Vahe H. Apelian
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| Picture #1: Keurkune Church's Bell Tower and the Bell |
The picture above (#1) depicts the bell tower and the bell of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Keurkune. The picture makes plainly evident that the upper section is a later addition. The bell tower was extended thanks to Stepan J. Apelian when the church was going through renovation and a new brick red colored covering was added over its roof. This blog is about the bell in that bell tower. By any stretch of imagination, the bell of Keurkune’s church is historic in its own right.
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| Picture #2: Arguably the Oldest Picture of Keurkune Church Complex. |
Keurkune’s church was built in 1898/99. Judging from the general appearance of the sanctuary, the pastoral dwelling, and the dress of the men in its courtyard, the picture above (#2), is arguably one of the earliest pictures of the church that has reached us, if not the oldest. But the picture does not tell whether the church had a bell tower, let alone a bell.
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| Picture #3: Keurkune Church Complex circa late 1940's. |
The picture of the church posted above (# 3) is from Rev. G. S. Tilkian’s book titled “The 95th Anniversary of The Armenian Evangelical Church of Kessab, 1853-1948 - Վեր. Կ. Ս. Թիլքեան «Իննուսինգ Ամեակ Քեսապի Հայ Աւետարանական Եկեղեցւոյ, 1853-1948”. The picture makes it plainly evident that the church by 1948, not only had a bell tower, but it also had a bell.
However, as an impressionable child, I still remember the vivid discussion among the villagers visiting our grandparents’ house to sort through some bureaucratic hurdles to bring a bell and have it installed in the tower. It was the late Kevork George Apelian who let me know that the bell was cast in Beit Chabab (Shabab) in Lebanon and brought to Keurkune and installed in the bell tower.
A search on the internet gave credence to George’s claim because Wikipedia notes the following about Beirt Chabab: “Beit Chabab (Syriac: Bet Shebāba, Arabic: بيت شباب) pronounced "Beit Chabéb" is a mountain village 24 km north of Beirut in Lebanon. It is the site of Lebanon's only bell foundry. The bells of Beit Chabab are sold to Christian communities in Lebanon and abroad to many countries.” The reason for having a new church bell installed in the Keurkune church’s bell tower is now lost in obscurity. But in all probability, during those deliberations, the church already had a bell tower and, also a bell in its tower, unless it was damaged and was not functional anymore and hence the need for a new church bell had arose.
Furthermore, George, let me know that the Keurkunetsi’s, under the directorship of Rev. Ardashes Kerbabian, staged a play in the sanctuary and allocated the funds they raised towards the casting and installing the bell. Fortunately, thanks to Raffi Kerbabian, who posted family pictures his mother has kept, a picture has reached us that denotes on its back the date the play was staged, September 9, 1951 (Sunday), the name of the play was “Genevieve”, and those who took part in the staging the play either as actors or in supporting roles. The group had their pictures taken on that once landmark rock next to Keurkune’s spring that sustained the village.
It is fair that I post that group picture (#4) and the names of the eleven among the fourteen who had made up that theatrical group. They are: #1 Angel Bedirian Megerditchian, #2 Araxie Apelian, #3 Anoush Kerbabian, #4 Dzaghgan Afarian Kerbabian, #5 Rev. Ardashes Kerbabian, #6 ??, #7 Hratch Apelian, #8 Ashod Apelian, #9 Sirvart Konyalian Mouradian, #10 Hasmig Apelian, #11 ??, #12 ??, #13 Aram Kakousian #14 Kevork George Apelian.
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| Picture #4: Rev. Ardashes Kerbabian and the "Genevieve" Play Stage Group |
From its installment to the that fateful March 21, 2014 Friday, the Muslim holy day, when a marauding crowd of terrorists attacked the peaceful village, the bell of Keurkune was rung every Sunday morning alerting the villagers of the upcoming service. Keurkune and its sister village Ekiz Olough shared the same pastor and alternated the time Sunday Service was held.
From March 21, 2014, and for the next following eighty-eight days or so, greater Kessab remained under the occupation and mercy of the terrorists who had infiltrated the village from Turkey. On June 14/15 the Kessabtsis started returning mostly from Latakakia or elsewhere where they had taken refuge to find out greater Kessab in a state of utter despair. For all practical purposes a century of post Armenian genocide hard work was wiped out and obliterated. Among them was the Keurkune church complex as well, that was vandalized, sacked, torched. In the mayhem was also the original ecclesiastical proclamation that the late Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin I Sarkissian had issued bestowing upon my mother the St. Mesrob Mashots decree. The villagers had the proclamation framed and hung in the first-floor room where Sunday school classes were held and where she had taught once. The church bell was also missing.
On June 19, 2014, Stepan J. Apelian reported that Keurkune's historic church bell has been found and it bears the date the bell was cast, in 1952. Sevan Manjikian Apelian was the person who had found the bell. She reported the following: “I found it in Chakhaljekh in the backyard of Trtrians villa, and took it to Korkune, Stepan J Apelian was there and saw it. But I didn't trust to keep it there, so I took it to our military camp in Ras Al Basit. After a while my commander personally returned it to the mayor of Kesssb (Vazken).” Apparetnly the terrorists could not carry the heavy bell with them. They had managed to carry it as far as the Chakhaljekh and left it there. Serendipity would have it that the mason who erected the double stone layered Keurkune church, stone after stone, was Hovsep Trtrian. To this day, it is said that only Trtrian (Terterian) family members reside year around in Chakhaljekh.
Not long after they returned, the ever resilient Kessabtsis started renovating and refurbishing their vandalized and torched houses, businesses, and churches. The late Rev. Sevg Trashian worked tirelessly for renovating and refurbishing Keurkune’s vandalized and torched church. The bell was reinstalled in its tower.
Those whom the bell has beckoned for service still remember its deep tenor ring that resonated deep into their soul. The bell is now in use.
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| Picture #5: After Renovation Keurkune Church's Bell Tower and the Bell Courtesy Sevan Apelian |
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