Catholicos Aram I’s Armenian Independence Day ecclesiastical procalamation

Բնագիրը կցուած է. I am not sure if Catholicos Aram I’s Independence Day ecclesiastical proclamation has been translated. Attached is my translation of the pontiff’s proclamation, issued today, at the Armenian Independence Day, September 21, 2024. I found it to be timid and elusive. The original is attached.  Vahe H Apelian

The Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia is an independent Oriental Orthodox church. Since 1930, its headquarters is located in Antelias, Lebanon and its ministry covers most of the Armenian communities in the Armenian Diaspora.

 "LET'S UNITE AROUND A UNITED ARMENIAN AGENDA" 

“Today is September 21. It is the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia. In other words, it is not an ordinary day, and should not be an ordinary day for every Armenian and for the entire Armenian people. In the course of our history, we fought for Armenia's independence, created, and even shed blood with the deep awareness that independence is a God-given right and, therefore, a sacred value, and its safe preservation and protection is the duty of every Armenian.

Today, when we celebrate the independence of Armenia, it is necessary to reflect on what is our obligation and rights towards it. Especially today, when we look at independent Armenia, we reflect that it is surrounded by terrible troubles, internal and external, far and near. Troubles that can violate the foundations of the independence of the Motherland, even render its independent existence questionable. It is true, that we should not be hopeless and pessimistic. But the matter-of-fact appreciation of Armenia's state leads us to realism and, without a doubt, realism pushes us to defend Armenia's independence with a collective will and conscious commitment to keep it away from all kinds of approaches, concessions and agreements that undermine its territorial integrity and security.

The Church has always been on the side of independence in the life of all nations, seeing it as one of the essential areas of its mission. This is how especially the Armenian church has been during the history of our nation, actively expressing its strong position towards all the attempts that could undermine the independence of the Fatherland. Let's look at our past so that we can assess the present state of the Fatherland and adopt appropriate approaches, with the sacred zeal to put its independence on a firmer foundation.

Therefore, the unity of our people around a pan-Armenian agenda, by consolidating forces and strengthening our collective determination, is more than imperative at this milestone in our history.

This is the message on the Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia.

Catholicos Aram I

September 21, 2024”

                                    *****

Բնագիրը՝

«ՀԱՄԱԽՄԲՈՒԻ՛ՆՔ ՀԱՄԱՀԱՅԿԱԿԱՆ ՕՐԱԿԱՐԳԻ ՄԸ ՇՈՒՐՋ»

Այսօր 21 Սեպտեմբեր է. Հայաստանի Հանրապետութեան անկախութեան օրն է. այլ խօսքով, սովորական օր չէ՛, պէտք չէ՛ ըլլայ իւրաքանչիւր հայու եւ ողջ հայութեան համար։ Մեր պատմութեան ընթացքին Հայաստանի անկախութեան համար պայքարեցանք, ստեղծագործեցինք, նոյնիսկ արիւն թափեցինք այն խոր գիտակցութեամբ, որ անկախութիւնը Աստուածատուր իրաւունք է եւ, հետեւաբար, սրբազան արժէք է եւ անոր անվթար պահպանումը ու պաշտպանութիւնը պարաւորութիւնն է իւրաքանչիւր հայու։

Այսօր, երբ կը նշենք անկախութիւնը Հայաստանի, հարկ է անդրադառնալ, թէ ի՞նչ է մեր պարտաւորութիւնը ու իրաւունքը անոր նկատմամբ։ Այսօ՛ր մանաւանդ, երբ կը նայինք անկախ Հայաստանին, կ՚անդրադառնանք, որ ան ահաւոր տագնապներով է շրջապատուած, ներքին թէ արտաքին, հեռաւոր թէ մօտաւոր։ Տագնապներ, որոնք կրնան խախտել Հայրենիքին անկախութեան հիմերը, նոյնիսկ հարցականի տակ առնելով անոր ինքնանկախ գոյութիւնը։ Ճի՛շդ է, պէտք չէ յուսահատ ու յոռետես ըլլալ. սակայն, իրապաշտ արժեւորումը Հայաստանին պարզած ներկայ կացութեան մեզ կ՚առաջնորդէ իրատեսութեան եւ, անկասկած, իրատեսութիւնը մեզ պէտք է մղէ հաւաքական կամքով ու գիտակից յանձնառութեամբ պաշտպանելու Հայաստանի անկախութիւնը՝ զայն հեռու պահելով անոր հողային ամբողջականութիւնը ու անվտանգութիւնը խաթարող բոլոր տեսակի մօտեցումներէ, զիջումներէ ու համաձայնագրերէ։ 

Եկեղեցին բոլոր ազգերու կեանքին մէջ միշտ եղած է անկախութեան կողքին՝ զայն նկատելով իր առաքելութեան էական տարածքներէն մէկը։ Այսպէս եղած է մանաւանդ հայ եկեղեցին մեր ազգի պատմութեան ընթացքին՝ գործնապէս արտայայտելով իր ամուր կեցուածքը այն բոլոր փորձերուն նկատմամբ, որոնք կրնային խաթարել Հայրենիքին անկախութիւնը։ Նայինք մեր անցեալին, որպէսզի կարենանք Հայրենիքի ներկան արժեւորել եւ համապատասխան մօտեցումներ ճշդել՝ անոր անկախութիւնը աւելի ամուր հիմերու վրայ դնելու սրբազան նախանձախնդրութեամբ 

Հետեւաբար, մեր ժողովուրդին միասնակամութիւնը համահայկական օրակարգի մը շուրջ՝ ոյժերու համախմբումով եւ մեր հաւաքական վճռակամութեան ամրացումով աւելի քան հրամայական է մեր պատմութեան վճռադրոշմ այս հանգրուանին։

Ա՛յս է պատգամը Հայաստանի Հանրապետութեան անկախութեան տօնին։ 

Ն.Ս.Օ.Տ.Տ. ԱՐԱՄ Ա. ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿՈՍ 

21 Սեպտեմբեր 2024

 

 

 

 

The centennial of the remarkable & resilience Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran: Centennial - 1/2 -

 Vahe H Apelian

This year Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran secondary school, celebrates the centennial of its founding.

First and foremost, let me state that there is no English equivalent word for “ousoumnasirats. It  is a complex word made up of two root words: “ousoum’ (ուսում), which means  study, instruction, education; and “sirel” (սիրել), which means to love, , to like, to have a passion or an affection for. Consequently, the complex word “ousoumnasirats” means those who love, or have a passion for study for education. “Djemaran» means academy, seminary, or advanced high school. 

One more note, Kessabtsis name their cpatriotic organizaion Ousoumnasirats. I have not heard or read “ousoumnasirats” used anywhere else for a compatriotic organizaion  other than among the Kessabtsis.

Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran has an interesting story that also reflects the resilience of Kessabtsis and their quest for education. It began over a century ago, in 1910, which was the worst, but the Kessabtsis turned it into the best of times for the Kessabtsis, people of Kessab. The year before, the massacre that started in the city of Adana, which historically is known as the 1909 Adana massacre, spread like a wild fire to the other cities of the historical Cilicia and in northern Syria. The pogrom reached Kessab in the latter part of April 1909 and resulted in the sacking of Kessab and the pogrom of its inhabitants. The returning surviving Kessabttis faced  a bitter winter in Kessab, adding to their misery.

But the Kessabtsis responded to this tragedy with determinaitron by rebuilding their lives anew.  Instead of dwelling on despair, a group of young Kessabtsis establishing an educational association in 1910. They named it Ousoumnasirats. The goal of the association was not only to further the state of education in Kessab, but also to render Kessab a college level educational center for the Armenians in the historical Cilicia. The Kessab Ousoumnasirats Association (KEA) was thus born in 1910. The founders however could not realize their aspiration. In a matter of a few more years, the 1915 Genocide, the Medz Yeghern befell on the Armenian people that forever altered their millennial way of life in their ancestral land, including kessab. Two thirds of the Kessabtsis perished during the genocide. In 1918 the surviving Kessabtsis started rebuilding their lives again. 

In spite of all the hardship Kessab Ousoumnasirats Association established in 1924 the Kessab United Ousoumnasirts Djemaran - High School. In a short period of time the high school achieved a remarkable academic success. The colonial French government in Syria recognized the high school and its graduates were accepted in institutions of higher learning in France and many did.

 However, the ensuing political situation put a damper on the academic progress. In 1938 Kessab lost considerable portion of its arable lands to Turkey and the subsequent economic hardship resulted in the great migration of many to Lebanon, America, Canada and Australia. In 1946 and 1947 the great repatriation took place and many Kessabtsis moved to Armenia further depopulating Kessab. The Kessabtsi immigrants however did not let go of the mission of the Ousoumnasirats and established Kessab Educational Association branches in the cities they moved to, such as Beirut in 1951 and Los Angeles in 1957 and continued supporting  the Kessab United Ousoumnasirts Djemaran

The Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran faced its most recent existential threat because of the 2014 sack of Kessab by terrorists who infiltrated from Turkey. The ensuing saga is well known as the third existential threat not only of the school but of Kessab itself. The previous two being the 1909 sack and pogrom of Kessab and the 1915 Armenian Genocide that had two thirds of the Kessabtis perished.

Graduates of Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran

In spite of the last existential threat, the school continued its mission unabated. Las year, three of its graduates achieved academic success. Garod Saghdejian graduated from Haigazian College with distinction in his line of specialty.  Ardavast Terterian and Vazken Abdoulian received their Master of Science in Computer and Information Science from the American University of Armenia. This year Soghomon Lntian, who was a 2017-2018 academic year graduate, graduated from Republic of Armenia, Minstry of Education and Sciencve National Agrarian University of Armenia 

This year, the Kesssab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran had its 2023-2024 graduation ceremony on June 27 under the auspices of the Prelate Archbishop Magar Ashkarian. The graduating class was called the Centennial Class.  The adminstration of the school reported that all of the students of the  2023-2024 graduating centennial class succesfully passed the government mandated examination. It is a remarkable success rate. The graduating students and their stores are as follows:

June 27, 2024, Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran Graduation

The graduating students and their stores are as follows:

Շողիկ Գաթապեան  (Shaghig Karabian) 2684

Սոնա Բարտի Լնդեան (Sona Pardi Lntian) 2186

Լոռի Մալաթջալեան (Lori Malatjian) 2064

Լուսի Սաղտճեան (Lucy Saghdejian) 2005

Մէյրի Ինճէճիկեան (Mayri Injejikian) 2002

Քարլա Աթիքեան (Karla Atikian) 1976

Ճորճ Ղազարեան  (George Ghazarian) 1955

Լոռի Մանճիկեան ILori Manjikian) 1859

Լարա Պէտուրեան  (Lara Bedourian) 1852

Քարլա Ղազարեան  (Karla Ghazarian) 1525

The school administration reported that the registration of the 2024-2025 academic year took place between September 2 to September 25.

This Kessab United Ousoumnasirats Djemaran has thus resumed its 2024-2025 academic year. 

Saint Charbel and Catholicos Karekin I Sarkissian

I quote «A statue of Saint Charbel, a famous monk of the Catholic Church, has been delivered to  Armenia from Lebanon. Its opening is scheduled for September 22. According to the Arevelk publication, the transportation of the statue took seven days. The ten-meter statue will be installed in the Yeghvard region and  will become the first pilgrimage site to Saint Charbel in the  Caucasus. However, the installation of the statue in Armenia has  sparked discussions on social networks regarding the significance of  the Maronite saint of Lebanese origin for Armenia.» (ArmInfo.info, August 24, 2024. See the link below).

Attached is my translation Ara Sanjian's posting today on his Facebook page, about his recollection of the cannonization of Charbel Makhlouf and the reverence of the Lebanese Armenians are harboring towards the saint. Vahe H Apelian

Courtesy Ara Sanjian

SAINT CHARBEL AND KAREKIN CATHOLICOS SARKISSIAN

ՍՈՒՐԲ ՇԱՐՊԷԼ ԵՒ ԳԱՐԵԳԻՆ ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿՈՍ ՍԱՐԳԻՍԵԱՆ

Ara Sanjian

«The plan of the Lebanese businessman to place the statue of Charbel Makhlouf, in the  Nayiri community, is the object of attention of the Armenian mass media these days. Charbel Makhlouf,  lived in Lebanon in the 19th century and was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1977. 

I remembered that when Charbel was canonized in Rome in October 1977, Karekin Sarkisian was newly elected Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia under the name Karekin II. On the occasion of Charbel's sanctification, he posted in the Lebanese-Armenian newspapers a sequel of articles titled "The Dew of Holiness on the Lebanese Land". The articles  soon saw the light of day in the form of a separate booklet and was sold for many years in the bookstore of the Catholicosate of Antelias.

At the same time, just a few days before the canonization ceremony in Rome, Catholicoi Khoren I and Karekin II of Antelias made a pilgrimage to Annaya Monastery, where St. Charbel was a hermit and which today is one of the main pilgrimage sites of the Maronite Christian Church. The Catholicoi performed a service in the Armenian rite in Annaya, and Catholicos Karekin II also gave a speech in French that day. The Armenian translation of which was published in the Lebanese-Armenian press, under the title "Saints don't need us, we need saints...".

Lebanese and foreign Maronites constantly visit Annaya Monastery and believe that St. Charbel meets their requests and heals their illnesses. When I also suffered from cancer 10 years ago, my Maronite neighbors suggested that I go to Annaya and turn to St. Charbel.

Reverence towards St. Charbel has started slowly to permeate the Lebanese Armenians. During my visits to the Bourj Hammoud cemetery, where our family's mausoleum is, I have noticed in recent years that several families have placed statues of St. Charbel on the graves of their loved ones.

Zaven Khedeshian is the author of the statue of St. Charbel erected in the enclosure of Annaya Monastery. (Zaven Khedeshian is also the designer and the architect of the Armenian Genocide Monument in the Bikfaya, Lebanon, on the grounds of summer retreat monastery of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.)

                                                        ***

A statue of Catholic monk to be erected in Armenia:  https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=85648&lang=3

 

You may not know: Things you may not know about Armenians of Lebanon – 2/2 -

I have compiled a list of random facts about Armenians of Lebanon. Vahe H Apelian

 

Top: Haigazian University. 
Low L to R: Armenian Catholic, Apostolic, Evangelical churches/cathedrals.

1.     Armenians first established contact with Lebanon when Tigranes the Great conquered Phoenicia and made it part of its short-lived Armenian Empire.

2.        The Catholic Armenians who fled to Lebanon in the declining years of the 17^th century may be credited with establishing the first enduring Armenian community in Lebanon.

3.    The Armenian Catholic monastery in Bzoummar, Lebanon, built in 1749, is acknowledged as the oldest extant Armenian monastery in Lebanon and serves as the patriarchal see for the entire Armenian Catholic Church.

4.  Lebanon Is the location of the only Armenian university outside Armenia. Haigazian University was established in Beirut by the Armenian Missionary Association of America and the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East. It was founded on October `17,  1955, Haigazian is a liberal arts Armenian institution of higher learning, which uses English as the language of instruction.

5.    Haigazian University produced the 1^st rockets in the Arab world in 1960.

6.        Lebanon Is the post Armenian Genocide seat of the historic Armenian Catholicosate of Sis / Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias.

7.        Lebanon Is made up of 17 religious denominations and the Armenian Apostolic denomination is considered the 7^th largest denomination in the country.

8.      Lebanon is the country where ethnic Armenian citizens occupy 7 seats of the 128 member Lebanese Parliament.

9.        Lebanon is where the Armenian Apostolic/Orthodox community has 5 seats in the Lebanese Parliament

10.    Lebanon is where Armenian Catholic community occupy 1 seat in the Lebanese parliament.

11.   Lebanon is where the ethnic Armenians and non-ethnic Armenian Evangelical occupy 1 seat in the Lebanese parliament. Dr. Antranig Manougian was the longest serving Armenian Evangelical/Protestant member of the Lebanese Parliament. He was followed by Nourijan Demirdjian.

12.    Lebanon has the only Armenian sanatorium in the Diaspora. It was founded in 1923.

13.    Lebanon is where the Armenian village Anjar, formed by descendants of Moussa Dagh, with the assistance of French, is located.

14.    Lebanon’s President Emile Lahoud was born in Baabdat on Janury 12, 1936. He is the youngest son of General and former minister Jamil Lahoud. His mother, Andrenee Bajakian, is of Armenian descent from the Armenian-populated village of Kessab, in Syria.

15.    Lebanon has many of its impressive building designed by Mardiros Altounian (1889–1958), an Armenian-Lebanese architect. He designed the Lebanese Parliament Building in Beirut (1931), the Abed clock tower (1934), Azounieh sanatorium in Chouf,  and Melkonian Benefactors' Mausoleum in Cyprus (with French-Armenian sculptor Leon Mouradoff). Also, St. Gregory Cathedral in Antelian (courtesy Hagop Toroyan), St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Harissa (courtesy Father Nareg Lousian),  Genocide Memorial in 1923.  (coutesy Garo Derounian).

16.    Lebanon is where KOHAR library is located. It is owned and sponsored by Khatchadourian brothers, and has the world’s largest collection of Armenian song books and hymns and flies the largest Lebanese flag from its rooftop.

17.    Lebanon is where Diaspora’s oldest and largest orphanage, Birds’ Nest, is found. It is under the juristiction of the Catholicosate of Sis in Antelias.

18.    Under the Ottoman Empire, Mount Lebanon’s first – Daoud Pasha, and the last – Hovhannes Pasha Kouyoumjian - governors were Armenians.

19.     Lebanon is where the Armenian Diaspora pop music started. Almost all the Diaspora pop singers had their debut in Lebanon. Name one that did not. 

20.    Lebanon is where the American University of Beirut is located, which boasts more Armenian college graduates than any other institutution of higher learning in any other country, save naturally Armenia.

21.    Lebanon is where, the first post Armenian Genocide High School, the Armenian Evangelical College (AEC) was established in 1923, where Noubar Efeyan, the principal founder of Moderna, went to school.

22.    Lebanon is where Nobel Prize Laureate, Artem Patapoutian was born and educated in Armenian school before immigrating to the U.S.A. 

23.    Lebanon is where the famed Armenian Jemaran-high school – was founded on March 3, 1930 by Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Society .  Prof. Richard Hovannisian and Vartan Krikorian attended it for varying times.

24.    Lebanon is where the oldest literary magazine in Western Armenian, Pakin, was established in 1962 and continues to be published.

25.    Lebanon is where Hamazkayin Vahe Setian publishing is founded and located that has published more Western Armenian books than anywhere else in the Diaspora.

26.    Lebanon is where the municipality of Bourj Hammoud, once exclusively inhabited by Armenians, is located whose mayor is an Armenian to this day. 

27.    More Armenians born and raised in Diaspora were schooled in Western Armenian  in Armenians schools in Lebanon, than anywhere else in the Diaspora. 

28.    In 1932 Siran Seza, A Lebanese-Armenian writer began publishing the first feminist literary review for women in Lebanon called The young Armenian Women (Երիտասարդ Հայուհի).Seza was born in Constantinople, present day Istanbul, in 1903. The final issue of the magazine was published in 1968.

29.    The central committee of the Hamazkayin Armenian Educational and Cultural Society is located in Lebanon.  

30.    The Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE) is an autonomous body of Armenian Evangelical churches comprising 25 congregations throughout Australia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Turkey. The UAECNE, previously known as the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon, is the continuance of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Cilicia. Those who survived the Armenian Genocide formed the timber around which the Armenian Evangelical Community was founded in the Near East. It is headquartered in Lebanon. 

31.    On August 4, 2020, during the 2020 Beirut explosions, 15 Armenians were killed, more than 250 were injured, The Armenian Catholicosate in Antelis suffered great material damage, Armenian churches and the building of Haigazin University were damaged.         

32.        John Wortabet (1927-1908) was an Armenian physician, missionary, and educator, John Wortabet was born in 1827. His father died while he was young and Ms. Whiting, an American missionary, took care of him. He joined the American School in Beirut until he mastered English well. Then he studied Arabic under Sheikh Nassif el-Yaziji and mastered Hebrew, Greek, and Latin while studying theology. When the Syrian Protestant College, the precursor of the American University of Beirut established its medical program, he joined it as a professor in anatomy and physiology. His bust remains placed in AUB.

 

 

 

Diaspora Armenian Apostolic Church relations

Vahe H Apelian

Left: Cathedral at Etchmiadzin, Right: Cathedral at Antelias  

Before I share with the readers of my blog about the Diaspora Armenian Apostolic Church relations having the U.S. in mind, I wanted to share my translation of Dr. Ara Sanjian’s comments on his Facebook page today. It was titled - ABOUT "PERMANENT FRIENDS" AND "PERMANENT ENEMIES".

In translation it reads the following: 

“The extensive political transition in Armenia in the last 4-5 weeks made it clear that there were no "permanent friends" and "permanent enemies" even on the intra-Armenian front.

The Cold War years have been the subject of my study for a long time. In the 1950s, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) linked the hope of the liberation of Armenia to the United States of America, officially spied for the Central Intelligence Agency in Lebanon, Syria and Iran, enjoyed the support of the American and Western governments to increase its influence in various centers of the Armenian diaspora.

Social Democratic Hnchak's party adhered to Kremlin, convincing its supporters that the borders of Soviet Armenia would expand when the Kremlin became stronger and established "justice" on the globe, including Turkey. 

The ARF-ers regarded Echmiadzin as one of the tools of the Kremlin to spread the totalitarian Soviet influence abroad, and in their own way they tried to limit it and, if possible, even eliminate Etchmiadzin's role abroad. (There are many excerpts from the publications of those years in this connection.) The Hnchakians tried to justify their opposition to ARF - Dashnaktsutyun by saying that they support Etchmiadzin. The latter's only choice in those days was to agree to Moscow and to the Yerevan communists and play their tune or continue to be subjected to the persecutions unleashed by the latter.

After about seven decades, today ARF urges to maintain good relations with the Kremlin and be careful not to rely on Western states. The Hnchakians have stopped praising the Kremlin and are one of the few structures of the classical diaspora that openly supports the foreign policy direction of the government led by Nikol Pashinyan, which in turn has caused the Kremlin's anger. 

Etchmiadzin is now fully engaged in the work of overthrowing the current government in Yerevan, and one of its numerous criticisms of the current authorities is that Etchmiadzin does not regard the steps taken by Pashini\yan's government to "dramatically change the foreign political orientation", right and useful. 

The public's general dislike of Nikol Pashinyan has melted the decades old ice between Etchmiadzin and ARF-Dashnaktsutyun. The visits of ARF delegations to Etchmiadzin have often become frequent, when there was almost no such thing for decades. These days, Echmiadzin clerics are criticizing the position of Hnchakian party leaders in public letters, provoking opposition from Hnchakians.

Within this triangle, it seems that the only constant is Etchmiadzin's aspiration to give at least publicly, a positive tone to its relations with the Kremlin.

Why did I write all this? It can be said that making comparisons is usually useful when writing a story. However, I wrote more for the Diaspora Armenian party members, so that when praising their current allies and criticizing their opponents, they should remain restrained, and not overdo it. Who knows what tomorrow will bring...”

Left: Saint Savior Diocese affiliated Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, MA
Right:  Prelacy affiliated Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, Worcester, MA

About the relations of the Prelacy and Diocese Armenian Apostolic Churches in the U.S., let us bear in mind the following.

 We all know that two distinct Armenian Apostolic church hierarchies exist in the U.S., as well as in most Diaspora communities. The two church hierarchies are the Etchmiadzin affiliated Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Antelias affiliated Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic church. 

Historically, the two ecclesiastical hierarchies were established in the U.S., as follows.  

The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic church was established by Catholicos Khrimian Hayrig in 1898 in Worcester, MA, where we have been residing since 2018. I quote from Armenianchurch.us: “The first Armenian Church was built in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1891. The first Armenian clergyman had arrived earlier, in response to a petition by 300 Armenian residents of the city. By 1897, as the number of Armenian immigrants grew, there were six clergymen serving the Armenian Church in America. With the exception of Worcester, services were held in non-Armenian sanctuaries, notably Episcopalian churches. The Armenian Church of America was established officially by Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian in 1898.”

 The Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church in U.S. was established by Catholicos Zareh Payaslian in New York City. I quote: “The Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church is affiliated with and under the jurisdiction of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia, located in Antelias, Lebanon. His Holiness Aram I is the Catholicos of the See of Cilicia. The Prelacy office was re-established in New York City in 1958 and since that time the Prelacy churches in America have grown….” The Western Prelacy in the U.S. was established two decades later in Los Angeles. 

What brought the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church to the U.S., when there already was the Armenian Apostolic Church for over half a century? The answer is politics.  There was no spiritual or doctrinal difference. I can characterize it further by stating that it was the Cold War era politics led by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) that stood against the Soviet Union/Communists/communism that had put an end to the free, independent, democratic first Republic of Armenia and had it incorporated in its totalitarian regime. 

Armenia is free and independent since September 21, 1991, and striving to safeguard its democratic institutions. Why would the Diaspora Armenians who are led by ARF, be against the government brought about by the  2018 popular revolution in Armenia that is currently pursuing a policy of diversification and is looking to improve its relations with the United States and Europe where close to 2 million Armenians live?

Has ARF ceased to be a crass root organization and instead is financed and hence led by Kremlin proxies and is serving the interest of Kremlin?

Is the ARF in the Diaspora leading the historic Cilician See affiliated churches and their congregations in the U.S. to go along with its support of pro-Kremlin,, anti U.S. policy historically prevalent in Armenia?

Why would the U.S. Armenian public support an Etchmiadzin affiliated and an Antelias affiliated church, at times few miles apart in the same community, if there is no more secular, not to say, political differences as well? There never was an issue for doctrinal differences to begin with.

Why would the Armenians having made U.S. and the West their homes support the Kremilin policies in Armenia and not support Armenia diversity its foreign policy and deal with the United States, Europe or Russia, as its economic and cultural interests dictate?

I have no answers but there sure are myriads of questions the Diaspora Armenians, especially the Armenians who have been living in the United States and in West and enjoying the blessings of freedom, need to sort for themselves.

 As to myself, I am for the Republic of Armenia diversify its relations, especially with the U.S. and the West and for the Cilician Catholicosate affiliated Prelacy Armenian Apostolic Churches attend to the needs of the Diaspora Armenians who are on the verge of cultural oblivion. 

 

***

«ՄՇՏԱԿԱՆ ԲԱՐԵԿԱՄՆԵՐՈՒ» ԵՒ «ՄՇՏԱԿԱՆ ԹՇՆԱՄԻՆԵՐՈՒ» ՄԱՍԻՆ

Հայաստանի մէջ վերջին 4-5 շաբաթներուն ծաւալած քաղաքական անցուդարձը յստակացուց թէ ներհայկական ճակատի վրայ ալ չկան եղեր «մշտական բարեկամներ» ու «մշտական թշնամիներ»։

Պաղ Պատերազմի տարիները ուսումնասիրութեանս առարկայ են երկար ժամանակէ ի վեր։ 1950-ական թուականներուն, Հ. Յ. Դաշնակցութիւնը Հայաստանի ազատագրման յոյսը կապած էր Ամերիկայի Միացեալ Նահանգներուն հետ, պաշտօնապէս կը լրտեսէր Կեդրոնական Հետախուզական Վարչութեան օգտին՝ Լիբանանի, Սուրիոյ եւ Իրանի մէջ, կը վայելէր ամերիկեան եւ արեւմտամէտ կառավարութիւններու աջակցութիւնը սփիւռքահայ տարբեր կեդրոններու մէջ իր ազդեցութիւնն աւելցնելու համար։ Ս. Դ. Հնչակեան կուսակցութիւնը փարած էր Քրեմլինին, իր համակիրներուն կը համոզէր թէ Խորհրդային Հայաստանի սահմանները պիտի ընդարձակուին երբ Քրեմլինը աւելի զօրանայ ու «արդարութիւն» հաստատէ Երկրագունդի վրայ, ներառեալ՝ Թուրքիան։ 

Դաշնակցականները Ս. Էջմիածինը կը նկատէին Քրեմլինի գործիքներէն մէկը արտասահմանի մէջ համայնավար խորհրդային ազդեցութիւն տարածելու համար եւ իրենց կարգին կը փորձէին սահմանափակել եւ եթէ հնարաւոր ըլլար նոյնիսկ չքացնել Ս. Էջմիածնի դերը արտասահմանի մէջ։ (Այդ տարիներու հրապարակումներէն բազմաթիւ քաղուածքներ կան այս առնչութեամբ։) Հնչակեանները իրենց հակադրութիւնը Դաշնակցութեան կը փորձէին հիմնաւորել թէ իրենք կը պաշտպանեն Ս. Էջմիածինը։ Վերջինիս միակ ընտրանքը այդ օրերուն Մոսկուայի եւ Երեւանի համայնավարներուն ճաշակով սրինգ նուագելն էր կամ ալ շարունակել ենթարկուիլ վերջիններուս սանձազերծած հալածանքներուն։

Մօտաւորապէս եօթը տասնամեակ ետք, Դաշնակցութիւնն այսօր կը յորդորէ պահպանել լաւ կապեր Քրեմլինի հետ ու զգուշանալ արեւմտեան պետութիւններու վրայ յոյս դնելէ։ Հնչակեանները դադրեցուցած են Քրեմլինի գովասանքը ու դասական սփիւռքի սակաւաթիւ կառոյցներէն են որոնք բացայայտ կ’աջակցին Նիկոլ Փաշինեանի գլխաւորած կառավարութեան արտաքին քաղաքականութեան ուղեգիծին, որ իր հերթին յառաջացուցած է Քրեմլինի զայրոյթը։ Ս. Էջմիածինը հիմա ամբողջ թափով լծուած է Երեւանի մէջ առկայ կառավարութիւնը տապալելու աշխատանքին եւ ներկայ իշխանութիւններուն ուղղած իր բազմաթիւ քննադատութիւններէն մէկն այն է, որ Ս. Էջմիածինը ճիշդ ու օգտակար չի նկատեր «արտաքին քաղաքական կողմնորոշումը կտրուկ փոխելու» Փաշինեանի կառավարութեան առած քայլերը։ Նիկոլ Փաշինեանի նկատմամբ հասարակաց (արեւելահայերէնով՝ ընդհանուր) հակակրանքը հալեցուցած է տասնամեակներու սառոյցը Ս. Էջմիածնի ու Դաշնակցութեան միջեւ։ Դաշնակցական պատուիրակութիւններու այցերը Ս. Էջմիածնի մայրավանք դարձած են յաճախակի, երբ տասնամեակներ նման բան գրեթէ չկար։ Էջմիածնական հոգեւորականներ այս օրերուն հրապարակային նամակներով կը քննադատեն Հնչակեան կուսակցութեան ղեկավարներուն դիրքորոշումը՝ յառաջացնելով հնչակեաններու հակազդեցութիւնը։

Այս եռանկիւնիէն ներս կարծես միակ կայուն ազդակը՝ եօթանասուն տարի առաջ եւ այսօր, Ս. Էջմիածնի ձգտումն է դրական երանգ տալու իր յարաբերութիւններուն Քրեմլինի հետ, առնուազն՝ հրապարակայնօրէն։

Ինչո՞ւ գրեցի այս բոլորը։ Կարելի է ըսել թէ պատմութիւն գրելու ժամանակ համեմատութիւններ կատարելը սովորաբար օգտակար է։ Աւելի շատ գրեցի, սակայն, սփիւռքահայ կուսակցականներուն համար, որ իրենց ներկայ դաշնակիցները գովերգելու եւ իրենց հակառակորդները քննադատելու ժամանակ մնան զուսպ, ժողովրդական խօսքով ըսած՝ «համը չհանեն»։ Ի՜նչ իմանաս վաղը ի՛նչ է բերելու...