Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian and Mughni

 Vahe H Apelian 

I recently purchased from the Eastern Armenian Prelacy bookstore “Living Faith: The Life & Service of Archbishop Mesrob Asjhjian.” The book is edited by Iris Papazian. 

The book fits the description for a coffee table book whose “Pages consist mainly of photographs and illustrations, accompanied by captions and small blocks of text, as opposed to long prose. Since they are aimed at anyone who might pick up the book for a light read, the analysis inside is often more basic and with less jargon than other books on the subject.”

I knew of the archbishop from my days in Lebanon. He taught us religion in my elementary schooling at Sourp Nshan school. He was a graduate of the same school. I have no recollection of him at the school given that he was older than I. His sister Hripsime was a classmate. 

I emigrated to the U.S. in 1976, when Karekin I Sarkissian, the Catholicos of All Armenians, was the prelate of the Eastern Prelacy. In 1978, archbishop Mesrob Ashjian arrived to the U.S. as the newly appointed prelate. I met him in New York and for a while worked with him organizing exhibitions he put together and as the representative of the Land and Culture Organization, a French based organization that did renovations in Armenian communities including in Kessab.

The archbishop moved to Armenia in 1998. My job had moved me and our family from NJ to mid-west in 1995, to Cincinnati, OH where we would remain for the next almost quarter of a century, 

Reading the book, I came to learn the wonderful services Srpazan Mesrob rendered to the Armenian nation and church, well beyond and more than what I had imagined. The editor, Iris Papazian is related to him and met the archbishop when he came to the U.S. to study in Princeton. She knew and worked with Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian for forty years. “Twenty of those years, from 1978 to 1998, I worked with him on nearly every event the Prelacy sponsored, every press release and every publication issued. From 1998 to his death in December 2003, I continued to assist him in whatever capacity, but primarily in public relations and publications.” The book is a heartfelt rendering for documenting and preserving the legacy of the archbishop.

The cover of the book "Living Faith: The Life & Service of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian

I associate Sprazan Ashjian to Mughni, a village in Armenia. I learned the name of the village from Archbishop’s writings and ever since I have remained captivated by that village in Armenia, where a friend moved from Canada and established residence. I also have wondered what attracted the Archbishop to Mughni. He had said that after his ecclesiastical duties were over, he wanted to lead a monastic life in Mughni and had expressed the same to the Catholicos Karekin I of All Armenians with whom he worked in organizing the 1700th anniversary of the Armenian Christendom. For which the Catholicos had responded that he too would like to lead a monastic life in Oshagan but they had tasks to fulfill.  

Unfortunately, I did not find out how Srpazan Mesrob came to learn about Mughni and remained attracted to Mughni. But it becomes obvious Mughni had been in his mind all along. Iris wrote noting that “in order to continue his many charitable endeavors in Armenia, Srpazan established St. George Charitable Fund. Wikipedia notes that “Mughni is renowned for housing the 14^th-century Saint Kevork (George) Monastery.” In the November 22, 2000 issue of Asbarez daily, we read about the “rededication of St. George of Moughni Armenia”, that was set “to coincide with the feast of  St. George and it attracted many of the donors to this projej from New York-New Jersey-Providence-Los Angeles -Washington DC and other cities.” The dedication was officiated by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin I Sarkissian  with Archbishop Ashjian taking part. The list of the donors is telling of the the of role of Srpazan has placed in the rededication. It is said that the monastery attracts young couples committing themselves to each other. 

Archbishop Mesrob was with the Catholicos Karekin I during the latter’s last days. Right after the Catholicos’s death, Archbishop  Ashjian eulogized him in a moving tribute that had remained etched in my memory and I had always wandered where the obituary would have been posted. I found the eulogy along with a few of his writings reproduced in the book. It is titled “The last day of Catholicos Karekin and his last days.” (Գարեգին վեհաբառին վերջին օրը եւ վերջին օրերը». There are few descriptive sentences that had remained etched in my memory. I found them there. I reread the all time moving eulogy of the last Catholicos, Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian wrote so poignangtly  as well as insightfully. 

Srpazan was a gifted writer and narrator since his early days and personally appreciative of those who helped the Armenians survive. He wrote. “It was my pleasure in the last two year to meet him (Bayard Dodge) and relive with him the period when caravans of destitute Armenians would arrive and find shelter in orphanages”, wrote Srpazan in Simon Simonian’s “Spurk” weekly on December 31, 1972, paying homage to the Bayard Dodge.   After moving to Armenia and assuming the responsibility of organizing the observation of the 1700^th anniversary of the Armenian Christendom and doing his charitable works,, “his own support of books and publications continued unabated” wrote Iris Papazian and noted that Srpazan established “Moughni Publishers”. He is the author of many books

“Mesrob Srpazan died on the evening of December 2, 2003, in the lobby of Plaza Hotel where he was to meet friends” wrote Iris Papazian. “Archbishop Oshagan accompanied the remains of the late Archbishop to Lebanon where in accordance with Mesrob Srpazan’s expressed wishes he was placed in the Mausoleum of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.” 

The statue of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian
Courtesy Harout Kalaydjian, Mughni, Armenia

But, I may sat that his spirit lives more in Mughni, Armenia than anywhere else. “I do not want to be seen as a member of this or that brotherhood or catholicate, but as a servant of God and of the Armenian Apostolic church”, he had said once.  His statue in Mughni / Moughni depicting him as a lone clergyman holding a cross and facing the winds, can be said that embodies the very image by which Srpazan Ashjian would have wanted to be remembered and now it is where he wanted to be, Mughni.

Iris Papazian, the editor made the "Life & Services of Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian" had the Srpazan come live in this highly readable book she ably edited.