Vaհe H Apelian
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| Left: The Armenian Alphabets Right: Top to Botton: Khor Virab, Etchmiadzin, Baling Lavash Bread |
Armenia is launching new brick red-colored, high-security biometric passports this year which will meet the requirements for international standards. The biometric passport is designed to reflect Armenian identity by depicting historic and cultural milestones.
The visual depictions are on each page are actual photographs presented as a drawing, commonly referred to as a photo-drawing or a photo-illustration. The photographs are presented as drawn lines, sketches, to artisticize the original photo.
Yesterday the PM Nikol Pashinyan met the interior minister Arpine Sargsyan and both presented to the public the new red brick colored passport, which is also a veritable pictorial depiction of Armenian identity shaped through its history and culture.
The first pictorial presentation is the Armenian Alphabet.
The Armenian alphabet was created in 405 AD by the scholar-monk Mesrop Mashtots. It was designed to bolster Christian faith among the Armenians in their own language, following Armenia’s 301 AD conversion to Christianity. It consisted of 36 phonetic letters. It is said that it started with the letter A (Ա) to depict the first letter of the word Asdvads - ԱՍՏՈՒԱԾ – God in Armenian. The seventh letter was purposely set to be E (Է), which is seen high on the altar of the Armenian Apostolic churches representing divinity. Mesrob Mashots’s alphabet ended with Ք, for the Armenian word Christ, Քրիստոս. Three more letters were added centuries later.
The 36 letters of the Armenian alphabet in the passport are noted in the same order but with different sizes. The page also contains the first biblical passage, tradition claims, Mesrob Mashdots and his companion translators, translated from the bible, as their first translation onto their own Armenian language, henceforth written. The passage is the second verse of Proverb 1 that reads: "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding" (King James Version). In Armenian - Ճանաչել զիմաստութիւն եւ զխրատ, իմանալ զբանս հանճարոյ. It is claimed that King Solomon, son of King David, in his old age wrote the Proverbs and the Ecclesiastes.
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| PM Nikol Pashinyan and the Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan |
Upon the request of the Minister of Interior Affair, Arpine Sargsyan, the PM elaborated on the letters that were depicted in larger fsize onts. These letters he said were picked to signify the direction Armenia is pursuing.
These letters are the following and according to the PM they were picked to represent the following words.
Ա, representing the Armenian words for FREEDOM, Azadoutyun- Ազատութիւն, and the Armenian word INDEPENDENCE, Angakhoutyoun-Անկախութիւն.
Ե, representing the Armenian word for HAPPINESS, Yerchangoutyoun – Երջանկութիւն.
Է, as tradition claims The Armenian letter Է pronounced "eh" is the seventh letter of the alphabet, representing, the Divine ("I Am"), God. As noted earlier the letter stands placed high on the altar of the Armenian Apostolic church.
Ժ, representing the Armenian word for PEOPLE, Joghovourt – ժողովուրդ.
Ի, representing the Armenian word for SOVEREIGNTY, Inkneshkhanoutyoun – Ինքնիշխանութիւն.
Խ, representing word for PEACE, Khaghaghoutyoun – Խաղաղութիւն.
Կ, representing for LIFE Gyank – կեանք .
Հ, representing ARMENIA, Haiastan -Հայաստան.
Ջ, representing the Armenian word for WATER, djour – Ջուր.
Մ, representing the Armenian word for HUMAN BEING, mart, - Մարդ.
Ո, representing the Armenian word ՕՐԷՆՔ, law, given the letter Օ, was added much later.
Պ, representing the Armenian word for STATE, Bedoutyoun – Պետութիւն
Ս, representing the Armenian word for LOVE, Sehr – Սէր։
Ք, representing the Armenian word for CHRIST, Kristos-Քրիստոս։
This passport is a well-studied booklet. The total illustrations in the passport are the following: The map of Armenia, where Yerevan is noted in Armenian, the Armenian Alphabet, Erepouni – Yerevan Fortress, King Ardashes inscribed border stones, Etchmiadzin, President’s seat, the Government Building, the National Assembly Building, tje Cascade, Mount Arakats with its four peaks of, Khor Virab, Lavash Bread baking, Lake Sevan, Temple of Garni, Fortress at Lori, Gyumri, Fortress at Gaban in Syunik province, historical bridge at Tavoush province, the Fall at Jermoug in the Vayots Tsor, and finally the map of Armenia where Yerevan is written in Latin Characters.
The passport is a treasure trove of what makes the holder a proud citizen of Armenia in peace with its neighbors. I hope that the un-officialized passport booklet may be purchased for keepsake. I think every Armenian should have one, should it become available.
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