Voices from Armenia: 2026 is not just an election year.

Բնագիրը կցած եմ ներքեւը։ I attached my Google AI aided verbatim translation of Anna Merzoyan – Աննա Միրզոյան – posting on her Facebook page, today, December 2, 2026. Her commentary caught my attention because she reflects my perception both for   the upcoming June 2026 general election and for Armenia exerting its sovereignty in peace with its neighbors, are its best quarantines for its long survival in that tumultuous region. . Vahe H Apelian

Courtesy Anna Merzoyan -Ամմա Միրզոյան-ի Ֆէսպուքի էջէմ

    « 2026 is not just an election year. This is a year of orientation

In 2026, the Armenian nation is facing not just another vote, but a fateful choice. This is a choice not only between political forces, but also between a path, a mindset, and a model of the state.

On one side are the forces in the Russian-Azerbaijani sphere of influence. Forces that feed on the past, fear, revanchism, and dependence. Forces that imagine Armenia’s future as a remnant of former empires, as a controlled territory, not a sovereign state. Their rhetoric is always the same: “let’s go back,” “the old days were good,” “Russia was the one who kept us.” But they don’t say one thing: there is no serious state in the world that has moved forward by going backwards.

No developed country has built the future by clinging to the past. No strong state has been born from “nostalgia for memory.” The world is moving forward with technology, education, institutional state, rule of law. And those who turn the past into a cult always have one thing in common: they are afraid of the future, because the future requires responsibility, knowledge and competitiveness.

On the other hand, there are those who understand that in the 21st century, a state is measured not by “courage”, but by digital capabilities, economic openness, scientific potential and citizen freedom. Those who choose the civilizational path of the US and Europe are choosing not an “external master”, but a model of governance. A model where the army is strong because the economy is strong. A model where the state is powerful because the citizen is protected.

This is not a simple “West vs. Russia” debate. This is a choice of dependence vs. sovereignty. The forces under Russian-Azerbaijani influence see Armenia as a playing card, while the US-European path sees Armenia as a partner, provided that we build a working state.

Yes, part of the Armenian nation wants the past. But the past does not return. It either becomes a lesson or a grave. And those peoples who do not dare to look ahead always end up in the plans of others.

The vote in 2026 will be the answer to a simple question:

Do we want a territory that lives by memory or a state that lives by the future?

And this choice will not be made by Moscow, Brussels, or Washington.

It will be made by the Armenian citizen.

And history will not ask later, “Was it difficult?”

History will ask, “Did you realize what you were choosing?”

                                                *** 

2026-ը պարզապես ընտրությունների տարի չէ։ Սա կողմնորոշման տարի է

2026 թվականին Հայ ազգը կանգնած է ոչ թե հերթական քվեարկության, այլ ճակատագրականընտրության առաջ։ Սա ընտրություն է ոչ միայն քաղաքական ուժերի, այլ ուղու, մտածողության ևպետության մոդելի միջև։

Մի կողմում՝ ռուս–ադրբեջանական ազդեցության դաշտում գտնվող ուժերն են։ Ուժեր, որոնք սնվումեն անցյալով, վախով, ռևանշիզմով և կախվածությամբ։ Ուժեր, որոնք Հայաստանի ապագանպատկերացնում են որպես երբեմնի կայսրությունների մնացորդ, որպես վերահսկվող տարածք, ոչթե ինքնիշխան պետություն։ Նրանց խոսույթը միշտ նույնն է՝ «վերադառնանք», «նախկինը լավ էր», «մեզ պահողը Ռուսաստանն էր»։ Բայց նրանք մի բան չեն ասում․ աշխարհում չկա մի լուրջպետություն, որ հետ գնալով առաջ գնացած լինի։

Ոչ մի զարգացած երկիր չի կառուցել ապագան՝ անցյալին կառչելով։ Ոչ մի ուժեղ պետություն չիծնվել «հիշողության նոստալգիայից»։ Աշխարհը առաջ է գնում՝ տեխնոլոգիայով, կրթությամբ,ինստիտուցիոնալ պետությամբ, օրենքի գերակայությամբ։ Իսկ անցյալը պաշտամունքիվերածողները միշտ մեկ ընդհանրություն ունեն՝ նրանք վախենում են ապագայից, որովհետևապագան պահանջում է պատասխանատվություն, գիտելիք և մրցունակություն։

Մյուս կողմում՝ նրանք են, ովքեր հասկանում են, որ 21-րդ դարում պետությունը չափվում է ոչ թե«քաջությամբ», այլ թվային կարողություններով, տնտեսության բացությամբ, գիտական ներուժով ևքաղաքացու ազատությամբ։ Նրանք, ովքեր ընտրում են ԱՄՆ–ի և Եվրոպայի քաղաքակրթականուղին, ընտրում են ոչ թե «արտաքին տեր», այլ կառավարման մոդել։ Մոդել, որտեղ բանակը ուժեղէ, որովհետև տնտեսությունը ուժեղ է։ Մոդել, որտեղ պետությունը հզոր է, որովհետև քաղաքացինպաշտպանված է։

Սա «Արևմուտք vs Ռուսաստան» պարզունակ բանավեճ չէ։ Սա կախվածություն vs ինքնիշխանություն ընտրություն է։ Ռուս–ադրբեջանական ազդեցության տակ գտնվող ուժերըՀայաստանին տեսնում են որպես խաղաքարտ, իսկ ԱՄՆ–եվրոպական ուղին Հայաստանինդիտարկում է որպես գործընկեր, պայմանով՝ որ մենք կառուցում ենք աշխատող պետություն։

Այո, հայ ազգի մի մասը ցանկանում է անցյալը։ Բայց անցյալը չի վերադառնում։ Այն կամ դառնում էդաս, կամ՝ գերեզման։ Իսկ այն ժողովուրդները, որոնք չեն համարձակվում նայել առաջ, միշտհայտնվում են ուրիշների ծրագրերում։

2026-ին քվեարկությունը լինելու է պարզ հարցի պատասխան․

ուզո՞ւմ ենք հիշողությամբ ապրող տարածք, թե ապագայով ապրող պետություն։

Եվ այս ընտրությունը չի անի ոչ Մոսկվան, ոչ Բրյուսելը, ոչ Վաշինգտոնը։

Այն անելու է հայ քաղաքացին։

Եվ պատմությունը հետո չի հարցնելու՝ «դժվա՞ր էր»։

Պատմությունը հարցնելու է՝ գիտակցո՞ւմ էիր, թե ինչ ես ընտրում։ 

Voices from Armenia: Sovereignty

Բնագիրը կցուած է ներքեւը։ It may be time for us to substitute our age old quest for free and independent Armenia by adopting Sovereign Armenia. The following are the key aspects of sovereignty for an independent country :

Self-governance: It makes its own laws and decisions.

Territorial control: It has defined borders and controls its internal affairs.

Independence: It is not subject to another country's authority.

Engages in Diplomacy: International relations, it can engage in diplomacy and treaties with other nations.

 I translated the attached reflection from Armenia by David Stepanyan. The original post on his Facebook page is attacherd. Vaհe H Apelian

«Armenia cannot be "prosperous", "just", "honorable", "in our own way", "national", "democratic", "republican" and even cannot be an independent Armenia at all if that Armenia is deprived of SELF-GOVERNMENT.

In a country deprived of sovereignty, only slaves raising slaves can live in the 21st century. A free person can raise a free child only in a sovereign country - one that makes all decisions on its OWN.

Yesterday, a large group of us, led by PM Pashinya,  visited various sites in Armenia. We saw the new Kirants school, houses under construction, the demarcated sector, new defense structures, new military equipment. For obvious reasons, I will not provide details.

Yesterday, I saw with great satisfaction how that sovereignty is being built in Armenia step by step, albeit slowly. And we must demand from the authorities that all our border villages become Kirants step by step, that all our borders be fortified in the same way, that our entire army be armed with the weapons we have seen.

2025 became one of the uniquely successful years in the construction and strengthening of the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia. Whether or not that construction will continue in 2026 depends, first of all, on each of us.

I wish each of us a high civic consciousness, intuition to make that right decision. Armenia must and will be sovereign, we must and will be free. 

2026 must and will be another year of establishing and strengthening the sovereignty of Armenia.

Happy New Year, Happy 2026!

David Stepanyan"

 

 

Դավիթ Ստեփանյան

Չի կարող Հայաստանը լինել "բարգավաճ", "արդար", "պատիվ ունեցող", "մեր ձևով", "ազգային", "ժողովրդական", "հանրապետական" և նույնիսկ ընդհանրապես չի կարող լինել անկախ Հայաստան եթե այդ Հայաստանը զրկված է ԻՆՔՆԻՇԽԱՆՈԻԹՅՈԻՆԻՑ։

Ինքնիշխանությունից զրկված երկրում 21 դարում կարող են ապրել միայն ստրուկներ  դաստիարակող ստրուկներ։ Ազատ մարդը կարող է դաստիարակել ազատ երեխա միմիայն ինքնիշխան - բոլոր որոշումները ԻՆՔՆՈԻՐՈԻՅՆ կայացնող երկրում։

Երեկ մեծ խմբի կազմում վարչապետ Փաշինյանի գլխավորությամբ այցելեցինք Հայաստանի տարբեր կետեր։ Տեսանք Կիրանցի նոր դպրոցը, կառուցվող տները, սահմանազատված հատվածը, պաշտպանական նոր կառույցները, նոր զինտեխնիկան։ Հասկանալի պատճառներով մանրամասներ չեմ ներկայացնում։

Երեկ ես մեծ բավականությամբ տեսա թե ինչպես է Հայաստանում քայլ առ քայլ, թող դանդաղ, բայց կառուցվում այդ ինքնիշխանությունը։ Եվ իշխանությունից պետք է պահանջենք, որ մեր բոլոր սահմանամերձ գյուղերը քայլ առ քայլ դառնան կիրանցներ, որ մեր բոլոր սահմանները նույն ձևով ամրացվեն, որ մեր ամբողջ բանակը զինված լինի մեր տեսած զենքերով։

2025-ը դարձավ ՀՀ ինքնիշխանության կառուցման, ամրապնդման եզակի հաջող տարիներից մեկը։ Կլինի՞ թե ոչ այդ կառուցման շարունակությունը 2026-ին, առաջին հերթին կախված է մեզանից յուրաքանչյուրից։

Մաղթում եմ յուրաքանչյուրիս քաղաքացիական բարձր գիտակցություն, հոտառություն այդ ճիշտ որոշումը կայացնելու համար։ Հայաստանը պետք է և լինելու է ինքնիշխան, մենք պետք է և լինելու ենք ազատ։ 2026-ը պետք է լինի և լինելու է Հայաստանի ինքնիշխանության կայացման և ամրապնդման հերթական տարի։

Շնորհավոր Ամանոր, շնորհավոր 2026!

“Jesus in the old testament - Յիսուս Հին Ուխտին մէջ”

Vaհe H Apelian

“Յիսուս Հին Ուխտին մէջ - Jesus in the old testament” is the title of the book the late Rev. Barkev Orchanian wrote.

This past week, the car accident, that took the lives of 32-year-old Arie Orchanian and his 80-year-old paternal aunt, Anie (Orchanian) Manoushagian, reminded me of their father and grandfather Rev. Barkev Orchanian.

 Local news outlets reported that the accident happened on a Watertown busy street where the speed limit is 20 miles per hour.  On Tuesday, December 23 morning, Arie Orchanian and his aunt Anie (Orchanian) Manoushagian, attended a funeral at the Bigelow Avenue Armenian Evangelical church. After the burial, they were headed back to the church for a memorial dinner, but they never made it. Their sedan collided with a Tesla, killing the two.

This tragic accident reminded me of another tragedy the family endured years ago, when Rev. Barkev Orchanian family lost his son Rev. Norayr Hagop, to illness.

I met the Rev. Barkev and his wife Mrs. Arousiag Orchanian and family in Keurkune, Kessab when they spent part of their summer with my paternal grandparents (see the link). Later on, Ani Orchanian became a student at the American University of Beirut when I was studying there as well. Other than my parents hosting Rev. Orchanian in Beirut, I have no recollection of meeting an Orchanian family member after I came to the U.S. But Rev. Barkev Orchanian and his family has remained etched in my memory because it would not have been possible to have met the reverend and not being impressed by his Christian conviction.

Rev. Barkev Orchanian is also the author of “Յիսուս Հին Ուխտին մէջ - Jesus in the old testament”  book written in 1992. I have retained a copy of the book in my library. The reverend has dedicated the book to his son, Rev. Norayr Hagop Orchanian. I would like to cite in translation Rev. Barkev’s dedication of the book to his son. And, Rev. Dr. Harold A.K. Hasessian’s presentation of the book.

***

Dedication: “I dedicate this humble study to the memory of my son, Reverend Norayr Hakop Orchanian, who departed this world prematurely and opened his eyes to eternity, as his tombstone. In a way, to have fulfilled his ardent desire for evangelization and to spread the love of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My son, you were a star that rose and shone in our celestial vault, but like a shooting star, you soon disappeared, wounding all the sensitive hearts that loved you. My son, we are aware that hope does not die, nor is it buried. Although it may become invisible to our eyes for a time, it lives on forever, maintaining its radiant existence, as the Prophet Daniel says, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” KJV 12:3.

You came into this world as a light, illuminating a period, though brief, yet lasting, like a comet. You did what you could do and little more. In your debilitating illness, you did not refuse the offer made to you by your principal, Dr. Rev. H. Fletcher, that you would lead a group of young people to Damascus. You not only did not refuse, but you eagerly accepted it. Those around you had begun to forget your name and call you “the smiling young man.” Now, you are smiling from above.” 

***  

Rev. Dr. Harold A.K. Hasessian: “Reverend Barkev Orchanian has rendered a fruitful pastoral service in the Armenian Evangelical Church of the Near East. For nearly half a century, he has preached the Gospel of Christ and spread the message of salvation to the remote provinces of Lebanon and Syria, where Armenians are scattered. He has also worked in churches in Istanbul, as well as in U. S. and in Canada. The Reverend is a dedicated, orthodox and faithful clergyman. He has been a visionary, a tireless reader, a persistent worker, and a studious pastor. He has been a serious student of the Bible. He presents to the religious world a unique scholarly work, titled “JESUS ​​IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.”

It is very beneficial to follow the Reverend’s way of thinking in order to understand the art of his interpretations and analyses.

Reverend Barkev Orchanian sees in the characters and the happening of the Old Testament, our Lord Jesus Christ, His holiness and righteousness. He finds Jesus as the promised Messiah, the awaited Savior, the High Priest of the Temple, the Lamb of God and the Sacrificial Lamb on the altar of fire, for the salvation and forgiveness of sins, for the Jewish people and the entire pagan world.

The publication “JESUS ​​IN THE OLD TESTAMENT” invites the reader to delve deeper into pre-Christian revelation. Those who know Jesus and follow in His footsteps will find Him in the works of the kings, the judges, and the prophets of the Old Testament, as well as in the temple, where every symbol points to His majesty, authority, and power as the Son of God. The picture on the book cover reflects that mystery. Jesus, as the light of the world, floods the temple with its surrounding 

I wish and pray that, this meritorious work of the Very Reverend Barkev Orchanian, will illuminate the reader’s mind and the brighten the reader's soul. The author will feel rewarded when he learns that the central figure of the book, Lord Jesus, has been the personal savior of the reader. Spread the message of this beneficial book by sharing it with many”. 

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Link: Our granfather Stepan Apelian - https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/search?q=Stepan+apelian 

The Armenian Church

 Reviewed by Vaհe H. Apelian

In a superb narration Aram I presents to his readers, in his book titled “The Armenian Church”,  “The Christianization of Armenia and the Armenianization of the Christianity” because “The Armenian Church is the birthplace of Armenian culture and since the beginning of the 5^thCentury it has been its epicenter, not only creating the wonder of the Armenian Alphabet, but also playing a pivotal part in promoting, enriching, and protecting all manifestations of Armenian culture.’

Aram I, early on in the book, presents the different names by which the Armenian Church is known: Church of Armenia, Holy, Apostolic, Catholic, Orthodox Armenian Church; Armenian Gregorian Church, Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Church or Church of Armenia. He then explains why he chose “Armenian Church” as the title of his book, when it was known as Church of Armenia during its early founding years. The one time church confined in Armenia now extends its jurisdiction from America to Australia and in all continents of the world in between where Armenians have now scattered.

Along with the customary Preface and Introduction of a book, Aram I presents the Armenian Church in 10 chapters in each of which he presents the essence of the inferred topic in a clear, easily understood, and captivating manner even though it may entail theological discussion as to why the Armenian Church rejected the Council of Chalcedon while it upheld the teachings of the first three ecumenical councils and explains the Armenian Church’s understanding of the Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

To give a breath and the scope of this superbly narrated book that encompasses all aspects of the church for the interested lay reader, I will have to enumerate the chapters and the topics under each chapter Aram I presents in a simplified manner. Only those who have full command and grasp, resort to such simplified and pleasant narration to transmit their knowledge in a simple manner to the interested not to bore them but retain their attention and help them understand the working of the Armenian Church.

The chapters and their subtitles are as follows:

LONG HISTORY IN BRIEF(pages 21-53), comprises:

The major periods of the history of the Armenian church,  The Origin of the Armenian Church, Christianity as the state religion,  The Golden Age,  The Rejection of the Council of Chalcedon, The Arabs in Armenia,  The Formation of Armenian Cilicia,  A Period of uncertainty and stagnation,  The Armenian Genocide,  Soviet Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora,  New hopes and promises.

HIERARCHY AND DECISION-MAKING (pages 54-76), comprises:

Hierarchy,  Catholicos,  Patriarch, Archbishop,  Bishop,  Vartabed and Supreme Vartabed,  Celibate Priest,  Married Priest,  Deacon,  Decision-Making Structures,  Hierarchical Sees, Two Catholicosates within One Church.

ESSENTIALS OF FAITH (pages 76-95) comprises:

The Bible, Ecumenical Councils, Local Councils, Liturgy, Exegetical Literature, Hagiographic Writings, Treatises and Homilies, Encyclical, pastoral letters, exchange of letters, and Confessions of Faith; Historiography.

RICH SPIRITUALITY (pages 96-140) comprises:

Liturgy, Daily Services,  Feasts,  Liturgical Books,  Sacraments,  Baptism, Confirmation,  Repentance,  Holy Lucharist,  Holy Orders,  Marriage,  Anointing of the Sick,  The Holy Muron,  Images,  Cross-Stone, Music, Liturgical Vestments, Liturgical Vessels,  Relics of Saints, Architecture, Armenian Calendar.

CULTURAL ACTIVITY (pages 141-156) comprises:

The Translation of the Bible and Church Fathers,  Major Figures of Armenian Original Literature, Contribution to painting, printing and music.

SOCIAL ACTION (pages 157-167) comprises:

Characteristic features of the Church’s diakonia, Armenian Diaspora: the focus of the Church’s diakonia,  Social action: a continuing concern.

EDUCATIONAL ROLE (pages168-174) comprises:

The first Armenian school, Monasteries: centers of education, Community schools, Authors in Christian education.

ECUMENICAL ENGAGEMENT (pages 175-196) comprises:

Relations with the Oriental Orthodox churches, Relations with Eastern Orthodox churches,  Relations with Catholic churches,  Relations with the Anglican Communion,  Relations with Protestant churches,  Participation in ecumenical councils and bilateral theological dialogues,  Collaboration with the Armenian Catholic and Armenian Evangelical churches.

PEOPLE’S CHURCH (pages 197-205) comprises

Indigenization of Christianity,  The Church as a unifying factor,  The leadership role of the Church, Church-state relations.

CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES (pages 206-217) comprises:

A dynamic pastoral engagement, An active spiritual ministry, Redefining of the national identity of the Church, Renewal of the Armenian Church and urgent imperative.

The rest of the book comprises Notes, Appendices, and a listing for Further Reading.

At the end Aram I lists his prodigal output in Armenian, English and in French, totaling 28 titles!

Those who have followed Aram I have come to know that the basic tenets of his ministry can be summed up paraphrasing President Abraham Lincoln’s famous quote from his Gettysburg Address, “Of the People, by the People, and for the People”. Catholicos Aram I writes that “The Armenian Church should not become a museum of spiritual heritage; nor should it remain imprisoned in a petrified institutionalism. It is called to respond, in faithfulness to the core value of the Gospel, to the expectations of its people and to the challenges of the present-day world”.

It is not hard to envision that Aram I is burdened with the administrative responsibilities of the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia whose jurisdiction extends globally. He also is a revered spiritual leader and an ecumenical figure. He has served as two terms moderator of the World Council of Churches and as two terms president of the Middle East Council of Churches. God has bestowed upon Catholicos Aram I a powerful intellect and a tireless stamina, which he has put in service towards to the Armenian People through the Armenian Church.

The book was first published in 2016 by the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. The book I read was its second edition in 2017. The book measures  5 inches x 7.5 inches making it handy to carry for reading in leisure. Each chapter is an entity in itself and thus can be prioritized per the reader’s interest. Reading the book in its entirety will give a reader a vital knowledge for his or her better appreciation of and understanding the Armenian Church that has withstood the test of time but continues to face new challenges.

"We must die to one life before we can enter another”.

Vaհe H Apelian 

Change chisels a generation, I believe Anatole France framed it best when he famously said: ““All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.”

This year will be coming to its end in a few days. 2026 will be pivotal year for me. On June 22 of 2026, I will be inducted into an exclusive club, the club of the octogenarians.  I was born in 1946 as a member of that remarkable generation that came to be known as Baby Boomers. It is generally accepted those born from 1946 to 1964, during the mid-20th-century baby boom that followed the end of World War II, make that remarkable generation. May be more than any other generation in history, it experienced change at an unforeseeable scale. 

The following companies came to my mind. Each defined the era at the time. Kodak became synonymous with camera, xerox with photocopying. Pan Am and Sears were America on the ground and in the air. Telephone was AT&T. Nowadays; they are not heard as they were once. In fact, many may not even have heard their names. 

The challenge for each generation is to keep pace with change and continue on retaining core values to be able to keep up pace with this fast changing world.

 This is what happened to these companies, according to the all-knowing Google AI. 

PAN AM, ONCE A SYMBOL OF AMERICAN AVIATION, ceased operations in December 1991due to a combination of factors, primarily failing to adapt after airline deregulation, costly poor management decisions (like the National Airlines merger), high fuel costs, and a devastating financial blow from the 1988 Lockerbie bombing (Flight 103). The airline filed for bankruptcy, sold off valuable assets, and despite a last-ditch effort to restructure, couldn't keep flying, ending its iconic run. 

SEARS, ONCE A RETAIL GIANT, collapsed due to a failure to adapt to changing times, facing intense competition from Walmart and Target, and mismanagement under CEO Eddie Lampert, leading to bankruptcy in 2018 and massive store closures, leaving only a handful of locations as of late 2025. The company sold off key assets like Craftsman and its real estate, dismembering its core business while failing to innovate online or in its mall-based stores, essentially becoming a "zombie brand". 

KODAK, ONCE A PHOTOGRAPHY GIANT, struggled with the digital revolution, filed for bankruptcy in 2012, but emerged as a smaller, focused company in 2013, shifting to commercial printing, advanced materials, and licensing its brand, while still making film, but recently faced new financial concerns in 2025 despite strategic pivots and a brief pharma venture. 

XEROX, NOT THE ICONIC LEADER IT ONCE WAS. It hasn't disappeared but has struggled as a legacy tech giant, shifting from its copier dominance by spinning off services (Conduent) and focusing on digital/IT solutions, facing shrinking revenue, tough competition (HP, Canon), and missing early PC/digital trends despite inventing key tech (GUI, mouse at PARC). They're trying to reinvent through acquisitions (Lexmark) and new models but remain challenged in a changing digital world, still a big player but not the iconic leader it once was.

AT&T HAS GONE THROUGH HUGE CHANGES. SBC Communications bought the original AT&T in 2005, took the name, and expanded by buying BellSouth, becoming today's AT&T Inc.. More recently, AT&T divested media assets (WarnerMedia/Discovery) to reduce debt, faced significant data breaches in 2024 leading to massive settlements, and dealt with customer complaints about price hikes and network congestion, while continuing to build out its 5G network.

 

 

 

 

What AI says about personal wealth: the pope and the catholicos

Google search AI states the following about the personal wealth of Pope Francis I, Pope Leo XIX; Catholicos Karekin I and Catholicos Karekin II. Vaհe H Apelian

What was Pope Francis’ personal wealth?

Pope Francis lived a life of extreme personal poverty despite his high office, with reports suggesting his personal wealth was as low as $100 at his death, as he donated his papal salary and lived simply, while his access to Vatican assets (residence, cars, expenses) was estimated by some sources around $16 million, though mostly directed to charity. He took a vow of poverty as a Jesuit and never kept personal wealth, using his access to papal perks for good causes, never taking the Pope's salary.

 

What is Pople Leo's personal wealth?

There's no specific figure for Pope Leo XIV's personal wealth as popes don't typically accumulate private fortunes; their needs (housing, food, healthcare) are covered by the Vatican, though he earned a cardinal's salary (€4k-€5k/month) before his election. In contrast, historical figures like Pope Leo XIII (late 1800s) were rumored to amass huge sums (millions) for the Holy See, while Pope Francis reportedly had a significant net worth from prior roles, but lived modestly and donated his papal salary.

 

What was Catholicos Karekin I's personal wealth?

Catholicos Karekin I (Neshan Sarkissian) died in 1999, and specific details regarding his personal wealth are not publicly available. Church leaders, particularly those in high positions, generally do not have significant personal assets as their lives and finances are tied to the church institution. 

The Armenian Apostolic Church, like many religious institutions, holds considerable assets as an organization (real estate, art, investments, and donations from wealthy benefactors), but these are institutional assets, not the personal wealth of the Catholicos.

 

What is Catholicos Karekin II's personal wealth?

Karekin II's personal wealth is not publicly declared, but a 2015 leak of HSBC files indicated he was connected to an account that held as much as $1.1 million in 2006/2007. 

Financial transparency within the Armenian Apostolic Church is a subject of public debate and criticism, with some sources claiming that while some clergy live in poverty, others, including the Catholicos, have accumulated significant personal wealth and lead extravagant lives. However, no concrete recent figures for his current net worth are publicly available, as the church does not publicize certain financial details.

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How much is a pope’s salary?

The Pope doesn't receive a traditional salary; instead, the Vatican covers all living expenses (housing, food, travel, healthcare) and provides a modest monthly stipend, though recent popes like Francis have declined it, donating the funds, with some estimates putting a potential stipend around $2,800-$3,000/month or €30,000/month for a new American Pope (Leo XIV), reflecting a spiritual role, not a corporate job.

How much is a catholicos salary?

Ho Catholicos (head of an Eastern Christian Church) doesn't have a standard "salary" like a secular job; they receive stipends, benefits (housing, utilities, transport), and endowments, often modest, but control vast diocesan assets, so their total compensation is substantial, varying by denomination (like Armenian, Greek Orthodox) and region, but generally ensuring a comfortable, high-level living, not a wage. 

 

About a book, but not a review

Vaհe H Apelian

The book is Tenny Arlen’s only book of poetry, “To say with passion, why am I here?”. Recently I purchased a copy of the newly published bilingual version of the book from NAASR bookstore. Sometime back I had purchased the Armenian copy from Abril Bookstore in Glendale, CA, “կիրքով ըսելու՝Ինչո՞ւ հոս եմ”. Little I knew then its bilingual version is upcoming.

Much has been written about the book for me to add anything of substance. But I have a thought or two, I would like to share. I recommend gifting this book. Although there is no season for gifting, but it is the end of year when we present to each other more gifts than during any other time of the year. 

 Books, especially personalized copies, make lasting gifts. I recommend preferably gifting the recently bilingual version because it is a reproduction of the earlier Armenian original, with a few additional poems that were recently discovered. Each poem in the Armenian original is reproduced, immediately followed by its translation by her brother Jesse Siragan Arlen, in a facing page bilingual format. This bilingual version is published by Tarkmaneal Press, New York, NY, which a joint venture by Jesse S. Arlen, who is the director of  the Krikor Zohrab and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and Mathew J. Sarkissian, who has done the layout of the book.

The bilingual book “Կիրքով Ըսելու՝Ինչո՞ւ հոս եմ - To say with passion, why am I here?”, is 216 pages long. Its content is comprised of a foreword, the poems in bilingual, followed by two appendices about the few newly discovered poems, the afterword of the first edition, and an essay about Tenny Arlen and her contribution to contemporary Armenian poetry. They are presented in the same facing page bilingual format.

As for the prospective reader of the book, I recommend, before starting to read the poems, reading the appendices first. Especially the afterword to the first edition written by professor Hagop Gulludjian, Tenny Arlen’s teacher and mentor.

William Saroyan stated, "I do not write in Armenian, but I look at the world in Armenian.” His statement is probably true for most Armenian American writers, given the fact that there are those who wrote in Armenian, such as Hamasdegh and Aram Haigaz. Both of whom wrote in Western Armenian. Hamasdegh was born and raised in an Armenian village in Kharpert in Western Armenia and wrote masterfully about Armenian village life. Aram Haigaz was born and raised in Shabin Karahisar. He wrote in Armenian not only about his experiences during genocide, but also about his American life, about his Irish neighbor, about his American born son and his son's college graduation. 

Hamasdegh and Aram Haigaz were naturalized American citizens, but they are regarded as Armenian-American (amerigahay) writers. What distinguishes them from William Saroyan, and say Peter Balakian, in legal terminology is the following. The former are Naturalized American citizens and the latter are Birthright citizens. 

Tenny Arlen is the FIRST Birthright Armenian-American writer who wrote in Western Armenian. Tenny wrote her poems in about 15 to 20 months after she began learning Armenian. Her book, regrettably, her only literary legacy, can be truly understood and appreciated knowing her first. That is why I recommend the prospective readers to read the appendices first and then resort to reading the poems she wrote, to truly understand and appreciate why she stated: “Կիրքով Ըսելու՝Ինչո՞ւ հոս եմ - To say with passion, why am I here?”

Happy reading.