When Did the Song Giligia (Cilicia) become the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Hymn.?

Vahe H. Apelian

This past Easter, Catholicos Aram’s picture, taken at the end of the  mass in the Catholicosate’s cathedral, went viral. He was depicted with teary eyes as the famed “Cilicia – Giligia” song was sung to an almost empty sanctuary  after he had lead the Easter Sunday’s mass.

I also posted Vehapar’s moving picture on my Facebook page. It seemed to encapsulate the mood of the Armenian communities in the Diaspora as each also braves the devastating effects of the Corona virus pandemics as an added burden to the Middle Eastern communities that have been facing dire political and economic situations in Lebanon and in Syria. My posting gave rise to insightful comments.

A friend from Canada, Varoujan Bedrossian, wondered if Cilicia is customarily sung at the end of mass? The hymn obviously is not part of liturgical mass. However, it turns out that the hymn is sung in the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in the Catholicosate of Cilicia campus in Antelias every Sunday at the end of mass. The rest of the churches sing the song on special occasions and not necessarily in the church but during fellowship after that particular Sunday mass.

Regarding the song, Garo Armenian noted the following.  “Cilicia” is not a folk song though it is very popular. It is a poem by Nahabed Roussinian (19^th Century) fashioned after a French poem bearing the  title of “Normandide" the music is by the 19^th century composer Kaprield Yeranian, also of Constantinople."

St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral and the Genocide Commemoration Chapel 

I became reflective as to when the song became a trademark of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, if not its accepted hymn?

I inquired with Der Torkom Chorbajian, who is the priest of the Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in Worcester, MA and with my friend Sarkis Mahserejian who, for many years, was the secretary at the West Coast  Prelacy beside being a prolific commentator and writer. Upon confirmation with the Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Sarkis as well as Der Torkom claimed that the tradition of singing the song Giligia, at the end of the mass in the Cathedral of St. Gregory Illuminator, began with Catholicos Zareh I Payasilian, of blessed memory  (1956-1963) who loved the song.

Since then singing Cilicia-Giligia, has become a trademark of sorts or an unofficial hymn of the Catholicosate of Antelias whose seat for centuries was in Sis, in the historic Armenian Cilicia.

The hymn sung by the talented Steve Frounjian in Racine, WI.

The lyrics.

Giligia

"When doors of hope are opened wide,
And dreary winter flees away,
Our beauteous Armenia
Beams forth in glad and smiling day;
When swallows to their nests return
And trees put on their leaves so bright
I yearn for my Cilicia,
The land where first I saw the light.

I’ve seen the wide Vonarian fields
And cedar-clad Mount Lebanon,
Italian shores and Venice fair,
Where gondolas are gliding on;
There’s nothing like our Cyprian isle,
No spot on earth can be so bright,
I yearn for my Cilicia,
The and where first I saw the light.

There comes to each a time of life
When all our hopes have gone at last,
The poor soul longs and strives no more;
And dwells alone upon the past;
The, when my breaking harp, unstrung
Shall sing to hope a last good-night,
I’ll sleep in my Cilicia,
The land where I first saw the light.
The land where first I saw the light..."

Կիլիկիա

Երբոր բացուին դռներն յուսոյ
եւ մեր երկրէն փախ տայ ձմեռ
Չքնաղ երկիրն մեր Արմենիոյ
երբ փայլի իւր քաղցրիկ օրեր
Երբոր ծիծառն իւր բոյն դառնայ
երբոր ծառերն հագնին տերեւ՝
ցանկամ տեսնել զիմ Կիլիկիա
Աշխարհ՝ որ ինձ ետուր արեւ

Տեսի դաշտերն Սուրիոյ
Լեառն Լիբանան եւ իւր մայրեր
տեսի զերկիրն Իտալիոյ
Վենետիկ եւ իւր կոնտոլներ
կղզի նման չիք մեր Կիպրեայ
եւ ոչ մէկ վայր է արդարեւ
գեղեցիկ քան զիմ Կիլիկիա
Աշխարհ՝ որ ինձ ետուր արեւ

Հասակ մը կայ մեր կենաց մէջ
ուր ամենայն իղձ կ’աւարտի
Հասակ մը ուր հոգին ի տենչ՝
յիշատակաց իւր կարօտի
Յորժամ քնարն իմ ցրտանայ
սիրոյն տալով վերջին բարեւ՝
երթամ ննջել յիմ Կիլիկիա
Աշխարհ՝ որ ինձ ետուր արեւ