Շտապ Օգնութեան հեռաձայնի թիւեր

" Մօրս արխիւներէն՝ Հետեւեալները աւելի է զօրու եւ ազդունակ են քան 911 (Ամերիկայի շտապ օգնութեան թիւը)։

ԵՐԲ

Տխուր ես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Յովհ. 14 - ին։

Մեղանչած ես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ.  51 - ին։

Վտանգը կը սպառնայ քեզի՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սապմ.  91 - ին։

Մարդիկ քեզ ձախողեցուցած են՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 27 - ին։

Կը խորհիս որ Աստուած քեզ լքած է՝ Հեռաձանէ Սաղմ. 138 - ին։

Հաւատքդ կարիք ունի խթանուելու՝ Հեռաձանէ Երբ.  11 - ին։

Մենակեաց ես ու վախի մէջ՝ Հեռաձայնէ Աաղմ. 23 - ին։

Մտահոգ ես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Մատթ. 8:19-34 – ին։

Վիրաւորուած կը զգաս ու քննադատական կեցուածք ունիս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Ա.Կորնթ. 13 - ին։

Քրիստոնէութեան մասին կասկածներ ունիս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Բ. Կորնթ. 15:15-18 - ին։

Վարկաբեկուած կը զգաս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Հռովմ 8:31-39 - ին։

Խաղաղութիւն կը փնտռես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Մատթ. 11:25-30 - ին։

Կը կարծես որ աշխարհ Աստուծմէ մեծ է՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 90 - ին։

Ապահովութեան նման Քրիստոսի կարիքը ունիս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Հռովմ. 8:1-30 -ին։

Տունէդ կը բացակայիս ճամբորդութեան մը պատճառով՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 121 – ին։

Անձիդ համար կ՚աղօթես ՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 87 – ին։

Պարտականութեան մը համար քաջութեան պէտք ունիս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Յեսուայ 1 -ին։

Նիւթական սղաճը ու ներդրումնրդ քեզ տակնուվրայ կ՚ընեն՝ Հեռաձայնէ Մարկ. 10:17-31 – ին։

Ճնշուած վիճակ մը ունիս՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 27 – ին։

Մարդկութեան հանդէպ հաւատք կը կորսնցնես ՝ Հեռաձայնէ Ա. Կորնթ. 13 – ին։

Այնպէս կը թուի քեզի, որ մարդիկ բարեկամական հեցուածք չունին՝ Հեռաձայնէ Յովհ. 15 – ին։

Յոյսդ կը կորսնցնես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմ. 126 – ին։

Կ՚ուզես պտղաբեր դառնալ՝ Հեռաձայնէ Յովհ. 15 – ին։

Պօղոս Առաքեալին երջանկութեան գաղտնիքը կ՚ուզես իմանալ՝ Հեռաձայնէ կողոսացիս 3:12-17 – ին։

Պատեհութիւններ կը փնտռես՝ Հեռաձայնէ Եսայեայ 55 – ին։

Մարդոց հետ կ՚՚ ուզես բարւոք յարաբերութիւններ մշակել՝ Հեռաձայնէ Հռոմ. 12 – ին։

Փոխընտրեալ Թիւեր

Յաղթահարելու վախին՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմոս  3:4 – ին։

Ապահովութեան համար՝ Հեռաձայնէ Սաղմոս 121:3 -ին։

Վստահութեան համար՝ Հեռաձայնէ Մարկոս 8:35 -ին։

Վերավստահութեան համար՝ Հեռաձանէ Սաղմոս 145:18 -ին։ 

Վերոյիշեալ բոլոր թիւերը կրնաս ուղղակի հեռաձայնել, կարիքը չունիս միջնորդի օգնութեան։ Դէպի երկինք սլացող բոլոր գիծերը օրական 24 ժամ բաց են երբ հաւատքդ սնուցանես՝ կասկածը սովամահ պիտի ըլլայ։"

Պատրաստեց՝ Կ.Տ.Ե.

 

Դէպի Ճամբան Երկինքի

 Շնորհակալութեամբ զարմիկիս՝ Միսաք Աբէլեանին որ գուրգուրանքով խնամեց ծնողքիս տունը անոնց ողջութեան ապա պահեց իր քովը տան մէջ մնացած անձնական թղթակցութիւնները։ Կը մէջբերեմ այդ հաւաքածոյին։ Լոս Անճէլոս, Քալիֆորրնեա

 *****

Այս քերթողութեան փղձկումը ունեցայ երբ մեր գերեզմանները գնեցինք. Որպէսզի ինչպէս այս կեանքի գնացքին, նաեւ երկնքի ճամբորդութեան պարագային կարելի եղածին չափ քիչ դժուարութիւն բաժին դարձնենք մեր յետնորդներուն ու անոնց օժանդակողներուն։

Դէպի տուն վերադարձին գրի առի այս տողերը ու տան մէջ միջոցիկ մը կոկեցի, դասաւորեցի ու այս փոքրիկ շրջանակով բազմագրեցի։

Եթէ յարմար տեսպուի թաղման առիթով բաժնել ներկաններուն, որոնք հարկաւ զիս գնահատողներ պիտի ըլլան, ապա թէ ոչ փճացնել, թափել, այրել։

Կեանքն ու մարդիկը միշտ

Նոյն սիրովը սիրած՝

Զուարթ Աբելեան

(Սեպտեմբեր 2, 1924 (Քէորքիւնա) – Յունուար 31, 2017 (Լոս Անճէլոս))

Two Documents from a Crucial Era

Vahe H. Apelian

I consider the decade spanning from December 7, 1988, when an earthquake that happened at 11:41 a.m. local time that devasted a part of Armenia to February 3, 1998, when the first nationally elected president of the nascent Republic of Armenia, resigned, the most crucial decade that would shape the course the Armenian history and the shadow of the first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan would remain looming larger than the rest of his contemporaries during those crucial 10 years.

Naturally many historians will study that period and its impact on the course of the nascent Republic of Armenia. But I will simply refer to two documents from that period that are mentioned, along with the Constitution, in promoting the “Hayakve” initiative that is expected to continue until August 19, (2023). The statement the citizens of Armenia are called upon to sign in support of the “Hayakve” initiative, IS GENERAL AND UNSPECIFIC. Those who sign attest to an “A statement of Confirmation” (Havasdakir), to the following: "Today you take control of the constitution and the laws of your state, the fate of your generations". In Armenian, the statement reads as follows: Հավաստագիր` «Այսօրդուն տէր կանգնիր քո պետութեան սահմանադրութեան ու օրէնքներին, քուսերունդների ճակատագրին»  

The chronology of these three documents that are being referenced to bolster the “Hayakve” initiative are as follows: The Declaration of Independence on 23 August 1990; the July 8, 1992 declaration by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia. The Constitution was adopted in 1995. I will refer to the 23 August 1990 and to the July 8, 1992 declarations. 

The 23 August 1990 Declaration is signed by Levon Ter-Petrosyan as the President of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia and Ara Sahakian as the Secretary of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia and is dated: Yerevan, August 23, 1990. The declaration reads: The full document may be read at this link:  https://www.gov.am/en/independence/

The referendum for the independent Republic of Armenia on September 21, 1991, affirmed the first article in the Declaration of Independence that reads: “1. The Armenian SSR is renamed the Republic of Armenia (Armenia). The Republic of Armenia shall have its flag, coat of arms, and anthem.”

But, I simply could not track down the other referenced document, that is to say the July 8, 1992 declaration in the internet. I do not know who signed that document and where was it initiated, whether in Yerevan itor in Stepanakerk. The only reference to that July 8, 1992 declaration I came across is the following that my friend Ara Mekhsian who quoted the following in a message to me. “With regard to the July 8, 1992 Supreme Council declaration, this is all I could find: "Any international or domestic document, in which the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is mentioned as part of Azerbaijan, is considered unacceptable for the Republic of Armenia." The quote is referenced in  “THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STATEMENT”, dated May 22, 2023. The link from an insecure site:  http://www.nankr.am/en/5212

I let the more informed minds to give substance and credence to that generalized statement of the “Hayakve” initiative aiming the constitutional criminalization of the Armenians who deny the Armenian Genocide and/or deny the right of the Artsakh Armenians for self-determination, by quoting these two documents to bolster their argument for criminalizing at the constitutional level.

 p.s. After posting my blog, Agop Aintablian, M.D., posted the attached writeup, dated July 8, 1992 (see below). I am not sure if I can qualify it as a document as the write up is not signed and alleges that it is from the SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA but the source is not listed. I think the “Hayakve” initiative should not have been undertaken relying on an unsigned document. I. also wonder if readers find justifiable to use th June 8, 1992 statement whose source remains obscure. 

 

Profound changes are underway, random thoughts

 Vahe Apelian

We are being tested as never before, at least not since 1915. 

Profound changes are underway, random thoughts -1/2

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/07/profound-changes-are-underway-random.html

Profound changes are underway, random thoughts - 2/2

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2023/07/profound-changes-are-underway-random_20.html

Profound changes are underway, random thoughts – 2/2 –

Monday, June 19, 2023

Vahe H. Apelian 

A few days ago, I posted a blog by the same title. In it I wrote that I believe we are in a state of profound change. While the world is changing and changing at a fast rate, the change I referred to obviously was about the Armenian world. Even though the change, maybe seismic and will have its epicenter in the Republic of Armenia but its reverberations and aftershocks will be felt by all of us. Global we are, but we are and remain connected.

In the same blog I wrote that: “It is obvious that the national emblem appears not be sacrosanct anymore. The PM even appeared to ridicule the depiction. But he was not the first to ridicule the coat-of-arms. I had read before, way back, when it was accepted as the third republic's coat-of-arms.” Let us be mindful that the change of the coat- of-arms was seismic for many in Armenia who had grown up in Soviet Armenia having its own coat-of-arms and its own hymn that were being changed as Armenia made its transition in 1991.

The PM cannot change the coat-of-arms, as he cannot make Gyumri the capital city of Armenia. Both are enshrined in the constitution. But when it comes to the coat-of-arms, the constitution provides the overall broad description of the coat-of-arms, the Americans call it the great seal. Let us face it. The coat-of-arms of the first republic and of the present republic abide by the dictates of the constitution, but they are far different from each other. Frankly speaking I do not like the design of the present coat-of-arms. It is not what the first Republic of Armenia had; the one that ARF held with reverence for 70 years on its letter head and when the Republic of Armenia adopted it, removed it from its letterhead because after having guarded it for 70 years, its right owner, the Republic of Armenia reclaimed it. But the two, as I noted earlier, do not convey the same spirit and are far different from each other although both comply by the constitutional guidelines. The present coat-of-arms is stale, it depicts a tamed lion and a domesticated eagle, and artistically is poorer when compared with the fist republic’s coat-of-arms.

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

“No, it is not Nikol Pachinyan who is changing Armenia”, I wrote and I believe that is the case, He is the most visible and the leader of an underlying base, an underlying trend, some of who even proposes to also change the hymn. Ridiculing the PM, chastising or denigrating a messenger will enflame emotions, but will not change a heart or a mind. On the contrary, it may solidify. It is not farfetched to speculate that the 2015 amended constitution may be amended in the future and proposals may be made for an altogether different coat-of-arms design or even for a different hymn. The change will not be by the will of the seating PM but may be led by him. But the change will come about at grass root and at the amended constitutional level. 

Consequently, instead of denigrating or disparaging, it’s high time for the person to make his or her case for the kind of change or not the change the person espouses and live with what may democratically come about.

Profound changes are underway, random thoughts - 1 -

 

Vahe H Apelian

The other day a friend wrote in Armenian, expressing his concerns the way to concerns the way he perceives the PM Nikol Pachinyan is leading the country, wondering that “we cannot turn into another Japan, a resurrected state after a thousand defeats.”

His analogy made me reflective because I believe that we are in a state of profound change. The Americans won the war militarily but more significantly in a short period of time fundamentally changed the age-old Japanese culture centered upon imperial order and system and turned it into a democratic one. The Americans humanized their emperor, who was a living deity, in their Shinto religion and commanded the absolute submission of the Japanese as their manifestation of their absolute patriotic nationalism and obedience to the higher social order in their social hierarchy. It is said when the emperor addressed the Japanese after their surrender, the whole country came to standstill. Tt was the first time that the Japanese heard their emperor speak. Throughout his announcement the country stood in awe and in in a state of shock . Surely, such profound change should not have been easy for the Japanese, especially the older generation. 

The disastrous 44-day second Artsakh war, was a defeat the like of which we had not experienced in our modern history, although our history has never been one of military successes or conquests. We do not have a victor imposing its order upon us, but we have to deal with the post war realities that will change us.

 For start, the revelations of the extent of the corruption that had been endemic among the leadership and their social circles will change our perceptions, hence us in fundamental ways. 

 To point out how profound that change may be let me state that our state emblem or the coat of arm and our national hymn may even change as we question the reality of what stood behind the facade. It is obvious that the National Emblem appears not be sacrosanct anymore. The PM even appeared to ridicule the depiction. But he was not the first to ridicule the coat of arms. I had read before, way back, when it was accepted as the third republic's coat of arms. Upon the decision,  I remember the ARF Bureau issued a ruling to have the coat of arms removed from the official letterheads after seventy years of upholding it there. The circular said that it has now returned to its rightful owner. I was moved when I heard that circular read. 

Lately I have been hearing more the Soviet Armenia hymn with changed lyrics being played on line. I admit I like it. Some are even promoting it as the national anthem of Armenia. The U.S. of America has its hymn but it also has popular songs that are no less patriotic and often sung such as "God Bless of America", which according to Wikipedia, has become the unofficial national anthem of the United States. Another no less popular is “O Beautiful for Spacious Skies”, which is popularly known as “America the Beautiful.”  It will not far-fetched to expect that the music of Soviet Armenia hymn composed by Aram Khatchadourian, with revised wording may become if not the hymn, but as popular as the current hymn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XzrI25wWgI

I had noted the following in my blog regarding the PM’s visit to Ankara to attend the Inauguration of the Turkish president elect Erdogan.  I quote: “But there is more that is going on here, much more than the PM’s diplomatic visit. IT also has nothing to do with the diplomatic visit for IT will be going on with the same pace or vigor, even if the PM had not paid a diplomatic visit. 

We are being tested as never before at least since 1915. We are in a process of change. I quote Anatole France: " All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of our-selves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!.  We are dying for one life to enter another and that life will be as good and as bad as we make it. "

No, it is not Nikol Pachinyan who is changing Armenia. He has successfully tapped in latent change that has been brewing. That is what successful politicians or political leaders do. Successfully tap in brewing sentiments and lead. 

We have to be cognizant of the necessity to confront and adapt to the inevitable change. Diaspora and Armenia are bound to perceive things differently. This is the time to stand on one’s principle and make a case for it. Blaming the messengers will not help. Making a case may temper the change or shape it. It is the most we can achieve being confronted by the inevitable change. Let us remind to ourselves that the only thing that does not change, is change itself.

 

Armenian Bibles in Our Household: Asdouatzashounch – 3/3

Vahe H. Apelian

(For record)

 

Courtesy Garo Konyalian

My mother had three additional Bibles that are New Testament. They are in Western Armenian, the language she taught. They are:

 

PRINTED BY THE ARMENIAN CATHOLIC PATRIARCHATE IN BZOUMAR, LEBANON, (ՀԱՅ ԿԱԹՈՂԻԿԷ ՊԱՏՐԻԱՐՔԱՐԱՆ)

This Bible has been gifted to her. (Depicted on the far left)

This Bible has been printed by the permission of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate in 1981

Mesrob Vartabed Jourian (Մեսրոպ Վրդ. Ճուրեան) a friar in Bzoumar is mentioned on the front page presumably as the translator in Western Armenian. He thaneds his friends for helping him in the printing of the Bible and singled the Armenian painter Mr. PAUL GUIRAGOSSIAN for illustrating it. The Bible contains several paintings or illustriatons by the famed painter.

 

JERUSALEM PRINTED BIBLE BY THE ST. JAMES MONASTERY (ԵՐՈՒՍԱՂԷՄ ՏՊԱՐԱՆ ՍՐԲՈՑ ՅԱԿՈԲԵԱՆՑ)

This Bible, (depicted in the middle) is printed by the United Bible Society (Աստուածաշունչի Միացեալ Ընկերութիւն) in 1981 by the order of the Catholicos of All Armenians Vazken I, during the Patriarchate of the Archbishop Yegishe, the Patriarch at Holy Jerusalem. (Ի Պատրիարքութեան Տ. Եղիշէ Սրբազան Արքեպիսկոպոս, Սրբոց Երուսաղէմի)։

This Bible has been gifted to her by Kevork Vartabed Yeghiayan, on March 14, 1986. The inscription notes Fanar, a suburb in West Beirut. Hripsimiantz, the Armenian Catholic School for girls is located there. My mothe taught in that school for two years prior to joining the rest of the family in the U.S. at the conclusion of the  1986 scholastic year. the Bible may have been presented to her for a keepsake.

PRINTED BY THE ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (ԻՐԱՒՈՒՆՔ ՎԵՐԱՊԱՀԵԱԼ ԱՍՏՈՒԱԾԱՇՈՒՆՉԻ ԸՆԿԵՐՈՒԹԵԱՆ)

On the front page it is noted that the Bible was printed for the Armenian Missionary Association of America by the American Bible Society of America in Lebanon in 1981. My mother has noted that she acquired the Bible in 1988 in California. (Depicted on the far right).

In the preface the following is noted: “This edition of the Bible is not a new translation, but a reprint of the best translation available to our people with some linguistic, grammatical and orthographic corrections. - Աստուածաշունչի այս հրատարկութիւնը նոր թարգմանութիւն մը չէ, հապա մեր ժողովուրդին ձեռքը գտնուող ախարհաբար թարգմանութեան վերահրատարակութիւնն է կարգ մը լեզուական, կէտադրական եւ ուղղագրական սբրբագրութիւններով։)

My Mother-in-Law’s “Jizmejian” Bible

My mother-in-law always referred to her Bible as the “Jizmejian” Bible. For a longtime I had remained under the impression that she had bought the Bible from Jizmejian bookstore in Aleppo. Later on I found out that she had not bought the Bible from the Jizmejian bookstore but she had it bound at the Jizmejian bookstore. In fact when I scrutinized the stamp on its front page it said “ JIMZEJIAN BOOKSHOP – BOOKBINDER’S SHOP – NOR KYUGH, ALEPPO - ՃԻԶՄԷՃԵԱՆ ԳՐԱՏՈՒՆ.ԿԱԶՄԱՏՈՒՆ-ՆՈՐ ԳԻՒՂ). In its days it appears that it was a well-known institution. 

The Bible has been printed in Vienna  in 1930 by the American Bible Society. It is bound in hard black hard cover with a cross imprinted on it. The Binding has stood the test of time and remains firm, tightly binding the Bible in spite of the fact that my mother -in-law read her Bible every day. 

In the Bible she had kept a sheet of paper where she had noted the Armenian naming of the books, both in the New Testament and the Old Testament. I posted a copy below.

I wanted to record the Armenian Bibles we have in our household. These Bibles were printed in different countries in the Diaspora. Most of my generation can attest having a grandparent reading the Bible in Armenian. We all know that reading a book is declining, let alone reading the Bible in Western Armenian, an endangered language.