Dedicated to Ara’s friend

Vaհe H Apelian

Today Ara Mekhsian posted a beautiful poem in his superb poetic language. I have always remained amazed that Ara Mekhsian has retained such a rich Armenian vocabulary and diction. The poem that he posted is titled “Faithful Friend”.

His poem reminded me of the Armenian classic song by Ashough Jivani, who in my mind is the Armenian version of a troubadour, the folk singer, songwriter who not only wrote the lyrics and composed the music for his songs, but also often sang himself. 

Ashugh Jivani is known for his song titled “ The Pari (kind), Keghetzig(beautiful), Arakini (virtous), Ungereh Martoun (man's friend).” 

The song nowadays is also sung in appreciating a comrade of a common cause. The Armenian language is gender neutral. Consequently, the song can be sung on such occasions. But it is claimed that Jivani dedicated his song to his wife. The lyrics give credence to the claim. Jivani lived from1846–1909. It is not likely that in the patriarchal manly Armenian culture, especially among the ordinary people Jivani came from, would have used attributes he used as kind (pari), beautiful (keghetzig), virtuous (Arakini), ungereh Martou (friend of the man) in reference only to a bosom male friend. Although the word “man” is used in its genderless sense, I believe, Ashough Jivani refers to a male's female friend as well, and not only a male friend. 

In the first two sentences of the song Jivani says, “the kind, beautiful, virtuous friend of a man, brightens his image like a sun”. He ends the song addressing himself and notes, “Ashugh Jivani, whoever has such a bosom friend, not a single strand of his hair will whiten”, and in middle he claims "if you devote your life to the good friend, still is not enough."  The song remains popular.

՚Although Ara Mekhsian made an introductory note to his poem that his poem is not specifically for his wife. But I will take the liberty and make the exception, and dedicate Ashoush Jivani’s song to Ara Mekhsian bosom friend, his wife Debra, whom my wife and I have not the pleasure of meeting in person. I imagine Ara Mekhsian will not mind.

I have linked to the song and attached the lyrics.

I attached the literal translation of the poem 

A good, beautiful, virtuous friend

Makes a person's image shine like the sun,

When a person has a faithful friend by his side,

The dark night, like daylight passes for the person.

 

It is not enough to dedicate your life to a good friend, 

Who is the spiritual lamp of the person,

A friend, I say, a steadfast, a true friend,

That always elevates the person.

 

When enemies come upon him,

A brave, close friend is a person's sword,

Whoever has a close friend, a lively soul,

Not a single strand of his hair whitens .

 

 Բնագիրը՝ 

Բարի, գեղեցիկ, առաքինի ընկերը մարդուն

Փայլեցնում է արևի պես պատկերը մարդուն,

Ինչ մարդ ունենա յուր մոտը հավատարիմ ընկեր,

Ցերեկի նման անցնում է մութ գիշերը մարդուն։

 

Կյանքդ նվիրես ընկերի լավին, քիչ է դարձյալ,

Այնպես է հոգեկան լուսատու լապտերը մարդուն,

Ընկեր եմ ասում, հաստատակամ, ճշմարիտ ընկեր,

Որ բարձրացընե աստիճանը միշտ վերը մարդուն։

 

Թշնամիները իր վերա գալած ժամանակը,

Կտրիճ, հարազատ ընկերըն է սուսերը մարդուն,

Ով որ ունենա մտերիմ ընկեր, Ջիվան աշըղ,

Չի սպիտակիլ ամենևին մեկ հերը մարդուն։

 

 

Celebrating Easter on April 12, 2026

Greek Orthodox celebrating Easter

The Greek Orthodox Church is the second-largest Christian denomination in Lebanon, comprising approximately 8–10% of the population. While the Maronite Church is larger, the Greek Orthodox community is a major, influential, and highly urbanized group, particularly prominent in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and the Koura region, quoting Wikipedia.

Tomorrow, on April 12, 2026, the adherents to the Greek Orthodox denomination in Lebanon, will be celebrating Easter. This is one week after Western Easter (April 5, 2026). The Greek Orthodox Church uses a hybrid system, employing the Revised Julian Calendar (or New Calendar) for "fixed" feasts (like Christmas on December 25) and the traditional Julian Calendar for "moveable" feasts, most importantly Easter/Pascha. This means they usually celebrate Christmas with Western churches but Easter at a different time

The Armenians celebrated Easter last Sunday, on April 5, 2026. The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Easter (Surb Zatik) on Sunday, April 5th. Unlike many Eastern Orthodox churches that follow the Julian calendar, the Armenian Church generally uses the Gregorian calendar for calculating holidays, often aligning its Easter celebration with the Western (Catholic/Protestant) date, which the adherents of the Armenian Catholic and Armenian Protestant communities follow. Consequently, all Armenians, irrespective of their denominations, celebrate Easter on the same day, but Armenian Orthodox celebrate Christmas on January 6.

 However, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrates Easter according to the Julian calendar, which often differs from the Western Gregorian date and sometimes even from other Orthodox traditions. While the Armenian Church elsewhere often uses the Gregorian calendar, in Jerusalem, they follow the Julian Calendar, typically celebrating on the same day as other Orthodox churches in the city.  Consequently, the Armenians in Jerusalem will celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 12, 2026. 

                                            ***

Julian vs Gregorian Calendars.

According to Wikipedia:

The Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, is a solar-based dating system that replaced the Roman lunar calendar. It established a 365-day year with an extra leap day every four years, resulting in an average year of 365.25 days. While it stabilized timekeeping, it was replaced by the Gregorian calendar in 1582 due to a slight over-calculation. The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct the Julian calendar's inaccuracy. It is a solar calendar with 365 days, plus a leap day every four years (except for centurial years not divisible by 400), making it more precise, with an average year of 365.2425

The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is how they calculate leap years to align with the solar year. The Julian calendar adds a leap day every four years, while the Gregorian calendar skips leap years on centurial years not divisible by 400 (e.g., 1700, 1800, 1900). This makes the Gregorian calendar more accurate (1 day off in 3,030 years) compared to the Julian calendar (1 day off in 128 years).

 

 

 

Moscow is detached from South Caucasus reality.

Vaհe H Apelian 

It was apparent that Putin has lost his grip on the prevailing reality in the South Caucasus. During April 1, 2026 summit with Nikol Pashinya, Putin spoke of favored Russian and Armenian political relationship to the extent of suggesting that people with Armenian and Russian dual citizenship take part in the Armenian election. This is what Putin said: “And finally, in Armenia we have many friends, many, we know that. Many Armenians live in the Russian Federation. We can calculate differently, we consider it to be more than 2 million people. And the statistical data of our Ministry of Internal Affairs itself testify to this. And there are many political forces that have a pro-Russian position. Of course, I will tell you openly that we have such a dialogue that we always speak honestly and directly. We would very much like all these political parties, politicians to be able to participate in this domestic political work during the elections. Some, I know, are in places of detention, despite the fact that they have Russian passports. That is your decision, we do not interfere, but we would like them to at least be able to participate in this domestic political process.” (read the whole transcript below).

 In stating that, Putin did not take into consideration the Armenian constitution and Armenia’s next-door neighbors, particularly, Turkey and Azerbaijan, reaction to such a political relationship, next door. Simply said, Putin seems to have lost his grip of the political reality in the South Caucasus where Russia is no longer, the power broker it was once, having if not misused and abused its historic dominant role, it miscalculated the longevity of its political grip in South Caucasus by not upholding its natural ally Armenia at its recent most crucial period of history. 

Russia does not share a common border with Armenia, while Turkey and Azerbaijan have a choke hold border. The distance between Yerevan and Christian Moscow is 2237 Km. The distance between Yerevan and Muslim Baku is 695 km. The distance between Yerevan and Muslim Ankara is 1381 km, and between Yerevan and Mulim Tehran is 1150 km. Armenia’s political priority is to deal with its immediate Muslim neighbors than with its further away co-religionist Christian Russia, which, as said earlier, lost its influence in the South Caucasus heartland because of its historic and recent political failures, blinded by its outdated historical imperial mindset, 

My late uncle Antranig Chalabian was an advocate of a close Russian Armenian relations. But in 1988, he wondered and wrote, “Will the present-day Soviet rulers of glasnost and perestroika (openness and restructuring) be able to see the important role a greater and stronger Armenia can play in the political network of religious minded peoples on the southern borders of their empire? It remains to be seen.”  (see the link)

Had Antranig Chalabian been alive he would have found out that the post-Soviet Union Russia was not open or glasnot enough and did not restructure or perestroika its imperial mindset enough to see the important political role a stronger Armenia could have played at its southernmost border. Instead, Russia outright miscalculated that they can maintain their prominent historic role in the Caucasus without strong Armenia. Putin undermined Armenia, which has to prioritize its relations with its immediate Muslim neighbors. As a matter of fact, Armenia cannot have fruitful relations with Russia until it first cements peaceful relations with its immediate neighbors as stipulated in its Crossroad of Peace initiative.  

 Whether the upcoming election in Armenia will cement the Civil Contract driven and Nikol Pashinyan led Crossroad of Peace initiative with Armenia’s Muslim neighbors, will be seen. Even if the Civil Contract party loses the election, whoever assumes power will soon fall in line and will uphold the process, but with a loss for Armenia instead of a gain, the continuation of the policy would have with the Civil Contract party, that initiated and pushed the the Crossroad of Peace  with popular support.

                                        *** 

Link: Antranig Chalabian EMPERORS, TSARS and COMMISSARS https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/08/antranig-chalabian-emperors-tsars-and.html

 

Link: Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan meeting on April 1, 2026 in Moscow.

https://www.primeminister.am/en/press-release/item/2026/04/01/Nikol-Pashinyan-Vladimir-Putin/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRE0ZJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeCFD3xqD6TmuhjRBjs39iergDbXxQ5B5DDJsKONMPKR8nMk07r3h66o2yHCQ_aem_gYQAv-a5-mfmMr_JoRrrnw

 

 

 

 

Ir is not far-fetched

Vaհe H Apelian

 

Nikol Pashinyan has his Crossroad of Peace initiative for his re-election campaign platform. Hrair A Balian, in a recent CivilNet article, alluded to the campaign, claiming that that Nikol Pashinyan is making war and peace framing the central platform for his re-election campaign for the upcoming Armenia’s parliamentary election. Many other analysts and journalists have similarly alluded to the Nikol Pashinyan’s campaign platform, such as Tatul Hacobyan, an independent journalist, Eric Hacopian a notable political analyst and reporter affiliated with CivilNet. As 2026 election draws closer, Pashinyan warns of war to rally support, reported Hoory Minoyan in the Armenian Weekly. 

In my view, Nikol Pashinyan’s campaign platform is not something he brought forth out of his hat, nor it is far-fetched. Surely there is the understandable campaign rhetoric. After all, candidates campaign with poetry but govern with prose, as governor Andrew Cuomo famously said.

First and foremost, Crossroad of Peace, initiative is not an anti-Russian initiative, at all. Of course, Nikol Pashynian’s attitude towards Russia has changed since he assumed power. But it is not a hostile attitude but is much different than the one he framed on May 1, 2018 in his speech to the National Assembly which was to vote for a PM to replace PM Serzh Sargsyan who had resigned. In that speech Nikol Pashinyan said: "If I were to become prime minister, there would be no sharp turns in Armenia's foreign policy. Armenia will continue to remain a member of the EAEU and the CSTO. We considered and consider Russia a military-political ally, and this movement does not pose any threat to Armenia." But he also stated in the same breath that "We are deepening relations with the European Union; we will do everything to eliminate the EU visa requirement for Armenian citizens." (see the note below).

Surely, a lot transpired with Armenia from May 1, 2018 to the April 1, 2026 Armenia-Russia summit, which was not an exchange of blame – “Mutual blame on Artsakh, dissatisfaction with CSTO in Pashinyan-Putin meeting” – as  Hoory Minoyan trivially reported in the Armenian weekly. That summit, among other issues, had the sovereignty of Armenia as the contentious issue. 

The voters in Armenia have to take into consideration that since November 9/10, 2020, when Nikol Pashinyan/Armenia, Ilham Aliev/Azerbaijan, signed Armenia  capitulating ceasefire brokered by  Vladimiar Putin/Russia, much has transpired, which is well beyond the scope of this blog.

Throughout those, November 9/10, 2018 to April 1, 2016, PM Pashinyan had Armenia  categorically rule out war in favor of peace with its neighbors strategy, calling it Crossroad of Peace.. The peace has not been formally signed. But the fact of the matter is that a peaceful state is prevailing along the border. The last deadly clash on Armenia - Azeri border took place on February 13, 2024. No boarder guard has been reported killed by the enemy since; that is to say for the past 25 months and a bit more. We are not citing statistics here, but of young lives and grieving parents being spared.

Throughout the post November 9/10, 2020 to the the present, the opposition in Armenia mounted a ceaseless and a relentless attack to the peace process, alleging all sorts of excuses and resorting from sacking the PM’s office and the National Assembly Hall, and beating NA speaker Ararat Merzoyan, and then suddenly reversing course and blaming the PM for not upholding the very same tri-lateral accord, they opposed, PM Nikol Pashinyan had signed. 

The opposition also made the mass return and security of Artsakh Armenians the political raison d’etre of their opposition,and made the flag of now defunct Arsakh Republic, the symbol of their political stand. 

Should the opposition, who has been pursuing such policies for the past five years, come to power I imagine, more likely than not, the government it will form, will face a considerable backlash from Azerbaijan. 

                                                         ***

Note: « Իմ վարչապետ լինելոիւ դեպքում Հայաստանի արտաքին քաղաքանութեան մէջ կտրուկ շրջադարձեր չեն լինի, Հայաստնանը շարունակելու է մնալ ԵԱՏՄ եւ ՀԱԿՊ անդամ։ Մենք Ռուսաստանին համարել եւ համարում ենք ռազմաքաղաքական դաշնակից, եւ այս շարժումը որեւէ վտանգ չի ներկայացնում Հայաստանի համար։» Բայց են նոյնպէս նոյն շունչով յայտարեց որ «Մենք խորացնելիւ ենք հարաբերութիւններր Եվրամիութեան հետ, ամէն ինչ անելու ենք Հայաստանի քաղաքացիների համար Եւրամիւթյան մուտքի արտոնագիր պահանջի  վերացման ուղղությամբ» (Հայկական Թավշյա Հեղափոխութիւն, Ստեփան Գրիգորյանշ, 2018, էջ

Պատահական խոհեր – 2 -

Այս պատահական խոհերը ստացած եմ Գրիգոր Գրաճեանէն, Լիբանան։ Զանոնք կը վերարտադրեմ այստեղ։ վահէ Յ Աբէլեան

Մանկութեանս տարիներուն՝ դպրոցական գիրքերուն մէջ, կամ տուներու պատերէն կախուած նկարներ կային, ուր Արարիչ Աստուած, ճերմկած պեխ-մորուքով, երբեմն խիստ ու դաժան դէմքով ամպերու վրայ բազմած, կը դիտէր «իր ստեղծագործութիւնը»՝ Երկիր մոլորակը եւ Ադամ-Եւայի յաջորդները։

Հիմա կը փորձեմ տեսնել Զինք, որպէսզի հարց տամ.

— Տէր Աստուած, այս զաւակներդ ոչինչ պատճառի համար զիրար կը ջարդեն, եւ քու կողմէդ անոնց բաշխած խելքը, անխելքութեամբ կը գործածեն։ Արդեօք ե՞րբ պիտի միջամտես եւ ըսես. « Հոս նայեցէ՛ք, այլեւս ԲԱ՛Ւ Է. ամէն բան չափ-սահման ունի»:

*

Զատիկ

Սուրբ Զատիկ

Գիտէ՞ի՞ք, թէ «Զատիկ» ի՞նչ կը նշանակէ։

Զատիկ բաօին արմատը զատուիլ, հեռանալ է։ Այսինքն՝ զատուիլ եւ հեռանալ մեղքերէ։

Իսկ հաւկիթը (հաւունը) կը խորհրդանշէ կեանք՛՝ ծաղկող, աճող, վերանորոգ կեանք։ Հաւկիթին կարմիր ներկը՝ Քրիստոսի թափած արիւնը։

Տարիներու թաւալքին հետ Քրիստոսի յարութեան տօնը աղաւաղուէր է եւ դարձեր. « բարի զատիկներ», «լաւ զատիկներ»... իսկ հաւկիթները (հաւերուն ածած) դարձեր են գոյնզգոյն։

*

ԱՄՆ-Իսրայէլ ընդէմ Իրան պատերազմը, - ինչպէս Երկիր մոլորակի վրայ տեղի ունեցած բոլոր պատերազմները, - ունի իր երբեմն անտրամաբանական, տարօրինակ, անբացատրելի (չըսելու համար՝ վայրագ եւ անմարդկային) երեսները։

Ըստ լրատուական միջոցներուն, Իրան փոխանակ իր հարուածները կեդրոնացնելու մի միայն յարձակող կողմերուն վրայ, կը հարուածէ, - տարօրինակօրէն աւելիով, - իր հարեւան արաբական երկիրները։

Իրանցիք արդեօք լսած ունի՞ն հայկական առածը, որ կ՚ըսէ.

— Էշը ծեծելու փոխարէն համետը ( գրաստի կռնակին վրայ զետեղուած լաթէ թամբ) կը ծեծեն։

*

1978-ի հոկտեմբեր 12-ին Սովետական Հայաստանի մէջ նշուեցաւ Հայաստանի՝ Ռուսաստանի հետ միաւորման 150-ամեակը։

Հանդիսութիւնը տեղի ունեցաւ Երեւանի « կինօ Ռասիա»-ի սրահին մէջ։

Ներկաներուն կողքին էր Ուիլիամ Սարոյեան, ուրախ  էր ելոյթ ունեցողներու ճոխութեանը։

Ներկաները բուռն ողջոյններով ու ծափերով կը դիմաւորէին ու ճանապարհէին ելոյթին մասնակիցները։

Սարոյեան զարմացած էր ծափերու «առատութենէն» եւ ինք ալ ուրախութեամբ կը ծափահարէր, ըսելով թէ իր ձեռքերը ամրացան.

— Իմ ձեռքերը զօրաւոր եղան,- կը կրկնէր ամ։

Արդեօք ի՞նչ որակաւորում կարելի է տալ այդ օրերուն՝ երանելի՞, բացառի՞կ, պանծալի՞, թէ՞...

Իսկ ներկայիս, ռուսերը հայ-ռուս յարաբերութիւնները այնպիսի վատ վիճակի մը

հասցուցին, որ ամբողջութեամբ մոռցնել կու տայ այն խանդավառութիւնը, որ հայեր ապրեցան մօտաւորապէս 200 տարի առաջ երբ Ռուսաստանը հայերու պաշտպանի եւ փրկիչի դերին մէջ կը գտնուէր։

*

Այն օրերուն՝ երբ թռչող սարքեր (drone) եւ հրթիռներ ու միջ-ցամաքային ահարկու հրթիռներ գոյութիւն չունէին, լրագրողի մը այն հարցումին, թէ հաւանական երրորդ համաշխարհային պատերազմի մը պարագային արդեօք ի՞նչ զէնք կրնայ օգտագործուիլ. Այնըշթայն կը պատասխանէ.

- Երրորդին մասին չեմ կրնար յստակօրէն ըսել, սակայն կրնամ վստահօրէն ըսել, թէ չորրորդին օգտագործուած զէնքը ի՞նչ կրնայ ըլլալ:

- Ի՞նչը,- հետաքրքրուած կը հարցնէ լրագրողը:

- Լախտ:

Շատերու կարծիքով մենք արդէն երրորդ համաշխարահային պատերազմի սեմին ենք,- եթէ ո՛չ՝ արդէն իսկ մէջն ենք:

Կարծիքներ բազմազան եւ բազմատեսակ ենք պատերազմի ընթացքին, շարունակուելուն, տարածումին եւ տեւողութեան մասին:

Պարզ եւ համեստ մահկանացուն ունի մէկ հիմնական հարցում, որը յաճախ մարդոց կարծիքին կը կարօտի-

- Ե՞րբ պիտի վերջ գտնէ այս պատերազմը

Փակագիծ մը բանանք.

Երկրորդ Համաշխարհային Պատերազմի օրերուն,- կը պատմուի,- թէ Շարլ Տը Կոլ շարժավար մը ունեցած է անունով նոյնպէս Շարլ: Ազատ ժամերուն, երբ շարժավար Շարլ կը հասնի իր գիւղը, բարեկամներ եւ ծանօթներ կը շրջապատեն զինք եւ կը հարցնեն.

- Շա՛րլ, այս պատերազմը ե՞րբ պիտի աւարտի: Դուն Տը Կոլին մօտիկ անձ ես, ինք ի՞նչ կ՛ըսէ այս մասին:

Եւ շարժավարը, ամէն անգամուն կը պատասխանէ.

- Տը Կոլ բան չ՛ըսեր, այս նիւթին մասին ո՛չ մէկ խոսք:

Օրին մէկը երբ Շարլ աշխատանքէն կը վերադառնայ գիւղ, զինք շրջապատող հետաքրքիր մարդոց կ՛ըսէ.

- Այսօր Տը Կոլ պատերազմին աւարտին մասին խօսեցաւ:

- Ի՜նչ, շուտ ըսէ ի՞նչ ըսաւ:

-  Տը Կոլ ըսաւ,- հեղինակաւոր շեշտով կը շարունակէ շարժավարը,- Սիրելի Շարլ, ըսէ ինծի այս պատերազմը երբ պիտի դադրի:

(փակագիծը գոցեցինք):

«Ամէն բան վերջ մը ունի», կ՛ըսէ ժողովրդային իմաստութիւնը: Նախկին բոլոր պատերազմներուն, տագնապներուն, պատահարներուն նման այս մէկն ալ պիտի ունենայ իր աւարտը:

Սակայն՝

Թէ Ո՞վ պիտի ըլլայ յաղթական կողմը: Ենթադրութիւնս այն է, որ հեռատեսիլի մանուկներու մրցումներուն նման «բոլորն ալ յաղթեցին»-ը պիտի ըլլայ յաւանական արդիւնքը:

Ամերիկան եւ Իսրայէլը, իրենց դժոխային զէնքերով քար ու քանդ ընելէ ետք Իրանը, Լիբանանը ( եւ աշխարհը) պիտի յայտարարեն իրենց բացարձակ յաղթանակը: իսկ Իրան (եւ Շիաա համայնքի զաւակներ) , մեր՝ հայերուս Վարդանանց պատերազմին նման պիտի յայտարարեն իրենց «բարոյական յաղթանակ»-ը:

                                        ***

 

 

 

 

“Red Offering”: The gun stifled critical analysis - 1 -

Vaհe H Apelian

The cover of the book we read as a compulsary reading.

The title of Arpiar Arpiarian’s book  “Garmir Jamouts – Կարմի Ժամուցը», is at times translated as “Crimson Offering”, or “Scarlet Offering”. I guess the choice of the color is made in an attempt to make the translation a bit more palatable. But red is the accepted color for describing blood. The offering after which the book is titled has to do with shedding of blood and hence I stuck with “Red Offering” as the translation of the title of this book that has withstood the test of time.

According to the Armenian Wikipedia, “The book presents two opposing trends, conservative and revolutionary. The representative of the first is Hayrabed Efendi, who was against all revolutionary movements”. A young priest called Der Houssig from the interior of the country, is the protagonist of the latter, that is to say the revolutionary.

Hayrabed Effendi was very influential in a suburb of Constantinople called Ortakiugh,. The Effendi was a devout Christian and never missed attending mass. He gave generously to the community but was very cautious in anything he thought remotely might raise the ire of the local Turkish pasha. Der Houssig, on the other hand, was a daring and an enlightened young priest who improved the lot of his village, and advocated the villagers to buy guns and train in their use.

 The book is thought to have been published in 1901 and the unfolding of the book appears to reflect upon the Armenian experience during the Hamidian massacres. During the mayhem Hayrabed Effendi was imprisoned, humiliated in spite of his good rapport with the Turkish pasha. Der Houssing  was also imprisoned and was treated as Armenian prisoner would have been.

 When calm returned, Hayrabed Effendi and Der Houssig happened to meet each other again in the patriarchate of the Constantinople. When Hayrabed Effendi found out that Der Houssig’s village had fared well and had remained safe during mayhem, it dawned on the Efendi that he had misunderstood Der Houssig. Instead of appreciating the wisdom of the village priest from the interior of the country, he had chastised the priest at one time. To make amends for his mistreatment, Hayrabed Effendi presented Der Houssig an offering. When Der Houssig objected, Hayrabed Effendi insisted, saying that the offering is his “red offering”. That is to say towards the purchase of guns.

The book has been reprinted countless of times and the depiction of a rifle on the cover of the book remained associated with the book with me and with the students of my generation, because that is what the cover of the book we were asked to read, depicted. The book was a mandatory reading for my generation attending Armenian schools in Lebanon. The interpretation of the Garmir Jamouts story offered to us was obvious and was depicted on its cover. It was self-reliance through arms.

But in reality, is that all Arpiar Arpiarian wanted to convey?

Not so, in my view.

It’s during my recent re- reading of the book that it dawned on me that the message of the book is more than what we were offered all along. Even my mother, in a lengthy assay about the Armenian national movement, had cited the book as an example, that the 19^th century message of Armenian liberation movement was the reliance upon guns as a cornerstone of the Armenian liberation movement. (see note)

But that is not what aat ll thArpiar Arpiarian wanted to convey. I quote from the last passage of the book. 

“ Effendi – said Der Houssig – do not say such things. All Armenians who love their nation and desire the best for it, do not necessarily think alike. Who can predict the future in all certainty? Especially nowadays, our nation is in a such state that where what is deemed to be to its favor in one place, could be detrimental in some other place. Things that may be the cause of the demise in one place, could be salvation in another place. True, that our village did not experience any disaster thanks to the guns the people had, but I heard that here, nothing happened in Ortakiugh.

- Yes, thank God, here in Ortakiugh no one’s nose bled – in a visible humility replied Hayrabed Effendi – the guardian of the Ortakiugh.

- But Ortakiugh did not resort to guns – continued Der Houssig, but the district was salvaged thanks to your directives driven by cautionary farsightedness. You see, in one place political conduct can be helpful and in other places the conduct of guns. The Armenians should attend to their safety according to the needs of their circumstances.”

That “The Armenians should attend to their safety according to the needs of their circumstances” never came into discussion. The message that gun is the answer made no room for critical evaluation of the book and for debate. What was conveyed to generations of students remained the gun. 

 

Note. My mother had hand-written a 86 pages long, study in May-June 1990 to participate in a contest at the 100^th anniversary of ARF, organized by the CC of Western U.S. In Armenian she had titled it, “A century of daily endeavor”,  “Մէկ Դար Անմիջական Առօրեայ», 86 էջ, ձեռագիր ուսումնասիրութիւն մըն է որ մայրս՝ Զուարթ Աբէլեան ներկայացուցած էր, Մայիս – Յունիս, 1990-ին մասնակցելու համար  Պատմաբանասիրական Մրցոյթի մը կազմակերպուած Հ.Յ. Դաշնակցութեան 100-ԱՄԵԱԿԻ ՅԱՆՁՆԱԽՈՒՄԲին կողմէ, Արեւմտեան Ամերիկա։ 

 

Jesus transforms, an Easter message

The attached is Rev. Avedis Boynerian’s Easter 2026 message at the Church of the Armenian Martyrs, Worcester, MA. I also attached two hymns sung during the service. Rev. Avedis Boynerian shares his message with me ahead.  Vaհe H Apelian

2026 Easter Service 

"Jesus Transforms

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So, she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:1–18).

It’s Sunday, the first day of the week, everything still feels lost.

The cross is behind them.

Hope seems buried.

And Mary stands outside the tomb… weeping.

This is Mary Magdalene—a woman whose life had already been transformed once by Jesus…

And now, it feels like she’s lost Him again.

But what she doesn’t realize is this:

Jesus is about to transform her life again, and then, send her out with a message that will change the world.

         Highlights:

1.   Jesus meets Mary in her brokenness. Mary is crying outside the tomb. She doesn’t recognize Jesus at first. Through her tears, she assumes He is just the gardener. Until one moment changes everything. “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’”One word. Her name. And suddenly she sees. This is how Jesus works. He meets us in our grief, in our sorrow, In our confusion, in our disappointment, and He calls us personally. Not as a crowd, not as a group. He calls her by her name.

The risen Christ 

still calls names, 

still changes lives, and 

still sends His people. 

Today, He is calling you and is calling me.

Transformation begins when Jesus becomes personal to us.

 

2. Jesus transforms Mary. Mary came to the tomb as: a mourner, a follower who thought it was over, as someone standing in despair But after that moment with Jesus, she becomes a believer in the resurrection, a witness, a woman filled with purpose. The same woman who came weeping, is now standing in front of the risen Christ.

That’s what Jesus does.

He doesn’t just comfort us—

He changes - transforms who we are.

From broken → restored

From lost → found

From hopeless → filled with hope

 

3. Jesus sends Mary. Jesus says something surprising, “Go to my brothers and say to them…” Mary is not told to stay. She is told to go and tell.The first person to witness the resurrection becomes the first person sent to proclaim it. Think about that for a moment. In a culture where women’s testimony was often dismissed, Jesus chooses Mary. He does not choose based on status. He chooses based on transformation.Your past does not disqualify you. Your encounter with Jesus qualifies you.

Mary’s message was simple, she said, “I have seen the Lord.” That is still our mission today. We are not called to have all the answers. We are called to bear witness to the risen Jesus, who has the power to change us and the power to transform us…

To what Jesus has done

To the fact that He is alive

To how He has changed her

 

We don’t need a platform. We just need a testimony a personal testimony. Mary came to the tomb, broken, weeping, searching

She left, transformed, commissioned, Proclaiming. The same Jesus who called her name, is still calling today. He meets us in our pain. He transforms our lives. And then He sends us out, if we are available and willing. 

 

Let me ask you:

Have you truly encountered the risen Jesus?

Has He changed and transformed your life?

Are you available and willing to go and tell others?

 

Please, hear me: 

First, Jesus transforms us and 

Second, leads us to witness that He is risen and alive, that is telling us to “go and tell.”

The message of Easter is not meant to stay with us.

First: “(We) come and see”

Then: “Go and tell”

The lyrics of the song say, “Go, tell it on the mountain that Jesus Christ is risen.”

Let us truly believe in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and share it.