ArmenPress
April 9 2004
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND HISTORICAL MEMORY PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH
YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian Genocide and Historical
Memory, this the name of a book by Verjine Svazlian, consisting of
650 survivors stories of eye-witnesses of the Armenian genocide,
methodically carried out by the government of Turkey between
1915-1922, published in English earlier this month.
Verjine Svazlian collected most of these testimonies herself
through many years, across Armenia as well as some interviews abroad.
The book also contains folk songs, many of which in Turkish,
depicting the events of the Genocide, “the screams of the unheard
suffering, protest, as well as the heroic resentment of the people
subjected to genocide, undeniable testimonies addressed to the Turk
historians and politicians of today who are denying the Genocide.
This book is a heavy contribution to the history of the Armenian
Genocide. Published in 500 copies it will be distributed to foreign
embassies in Armenia, international organizations, researching in
Armenian history. Its Turkish-language edition will appear soon.
Ethnographer and folklorist, Verjine Svazlian was born in 1934 in
Alexandria (Egypt) in the family of a writer and public man Garnik
Svazlian, himself an eye-witness survivor of Turkish tyranny. In
1947, she was repatriated with her parents to Armenia. In 1956, she
graduated with honors from the Department of the Armenian Language
and Literature of Abovian Pedagogical Institute.
Beginning from 1950-s she started on her own initiative writing
down and thereby saving from a total loss various folklore creations
communicated by the repatriates forcibly deported from Western
Armenia, Cilicia and the Armenian-inhabited provinces of Anatolia, as
well as the narrated memoirs of the eye-witness survivors of the
Genocide.

ArmenPress
April 9 2004
ARMENIAN EPIC POEM “DAVID OF SASOUN” TRANSLATED INTO UKRAINIAN
YEREVAN, APRIL 9, ARMENPRESS: The Ukrainian “Dnepro” publishing
house has released the Ukrainian translation of the Armenian epic
poem “David of Sasoun.” It was translated by a well known poet and
translator Pavlo Tichina in collaboration with Victor Kochevski. The
introductory word is written by a well known expert in Armenian
literature Vasil Shkliar.
Armenian foreign ministry said Armenian Ambassador to Ukraine
Armen Khachatrian visited Viktor Kochevski to congratulate him on his
80-th anniversary and to praise his work. The translation took him
and his co-translator about 10 years.

The Independent (London)
April 9, 2004, Friday
SPORTING DIGEST: BOXING
Scott Harrison will defend his World Boxing Organisation
featherweight title against William Abelyan on 29 May at the Braehead
Arena, Glasgow. The Cambuslang fighter has been due to face the
Armenian for his last defence of the title last month before Abelyan
withdrew through injury. However, after defeating the stand-in
opponent Walter Estrada, Harrison will finally face Abelyan who has
recovered from a shoulder problem.

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 9, 2004, Friday
WE’LL MAKE A BANG!
SOURCE: Moskovsky Komsomolets, April 7, 2004, p. 2
by Olga Bozhieva
Russian and Belarusian Antiaircraft Forces were put an alert this
morning. A command exercise of the CIS United Antiaircraft System is
under way, run right near the western borders of the Commonwealth.
No general of the Russian or Belarusian Antiaircraft Forces could be
found at their desks on day two of the exercise. All of them
descended into underground command posts to practice “joint command
of antiaircraft forces and means in a deteriorating
military-political situation.”
Needless to say, “deterioration” means unpredictable or hostile
actions on the part of the Alliance. The official legend of the
exercise is approximately like that: actions of the CIS United
Antiaircraft System when terrorists hijack foreign planes or cross
the borders of the Commonwealth.
Planes imitating the potential enemy will make runs between Russian
and Belarusian airfields allegedly trespassing and land in nearby
countries. S-300 crews and fighters of the Antiaircraft Forces will
“destroy” them on LCDs.
Actual targets will be handled next week on Ashuluk near Astrakhan.
The Belarusians set out for Ashuluk on April 12 to “open the season”.
Lieutenant General Oleg Paferov, Belarusian Air Force and
Antiaircraft Forces Commander: Up to a dozen Belarusian batteries are
involved in shooting practice every year. Russia provides the
equipment, the testing site, and targets. Belarus spends much less on
Russian military objects on its territory than what Russia spends to
allow us to make use of its testing sites and shooting grounds free
of charge.
It means that “gas” and financial problems worry Russian and
Belarusian politicians only. The military is concerned with common
military threats.
The command exercise involves:
– over 100 units and formations of the Air Force and Antiaircraft
Forces;
– over 80 aircraft from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, and Russia.
Russia is represented by the Special Task Command (Moscow, and
Leningrad, Rostov, and Yekaterinburg armies of the Air Force and
Antiaircraft Forces.

Agence France Presse
April 9, 2004 Friday 7:35 AM Eastern Time
Asian states move step closer to building trans-national highway
BANGKOK
A decades-old dream of building Asia’s first trans-national highway
will move a step closer this month as 24 of 32 countries committed to
it will sign an agreement for a road from Japan to western Russia,
the United Nations said Friday.
The proposed Asian Highway would extend across 32 countries along
several routes, stretching through China south to Indonesia, and as
far west as Russia’s border with Finland, according to the UN
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
“This 140,000 kilometre (87,000 mile) highway will contribute
tremendously to regional economic integration,” UNESCAP executive
secretary Kim Hak-Su told reporters ahead of the official signing in
Shanghai on April 26.
“All 32 countries have agreed in principle to signing, but it will
depend on passing this agreement internally through each country, so
not everyone will be ready to sign in Shanghai,” said Kim.
The UN first conceived of an Asian trans-national route in 1959, but
was unable to implement the project because of geo-political hurdles
at the time.
“Under the Cold War period we could not think of any highway running
through China or even Russia or the Korean peninsula,” said Kim,
adding that all Cold War states, including North Korea, had now
agreed to develop the route.
The agreement in Shanghai will outline roads to be built and upgraded
and establish minimum standards for the highway routes, while an
overall budget and time-frame for completion are expected to be
announced in 2006.
“Trade is increasing quite rapidly, about 40 percent last year, and
Asian countries realise they need this infrastructure to service that
growth,” said UNESCAP poverty and development division chief Raj
Kumar.
The UN would encourage governments and the private sector to jointly
fund the project.
“Funding arrangements are taking place now in many different forms.
Thailand is assisting Laos and Cambodia with soft loans, India is
assisting Nepal and Bhutan and the Asian Development Bank is looking
at funding other portions of the scheme,” said Kumar.
The main route — Asian Highway 1 — is expected to start in Tokyo
and terminate in Istanbul, passing though North and South Korea,
China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, India, Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Iran and Armenia along the way.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
April 9, 2004 Friday
OSCE condemns attack on journalists during Yerevan protest
YEREVAN
The pan-European security and rights body OSCE condemned the attacks
on journalists that occurred during an opposition rally in Yerevan
this week, the OSCE envoy in Armenia said.
“Any violence against journalists should be condemned, the
instigators identified and criminal proceedings against them
initiated,” Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin said late Thursday.
“I hope the Armenian authorities will keep their promises to take the
necessary measures in this respect,” he added.
Unknown assailants grabbed two television cameras and two cameras
from journalists covering the Monday demonstration, smashing them to
pieces in front of police, who did not intervene.
More than 3,000 Armenians took to the streets of Yerevan Monday to
protest against President Robert Kocharyan and demand a referendum on
his contested rule in the impoverished, landlocked Caucasus nation.
Last Friday, Armenian journalists held a rally to protest against the
threat to freedom of expression in this former Soviet republic, which
has been criticized by the Council of Europe for cracking down on
independent media.

City News Service
April 8, 2004 Thursday
Youth Aid
LOS ANGELES
Mayor Jim Hahn today approved the transfer of $50,000 in grant money
to the Armenian Relief Society, to provide support services for
at-risk youth and senior citizens. The motion to transfer the funds
from the Mayor’s Urban Development Action Grant was sponsored by
Councilman Eric Garcetti. “I’m thrilled that we can can provide
support for the Armenian Relief Society’s mission of working
‘jhoghovoordes hamar jhorvordees head,’ or ‘with the people, for the
people,”‘ he said. “The people of Hollywood and surrounding areas are
very well-served by ARS’ dedication.” The funds, originally allocated
to develop a Bellevue Park master plan, became available after the
refurbishment project progressed faster than expected. “In this time
of budget constraints, I am pleased to be able to redirect funds to
where they can do the most good,” Hahn said. “This money will help to
improve the quality of life for many people, especially those in
danger of being touched by gang violence.”

ARKA News Agency
April 9 2004
Four best students of Armenian institutes awarded with name
scholarships after Isahak Isahakian
Coalition thinks that demand on conduction of referendum on vote of
confidence to RA president does not corresponds to constitution
Armenian opposition gives the authorities time till April 12 for
implementation of changes to the law on referendum
RA MFA and OACS Secretary General discuss regional goals
The RA President receives the Secretary- General of the Organization
for Agreement on Collective Security
The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs to go to Iran with an official
visit on April 12-13
RA President Robert Kocharyan: The present situation in Armenia may
be called as a revolution of empty vessels
*********************************************************************
FOUR BEST STUDENTS OF ARMENIAN INSTITUTES AWARDED WITH NAME
SCHOLARSHIPS AFTER ISAHAK ISAHAKIAN
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Today in Central Bank of Armenia, four best
students of Armenian institutes were awarded with name scholarships
after Isahak Isahakian. Given activity is conducted second time.
According to the Chairman of CB Tigran Sargsian the activity is to
stimulate science-research works in the institutes’. All
students-participants represented their works that were studied by
the members of contest commission of CB and on this base four
students – Asmik Torosian, Asghik Gevorkian, Mariam Momdjian and
Arthur Grikorian. All of them will receive scholarships after Isahak
Isahakian in amount of 50 thousand AMD during six months. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
COALITION THINKS THAT DEMAND ON CONDUCTION OF REFERENDUM ON VOTE OF
CONFIDENCE TO RA PRESIDENT DOES NOT CORRESPONDS TO CONSTITUTION
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Coalition thinks that demand on conduction
of referendum on vote of confidence to RA president does not
corresponds to constitution. According to statement of Republican
Party of Armenia, Orinats Yerkir Party and ARF Dashnaktsutyun,
coalition is ready to discuss any issue considering internal
political situation, including the issue of legality of given offer.
Today coalition discussed the issue of referendum at the working
sitting. At the same time opposition National Unity Party and Justice
Bloc conducted a rally in center of Yerevan. On different estimations
from 5 to 40 thousand people took part in the rally.
After 2003 presidential elections, opposition turned to
Constitutional Court with an offer to recognize the official results
of elections invalid. CC turned down the suit of opposition and
offered to conduct referendum on vote of confidence to the president
and make changes to election code of the republic. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
ARMENIAN OPPOSITION GIVES THE AUTHORITIES TIME TILL APRIL 12 FOR
IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES TO THE LAW ON REFERENDUM
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Armenian opposition gives the authorities
time till April 12 for implementation of changes to the law on
referendum, ARKA correspondent reports from the meeting organized by
opposition party National Unity and Justice bloc. According to the
Secretary of Justice Bloc Viktor Dallakian, it may become a beginning
of a dialogue with authorities. `If the decision on the referendum is
not made, there will be no dialogue with coalition’, he said.
Dallakian said that the Secretary of National Unity Party Alexan
Karapetian took part in working sitting of the Parliament and
represented the package of changes to the members of the coalition.
`We have different scenarios considering the way of struggle in the
future’, Dallakian said urged the people `to stand till the end’.
After 2003 presidential elections, opposition turned to
Constitutional Court with an offer to recognize the official results
of elections invalid. CC turned down the suit of opposition and
offered to conduct referendum on vote of confidence to the president
and make changes to election code of the republic. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
RA MFA AND OACS SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSS REGIONAL GOALS
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and
Secretary General of the Organization of Agreement on Collective
Security Nikolay Borduja discussed regional goals, RA MFA told ARKA.
The parties noted the importance of strengthening of the process of
ratification of document signed in the frames of OACS. Borduja noted
that the process of OACS creation is almost completed: the
organization takes part in the works of UN, it has joint
headquarters. The parties also discussed the agenda of oncoming
regular sitting of Collective Security Council and MFA Heads Council
scheduled on June 18-19. L.D. –0–
*********************************************************************
THE RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES THE SECRETARY- GENERAL OF THE ORGANIZATION
FOR AGREEMENT ON COLLECTIVE SECURITY
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharyan received
the Secretary- General of the Organization for Agreement on
Collective Security (OACS) Nikolai Bordiuzha, who has arrived in
Armenia with a three-day official visit. According to the RA Press
Service Department, Bordiuzha introduced the issues to the President
with regard to the next session of the Council on Collective Security
to be held in Astana in June. The President and the Secretary-
General exchanged opinions regarding co-operation in the framework of
OACS and increasing the efficiency of co-operation. A.H. –0–
*********************************************************************
THE RA MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO GO TO IRAN WITH AN OFFICIAL
VISIT ON APRIL 12-13
YEREVAN, April 9. /ARKA/. Vartan Oskanian, the RA Minister of Foreign
Affairs will go to Iran with an official visit on April 12-13.
According to the RA MFA Press Service Department, meetings of
Oskanian with the President of Iran Mohammad Khatami, the Secretary
of the Security Council Gosan Rokhan, and the Head of the Iran
External Affairs Department Kamal Kharazi to take place within the
framework of the visit. A.H.–0 –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Radio Free Europe, Czech republic
April 10 2004
Georgia: Leader Walks Thin Line Between Patriotism And Nationalism
By Jean-Christophe Peuch

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has decreed the year 2004 will
be the “year of Zviad Gamsakhurdia,” in reference to his late
nationalist predecessor. Starting today, the memory of Georgia’s
first post-Soviet leader will be honored throughout the country. Why
does Saakashvili seem so eager to claim a lineage between himself and
Gamsakhurdia? Is it just part of an overall attempt at strengthening
Georgian statehood, or could it possibly signal a return to
state-sponsored nationalism?
Prague, 9 April 2004 (RFE/RL) — Today in Georgia marks the beginning
of official ceremonies to celebrate the memory of late nationalist
leader Zviad Gamsakhurdia.
President Mikheil Saakashvili and members of his government were to
attend a religious service celebrated by Ilia II, the head of
Georgia’s Orthodox Church, at Tbilisi’s Sioni (Mount Zion) Cathedral.
Later, a party will be held at Tbilisi Opera House to commemorate the
65th birthday of Georgia’s first post-Soviet elected president.
These ceremonies coincide with the 15th anniversary of the 1989
Soviet military crackdown in Tbilisi and the 13th anniversary of
Georgia’s declaration of independence. State-sponsored events to
commemorate Gamsakhurdia’s legacy will extend over the next six
months throughout the country.
Attending a private memorial service at Sioni Cathedral on 31 March
to mark Gamsakhurdia’s 65th birthday, Saakashvili paid homage to the
man who spearheaded Georgia’s struggle for independence under Soviet
rule. “Within these walls, [Gamsakhurdia and his] generation dreamt
of Georgia’s independence when others did not even dare thinking of
such a thing,” he said. “Here lies their main merit.”
In January 1992, just a few months after being elected, Gamsakhurdia
was ousted by a military coup that paved the way for Eduard
Shevardnadze’s return to Georgia. Forced into exile, the deposed
leader fled first to Armenia, then to Chechnya.
He died mysteriously while attempting to retake power as the head of
armed supporters. His body was interred in western Georgia and later
reburied in Grozny, the capital of Russia’s breakaway republic of
Chechnya. Officially, Gamsakhurdia committed suicide. Yet followers
of the late leader claim Shevardnadze had him assassinated.
“To me, it seems that his policy aims firstly at proving that Georgia
is a state, that its leaders are chosen by the people and that they
all deserve respect.”Meeting recently with Georgian emigres in
France, Saakashvili said he wanted today’s ceremonies to culminate
with the reburial of the presidential remains in Tbilisi. However,
Georgian authorities have been unable to locate Gamsakhurdia’s grave.
The pro-Moscow Chechen administration claims the province’s
separatist leaders had kept the grave’s location secret for fears of
possible desecration and says it may have been destroyed by Russian
bombs.
Since he was elected last January, Saakashvili has been courting the
so-called Zviadists, as supporters of the late president are commonly
known. A few weeks ago, he amnestied 30 Gamsakhurdia followers who
had been in jail since 1992. Earlier this month, he similarly
pardoned armed supporters of the late leader who had been living in
western Georgia’s forests for more that a decade.
Picking up an idea briefly floated under Shevardnadze, Saakashvili
also set up a national reconciliation commission which he entrusted
to State Minister Guram Absandze, a well-known Zviadist. Saakashvili
said the time has come to “consolidate the nation” and “end the
division of Georgian society into rival camps.”
Gaga Nizharadze works with the Tbilisi-based Center for the Study of
Conflicts and Mediations. While disagreeing with Saakashvili’s
decision to honor Gamsakhurdia’s memory, he believes it mainly stems
from efforts aimed at strengthening Georgia’s statehood.
“To me, it seems that his policy aims firstly at proving that Georgia
is a state, that its leaders are chosen by the people and that they
all deserve respect. Overall, Saakashvili’s policy aims at restoring
the symbols of the state and this is something I personally welcome.
Another aspect [of his policy] is that he is eager to garner as much
popular support as possible, including from among partisans of the
late president. To a certain extent, one can of course see here an
attempt to rehabilitate [Gamsakhurdia],” Nizharadze said.
Yet, even within nationalist circles, Saakashvili’s initiative is not
approved unanimously. Some Zviadists in particular say he has no
“moral right” to appeal to Georgia’s first post-Soviet leader until
the circumstances of his death are clear. In an apparent effort to
meet these concerns, Saakashvili recently ordered the
Prosecutor-General’s Office to reopen an investigation into the
former president’s alleged suicide and review criminal charges
leveled against him after his ousting.
Whatever Saakashvili’s motives for resurrecting his predecessor, his
initiative has sparked some misgivings among those who had suffered
from Gamsakhurdia’s authoritarian traits and xenophobic rhetoric of
“Georgia for the Georgians.” Those include many rights campaigners
and representatives of ethnic minority groups who also question the
adoption of a new national flag sporting Christian-like symbols.
Nationalism had stopped playing a major role in domestic politics
under Shevardnadze and critics accuse his successor of dangerously
stirring patriotic feelings among Georgians.
Yet, Nizharadze believes a resurgence of state-sponsored nationalism
is unlikely to happen. “Perhaps [nationalist feelings] are gaining
strength, but I am almost certain Saakashvili will not conduct a
nationalist policy,” he said. “He is well aware of who Gamsakhurdia
was and I don’t think he has any warm feelings toward him. Both men
have a radically different [way of thinking]. Although they share
some [mental] traits, psychologically they are different.
Saakashvili’s psychological orientation is not nationalist, although,
like Gamsakhurdia, he plays on his charisma and the attraction he
exerts on the crowds.”
Emil Adelkhanov of the Tbilisi-based Caucasian Institute for Peace,
Democracy, and Development (CIPDD) is less categorical. He believes
domestic circumstances are pushing Saakashvili and his mainly
Western-educated team to resort to nationalist rhetoric.
“Under Shevardnadze, this rhetoric had somehow diminished. One cannot
say it had almost disappeared. In fact, Shevardnadze [at times]
resorted to it with pleasure, but it was perceived for what it was —
mere rhetoric. The new leaders are forced to resort to it more widely
because their patriotic credentials are being permanently questioned
[by their political rivals],” Adelkhanov said.
In Adelkhanov’s opinion, whether Saakashvili’s seemingly nationalist
attitude will materialize into concrete action will depend on
circumstances.
Another recurrent trait of the new leader’s discourse is his
insistence in denouncing the alleged intrigues of Georgia’s purported
“enemies.”
On 24 January, while taking an oath at the grave of the 12th-century
King David II in Gelati, Saakashvili presented himself as the
champion of the Georgian nation. “Georgia has been divided up and its
people humiliated,” he said. “Some people would like to see [Georgia]
erased from the face of the earth. I want to tell everyone that the
expectations of Georgia’s enemies will not be fulfilled. Georgia has
existed in the past; Georgia continues to exist; Georgia will always
exist.”
These remarks have raised concerns among leaders of the separatist
provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, who fear Saakashvili — who
overtly cultivates ties with the military — may attempt to
forcefully restore his country’s territorial integrity. And
Saakashvili’s veiled threats have not gone unnoticed in the unruly
autonomous province of Adjaria, which the new government has vowed to
bring back into its fold and recently accused of plotting against the
life of the Georgian leader.
Last week, Saakashvili denounced “separatists, enemies, and dwarves,”
who he said were flouting Georgia’s “honor and dignity.” A few days
later, government officials similarly blamed alleged “enemies of the
nation” for a purported bomb attack against the commander of
Georgian-based Russian forces.
In Nizharadze’s opinion, “enemies” has become a blanket word to
designate the Adjar leadership. However, he believes these derisive
attributions are simply exaggerations, reflective more of
Saakashvili’s temperament than an indication of nationalist
tendencies.
Although Adelkhanov of CIPDD hopes Saakashvili’s harsh statements
will not have serious consequences, he said they are nonetheless
fraught with danger. “[Adjar leader Aslan] Abashidze used to blame
Tbilisi for plotting against his life. Now it is Tbilisi’s turn to
make level similar charges against Abashidze,” he said. “No one will
really take these accusations seriously, and the only hope is that
they will eventually lose their value. If not, then [Saakashvili is
playing] a very bad game.”

Western Prelacy
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
E-mail [email protected]
Telephone 818-248-7737
Fax 818-248-7745
Prelate’s Easter Message
Today Angels descending from heaven the give tidings of great joy to
mankind: “He who was crucified is risen and has resurrected you with
Him.” Let us then renew our lives with renewal as a new people today
through the Resurrection of Christ. (from the Patrum Chant of Easter
Morning)
Being obedient to the Will of His Father, the Son of God stretched His
immaculate arms upon the Cross, thereby perfectly fulfilling His
earthly mission. He was buried in a new tomb, and then rose from the
dead on the third day as the immortal and heavenly groom. By His
death He trampled upon Death, and He granted new life to all those who
believed in Him, and who followed His Way, His Truth, and His Life.
With the glorious Resurrection our Lord Jesus Christ completed the
mission of the revelation of God, and as the Lamb of God, He took away
the sin of the world.
Behold once again the supreme meaning of our Faith and the foundation
of its victory are celebrated with the joyous tidings of the
Resurrection which fill our hearts and enkindle our souls with new
breath.
“Today Angels descending from Heaven give tidings of great joy to
mankind: He who was crucified is risen and has resurrecuted you with
Him.”
Such encouraging words! Such a hopeful testimony! Such inspiring
good tidings!
The Apostle Paul, the famous preacher of the Resurrection, conveys to
us the great message with the same inspiration and emphasis:
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are
above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.”
(Colossians 3:1)
The Oil-bearing Women who discovered the empty tomb early on the first
day of the week and told the Disciples were indeed the first witnesses
of the Resurrection. They saw the risen Lord, they received His
peaceful greeting, and as He commanded them, they went out to the
entire world, baptized all who believed, preached salvation, and by
giving testimony of the hope of the Resurrection, turned the eyes and
attention of the faithful to the gloriousSecond Coming of the Lord.
>From the earliest days following the Pentecost, the lives of our
people have been miraculously transformed through the miracle of the
Resurrection because our fathers and mothers not only understood the
mystery of the Resurrection but in fact effected the very mystery of
renewal in the life of the Armenian nation.
Today, more than ever, the Feast of the Resurrection invites us to
accept the responsibility of renewal by abiding in the way of truth.
Dear faithful,
As children of the Armenian nation and as members of the same Church,
let us go forth in the spirit of the message of the Holy Resurrection,
remembering the words of the Apostle Paul:
“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death,
certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection:
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body
of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of
sin.” (Romans 6:5-6)
Our Lord Jesus Christ comforted His disciples, saying:
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In
the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
With these same words of encouragement, as children of God and
children of the Armenian nation, let us strive to overcome our own
tribulations, weaknesses, and doubts. Let us flee from all those
conditions and lifestyles which obscure and indeed which thwart the
manifestation of the risen Lord in our life. Let us be mindful of the
message of Apostle Paul not to follow in the ways of those who choose
not to be obedient to God, and enhanced with the spirit ofthe
Resurrection in our personal, family, national, and church lives, let
us “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with
his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge
according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:9-10).
Dear faithful,
Let us comprehend the mystery of the Resurrection according to the
encyclical of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia, by which he has declared 2004 to be the “Year of the Armenian
Family.”
Let us renew and restore our family life by strengthening our
Apostolic Faith, by rediscovering our traditions and customs, and by
reconnecting theyouth of the community with our ancestral virtues.
May the presence of the resurrected Saviour within every Armenian
family bestow a new life therein and transform us into a family of
Paradise so that our attention and focus may be directed heavenward.
By the Resurrection of Christ may every Armenian family be cleansed of
transgressions, and being rejuvenated, may every Armenian family
resume theWay to Truth and Eternal Life.
+++
Renewed by the message of the glorious and holy Resurrection, we
convey our love and Easter Greetings and Blessings to the Reverend
Clergy, the Central Executive, the parishes and parochial
institutions, educational and cultural organizations, charitable
foundations, and all of the faithful who serve and are served within
the Prelacy. We pray that our Lord who renews all may grace us
likewise, and through His Resurrection may He grant newness of life in
Armenia, in Artsakh, and throughout the Diaspora.
Christ is risen from the dead! Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ!
Prayerfully yours,
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Easter, 2004
Prelate, Western United States