIZE SEMINARS FOR PARISHES
The Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) is prepared to organize
local and regional seminars for our parishes. Deacon Shant Kazanjian,
Executive Director of AREC, has many good suggestions. Deacon Shant is very
knowledgeable and a talented speaker. For detailed information click

SIAMANTO ACADEMY GRADUATION
The Siamanto Academy, under the jurisdiction of the Armenian National
Education Committee (ANEC), is preparing for its 2004-2005 school year. For
a photo and story about the 2004 graduation click

ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ERITREA
INVITES CATHOLICOS ARAM I
The newly appointed Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Eritrea has invited
His Holiness Aram I to pay an official visit to Eritrea. The head of the
sister-church of Eritrea that recently joined the family of Eastern
Churches, praised the inter-church activities of His Holiness. He expressed
his gratitude for the work accomplished by His Holiness in bringing the
Orthodox Church of Eritrea into the World Council of Churches.

ST. ILLUMINATOR SCHOOL REGISTRATION
The St. Illuminator Armenian School in Woodside, NY, will begin its 28th
year on Wednesday, September 8. Registration is now taking place for new
students for grades Nursery through 6th grade. The school provides quality
education in all English elementary school requirements as well as in the
Armenian language, history and culture. For information contact the school
at 718-478-4073.

MEMORIAL DAY
In the Armenian Church the day after a major feast is Memorial Day.
Traditionally on Memorial Day, after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy,
the faithful went to the cemetery to honor and remember their loved ones.
Priests blessed the graves with chants and incense. Relatives and friends
lit candles symbolizing that the memory of their loved ones remains bright.

The five major feasts in the Armenian Church, also called Tabernacle Feasts,
are: Theophany, Easter, Transfiguration, Assumption, and Exaltation of the
Cross.

This past Monday, August 16, the day after Assumption was a Memorial Day.

REMEMBERING STS. JOACHIM AND ANNA
This coming Tuesday, August 24, the Armenian Church commemorates Sts.
Joachim and Anna, the parents of Mary, the Mother of God.

Joachim and Anna were childless into advanced age. In response to their
supplications they were blessed with the birth of a daughter they named
Mary, their only child. The birth of Mary is celebrated in the Armenian
Church on September 8.

THIS WEEK IN THE GARDEN
The colder-than-usual and wetter-than-usual August weather here on the east
coast has slowed down the production of beautiful, delicious, red,
ripe-on-the vine tomatoes. We have an abundance of green tomatoes, but hope
is eternal.

On the other hand, the herb garden and flowers are doing quite nicely. All
of this reminded us that many plants and flowers have religious
significance. Monasteries cultivated gardens and plants for their aromatic,
aesthetic and medicinal qualities.

Daffodils are also called Lent Lilies signifying the approaching of Spring,
Easter and the Resurrection.

Lilies of the Valley are also known as Mary’s Tears or Our Lady’s Tears
because of the shape of the pearly tear-shaped white flowers. And of course
one of the best known verses in the Gospel of Matthew is: Consider the
lilies of the field; how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin; and
yet I say unto you, that even Solomon is all his glory was not arrayed like
one of these. (Matthew 6:28).

The name of the prevalent Marigold comes from Mary’s Gold. The yellow
flowers symbolize the golden rays of Christianity.

And of course the most coveted of all flowers, the Rose, the symbol of
chasteness and fertility, is dedicated to Mary. Think of the beautiful rose
windows of great cathedrals.

Herbs are also prominent in the Bible. Frankincense and Myrrh are an
important part of the Christmas Story. Many spices prominent in Armenian
cuisine are mentioned in the Bible including Coriander, Mint, Cumin, Anise,
Dill and more.

There is not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known…
(from an English hymn)

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