Armenian Church News

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1 Volume 4, Issue 18 4 June 2018 Diocese of the Armenian Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland In this issue: ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL HOW MUCH MONEY DO PEOPLE NEED TO BE HAPPY? ARMENIAN CONNEXTIONS: PHILIP GUMUCHDJIAN COFFEE WITH THE BISHOP RECONSTRUCTION OF THE HISTORY OF THE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN BANGLADESH SPIRITUALITY IN MEMORIAM ANNOUNCEMENTS UPCOMING EVENTS ARMENIAN STREET FESTIVAL Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate Diocesan Office Tel primatesoffice@armeniandiocese.org.uk *Entrance fee: 1

2 THIS WEEK IN THE DIOCESE Hratch Tchilingirian s Discussion Group on contemporary social and ethical issues: How much money do people need to be happy? And having looked around, Jesus said to the disciples How difficult for those with riches to enter the Kingdom of God. The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus again said How difficult it is to enter the Kingdom of God. It is easier to thread a camel through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of of God. Issues such as how much money we have, how much we earn or spend are an important part of our lives, and Dr Tchiligirian s group on contemporary social and ethical issues generated lots of interesting discussions. He started with some results of a survey, which tried to determine how happiness and your earning levels are connected and when the income satiation point occurs. Apparently around 72,000 per annum income is the point where life evaluation happens, however you can reach emotional wellbeing at lower levels of income. The discussion then evolved about what exactly makes us happy and how is it connected to other factors in our lives, such as health, relationships and satisfying jobs, how charity and wisdom can make you happier. While everyone agreed that you need certain level of comforts in your life, it is the spiritual, and not the material which can bring true and lasting happiness. These discussion groups are always a wonderful opportunity to learn more, share ideas, discuss some important and unimportant issues and why not argue about topics you feel strongly about. Everyone can join this intimate, warm series of talks and the next one is taking place on 26 June, 19:00pm and the topic of the discussion is Are We Addicted to Online Distraction?. Dr Tchilingirian ended the session with a beautiful quote from the Bible about wisdom: Happy is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding; For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver, And her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies, And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand, In her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, And all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who retain her. 2

3 Armenian Connextions: Philip Gumuchdjian on Transcaucasian Trail Second session of the Armenian Connextions series was a fascinating talk by Philip Gumuchdjian talking about his Tread Lightly, A Linear Festival along the Transcaucasian Trail project featured at the 16th International Architecture Exhibition: La Biennale di Venezia. After talking about his background, work with the famous architect Richard Rogers and some incredible projects, such as creating one of the Millenium Dome sections out of cardboard donated by children, Philip explained the story behind the Transcaucasian Trail. In the exhibition taking place in Venice from 26th May to 25th November 2018, Gumuchdjian Architects has taken the opportunity provided by the Freespace theme and stretched it to an ambitious maximum by proposing a Grand Projet of small architectural collaborations that follow in the footsteps of the Transcaucasian trail across the mountains of Armenia. It s ten-year mission is to bring the benefits of sustainable tourism to isolated local communities, beginning in the Dilijan National Park with some proposed pilot collaborations: refuges within ruins, rope bridge across a gorge, bathing within waterfalls, amphitheatre dug into a hillside, ecological interventions within a lake, tree houses - all projects that sit on the ground lightly, that engage with the landscape, that involve communities. Read more, watch the film about the project and support this wonderful initiative at: About Philip Gumuchdjian: Philip joined the Richard Rogers practice in 1980 until In 1998 he set up his own studio to pursue the art of making architecture. Key projects include: the Marylebone School Performing Arts Centre, the Think Tank pavilion in Ireland, the Giant Recycled Paper Building in the Millennium Dome, The Butler Foundation Private Museum of Chinese Porcelain, the restoration of the Richard Rogers Wimbledon House for Harvard GSD and private residences. Philip received the RIBA Stephen Lawrence Award in both 2002 and 2008, the RIBA National Award for the Marylebone School Performing Arts Centre, and together with Shigeru Ban and Jean de Gastines won the international competition to design the Pompidou Centre-Metz. He was Rapporteur at the UN Habitat II conference in Istanbul, a member of the Urban 21 panel and has taught Urban design at the Bartlett School of Architecture. He chaired the RIBA Awards Group from and in 2016 launched the RIBA International Prize. Image Credits : Building Beyond Together Ste Murray 3

4 COFFEE WITH THE BISHOP (Except this time it s tea!) Join us for Nazeni Tea tasting and socialising 9 June 2018, 11:00am The Bishop s House Nazani Tea founder Arleen Ouzounian told as a bit more about how her company was founded: Whilst exploring the wonderful world of Camellia Sinensis, it became apparent that its vast variety is attributable to the concepts of terroir, cultivars, layered processing and unique sourcing. Celebration of production and nuanced taste is not necessarily reflected in the world of herbal tisanes. Nazani Tea was founded to adopt the same approach and meticulousness for tea to herbal tisanes. The brand is based on three principles luxury, integrity and elegance (deliciae, integritas, elegantiam). Luxury is inherent in the rarity of the products supplied due to production methods, availability and growth area, providing a snapshot of where it was grown. Elegance is inherent in taking what would otherwise be a simple leaf or flower, treating it as a unique and special creation of nature, warming the heart and indulging the palette when infused. Integrity is based on pillars of honesty, transparency and consistency. We know and love our Nazani Tea Family, from the farmers, foragers, to our ethnobotanist, and are working together with them to show you the loving steps taken to bring you your favourite infusion. Our teas are finite and will never be substituted they will be ready when nature allows. Nazani Tea is working to resurrect ancient herbal teas and is also focused on bringing exciting new concepts to the market and making tea history (including the introduction of a new type of mint and the the UK's first order-to-harvest service). Herbal tea is just as much dependent on the land where it grows - the climate, altitude, water, soil type - as any other leaf or berry for infusion. Your herbal infusion journey should never be limited to the usual. That's why we work together with members of the Nazani Tea Family based in Armenia, Greece and Scotland, to bring you the very best. 4

5 INTENT TO DESTROY SCREENING WITH ACYO As part of our Monthly Movie Night we screened Intent To Destroy a Documentary Movie by Joe Berlinger released in 2017 which documents the making of The Promise with testimonies of the survivors of the Genocide. The Documentary Movie showcased interviews with historians, scholars and politicians discussing the Turkish governments continuing denial of the Armenian Genocide. The movie showcases the extensive efforts and research that took place behind the scene during the production and release of The Promise and the challenges that the production team faced along the way. After the movie our group discussed how the two films interlinked one another and that the Documentary Movie identified and showcased some of the topics and elements that could not be included in the movie. The Documentary Movie was a more blunt method of delivering the message of the Denial of Armenian Genocide and similar to The Promise did well to condense all the facts and events and deliver them in a concise digestible short film that would be highly educations for those who are unaware or misinformed about the tragic unjust events that took place in The next film is Atom Egoian s Ararat, and we will announce the date and time as soon as it s confirmed. ALSO THIS WEEK IN THE DIOCESE On May 29 bishop Hovakim revived David Cornick from Churches together in England. They discussed questions of mutual interest and ecumenical relations of the Armenian church in U.K. 5

6 IN SEARCH OF A COMMUNITY LOST IN TIME Armen Arslanian, warden of the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection in Armanitola, talks to local The Daily Star newpaper about the importance of preserving and researching the history of the Armenian community in Dhaka and how it was linked to a broader global community. Whenever forty or more of the Armenian Nation shall become Inhabitants in any of the Garrisons, Cities or Towns belonging to the Company in the East Indies, the said Armenians shall not only have and enjoy the free use and exercise of their Religion, but there shall also be allotted to them a parcel of Ground to erect a Church thereon - From 1688 agreement between English East India Company and Armenian merchants When we speak of the Armenian Church of the Holy Resurrection in Armanitola in Old Dhaka, it is almost always of the once prominent role the Armenian community here their businesses, their zamindaris, and the impact they had on the development of the city. Yet, what is often overlooked, and what is now understood much better due to recent scholarship by historian Sebouh David Aslanian, is that the Armenians in Dhaka were part of a truly global network. They had bases in Surat, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chinsura, Calcutta and Dhaka to as far as Canton, Jakarta, Lhasa and Singapore. But this too was only part of the expansive network of settlements, connected to the central node of New Julfa in Isfahan in Safavid Iran. These merchants, trading all sorts of goods including textile, had settlements in St Petersburg, Moscow, Astrakhan, Istanbul, Venice, Livorno, Paris and Amsterdam, to name only a few. Armen Arslanian, the current warden of the Armenian Church in Dhaka, feels this history of Armenian migration has been largely forgotten among even Armenians today. The more recent history of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 which resulted in large-scale migration of Armenians to different parts of the world overshadows the history of the Armenian merchant community. And yet, he himself inhabits a world shaped by both histories. Armen was born and raised in Argentina. His parents emigrated there from Cilicia, now under Turkey, after the Armenian Genocide. Their initial plan was to eventually return. After five years in a refugee camp in Greece, when they saw there was no progress, they decided to go to Argentina. They went with nothing, but Argentina was a very generous country it still is. It gave them the opportunity to start over and be what they are today the Armenians are a thriving community there still today, says the 58-year-old. Today, as the warden of a church built by Armenian merchants in 1781, Armen is trying to preserve the rich heritage and history of their presence in the Indian subcontinent which could possibly date back as far as the 16th century and how it was connected to the regional and the global. As he explains: The Armenians in this side of the world, in India, Bangladesh or Burma who came here in the 16th, 17th, 18th century were not refugees. They were following the routes of business. 6

7 The 1688 agreement between the English East India Company and Armenian merchants encouraged Armenians to alter the course of their trade to and from Europe. The agreement promised special privileges to the merchants, including low customs fares. It also promised religious freedom to the Armenians, most of whom belonged to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Along with the founding of New Julfa in Isfahan in Iran in 1605 due to the deportation of Armenians from Old Julfa in Armenia by Safavid ruler Shah Abbas, this is considered today as one of the principal reasons which accelerated migration and settlement of Julfan Armenian merchants to India in the seventeenth century. They came as a community, they embraced the country and the cultures they got along with the Mughals, the British and then with the local authorities afterwards. After the partition, their business was not favourable anymore. Because of that a lot of them went looking for better horizons. I am no historian, but as far as I know, a lot of them went to Australia and Canada after the '70s, says Armen. *** Read the rest of the article on Daily Star s website. *** The Armenian Church would love to hear from anyone with an association to the Armenian families who once lived in this part of the world for their forthcoming research project. To get in touch, armenianchurchbangladesh@gmail.com For more on the Armenian Church and the community, see their Facebook page or website. 7

8 SPIRITUALITY FREQUENTLY-ASKED QUESTIONS ON THE BADARAK: THE DIVINE LITURGY OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH The next feature on Badarak, from V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan s excellent book WHEN SHOULD ONE MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS? Making the sign of the cross is a way to pray without words. When we make the sign of the cross we imprint on ourselves the sign of God s love for his creatures. We claim for ourselves the power of Christ s crucifixion to give us eternal life with God, and we profess our faith in him. It is customary to make the sign of the cross (1) when entering or leaving the church; (2) when walking in front of the holy altar; (3) whenever the priest blesses us with the words Khaghaghootyoon amenetsoon (Peace to all); (4) at the end of prayers when we say Amen ; (5) when bowing down at Asdoodzo yergrbakestsook (Let us bow down to God); (6) when kissing or venerating the holy cross, the Gospel book and other sacred objects; (7) when the Gospel is chanted; at the beginning and at the end of the reading; (8) when certain words of Jesus are quoted in the liturgy such as Arek gerek. Ays eh marmeen eem (Take, eat, this is my body ); (9) whenever the Holy Trinity is invoked and praised, for example when the priest chants, Orhnyal Hayr Soorp Asdvadz jushmareed Orhnyal Vorteet Soorp Asdvadz Jushmareed (Blessed is the holy Father, true God Blessed is the holy son, true God ). In private prayer one may make the sign of the cross freely as a ritual expression of faith in Christ, gratitude or supplication. 8

9 IN MEMORIAM We are saddened to learn about passing away of John der Parthog. Read the obituariy from Sunvil below: Noubar John der Parthog, Sunvil s Founder Director, passed away peacefully on Saturday 19 May, 2018, at the age of nearly 91. Born in Ethiopia in 1927, John is survived by his wife, Gwynneth, his two children, Dudley and Judith, and his recently-married granddaughter, Suzanne. An innovator in the truest sense, it was John s belief that tourism should be used as a tool for good that led to the establishment of Cyprus Property Tours in The idea was to rent rural houses to visitors to breathe life into the island s ailing villages and to provide an income to those who could no longer afford to remain in their family homes due to the economic shift from inland to the coast. In 1970 Sunvil was formed and Noel Josephides started to work with John, initially as an agent and subsequently as a partner. John s ethos and beliefs formed an integral part of the company s approach to holidays and went on to have a significant influence on the career of Noel Josephides, who is now Sunvil s Chairman, current Chairman of ABTA, Chair of the Travel Foundation and also a Director of AITO, the organisation representing travel specialists. Over the years, John saw the travel industry grow and change, witnessing the rise and fall of many operators. It was an industry about which he was passionate and, until recent weeks, he was in the Sunvil office daily, remaining an active member of the Sunvil board. For many of the Sunvil team, John will be remembered as a gentle grandfather figure with a fondness for Tunnocks caramel biscuits and a passion for languages; he was fluent in five and could hold a conversation in many more. Chris Wright, Sunvil s Managing Director, says: John will be much missed by staff, both past and present, and by all those with whom he came into contact. Noel Josephides, Sunvil s Chairman, says: I ve lost not only a friend of 50 years standing, but also a long-term business partner, a much-respected influencer and a important sounding board as we developed the business together through good times and bad, including the invasion of Cyprus in FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS John s funeral will take place at midday on Wednesday 6th June at the St Sarkis Armenian Church, Kensington, followed by refreshments to celebrate John s life at the Centre for Armenian Information and Advice (CAIA). All who knew John are welcome. In order to have an idea of the likely numbers it would be appreciated if you could Dawn Slaughter, indicating whether you intend to attend the church service and/or the refreshments/celebration, or both: dawn.slaughter@sunvil.co.uk Please note that the family have requested no flowers, but have set up a MyDonate page in John s memory for the CAIA, a charity (reg.no ) close to his heart John was a trustee for five years Details of their work can be found here: John s MyDonate page can be viewed here: 9

10 HOUSE BLESSING (ՏՆՕՐՀՆԵՔ) One of the traditions of the Armenian Church is the Home Blessing Service. It symbolises the visit of Resurrected Christ the Upper House and blessing of the disciples (John 20:19). Priests and bishops visit the homes of the faithful on the occasions of Christmas (Theophany) and Easter (Holy Resurrection) to bring the good news of our Lord s Nativity and Resurrection to bless them and their homes through a special Service. During the Service the priest prays to God and asks Him to keep the home, its inhabitants and the children in good health, so that they live a devout life, glorify the name of Almighty God and strengthen the Holy Church. Those faithful who want a priest to visit and bless their home are welcome to contact their respective parishes or the Primate s Office. PRAYER OF THE MONTH We invite our faithful to pray for children all over the world, and especially children trapped in war, conflict, misfortune and poverty. 10

11 NEW PROGRAMMES AT THE BISHOP S HOUSE Diocese of the Armenian Church of United Kingdom and Ireland and His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate, are launching a series of brand new programmes at the Bishop s House, open to everyone. Find out more information, upcoming dates and details on the website. Armenian Christian Faith Lecture Series These lecture series will introduce the faith, theology, liturgy, sacraments and, generally, the spiritual heritage of the Armenian Church to the members of the community and wider interested audiences. Spiritual Journey through the Bible: «Ուր երկու կամ երեք հոգի հաւաքուած լինեն իմ անունով, այնտեղ եմ ես, նրանց մէջ» The Primate, together with Bosik Gharapetian, is launching a new program of weekly Bible studies (every Wednesday) for the faithful of the community, who are in search of deeper understanding of their faith and Christian fellowship. These are not academic discussions, but a journey together through the Bible. Discussion Group Contemporary Social & Ethical Issues Curated and led by Dr Hratch Tchilingirian Discussion of contemporary social and ethical issues, which are of concern for young professionals and members of the larger Armenian community. These evening gatherings will take place once a month, consisting of a 20-minute presentation on a given topic, followed by minutes of open discussion. Հայ Գիրքի Ակումբ Արմէն Սարուհանեանի ղեկավարութեամբ Ամսական հանդիպումներ համայնքի ընթերցասէր անդամներուն համար (book club), որոնք կը փափաքին կարդալ եւ միասնաբար քննարկել Հայ գրականութեան նմուշներ, Հայ Եկեղեցւոյ ու մշակոյթին առընչուած գործեր եւ այլ հետաքրքրական նիւթեր: Armenian ConneXtions Monthly after work informal gatherings for young professionals at the Bishop s House to network and catch up with friends and the latest developments in the Armenian world Coffee with the Bishop Informal visit and coffee meeting with Bishop Hovakim at the Bishop s House to catch up on the latest news in the community, in Armenia and the Diaspora. All events are held at the Bishop s House 27 Haven Green London W5 2NZ (Nearest tube: Ealing Broadway) For more information, please contact: Tel primatesoffice@armeniandiocese.org.uk 11

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19 UPCOMING EVENTS 9 June 2018, 11:00am Coffee with the Bishop, introducing Nazeni Tea 16 June 2018, 18:30-21:30pm Garden Party at The Bishop s House 26 June 2018, 19:30pm Are we addicted to online distraction? Discussion Group, curated and led by Dr Hratch Tchilingirian 28 June 2018, 19:00pm Armenian Christian Faith Lecture Series: Legacy of Ecumenism in the Armenian Church by Rev Dr Nersess Nersessian 15 July 2018 Armenian Street Festival July, 2018 Youth Gathering in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin NOTE: As His Grace Hovakim Manukyan will be away on the next two Wednesdays 6th and the 13th June, it was decided to cancel these two Wednesdays Bible Study meeting and resume the study course meeting on Wednesday 20th of June 19

20 The publishes announcements of any Armenian organisation as it is an inclusive channel of communication. The objectives of CAN are to inform the wider publish and its constituency members about: Activities of the Primate Organisations under the auspices of the Primate: ACT UK, ACYF, Ladies Committee Worldwide Armenian Church Parishes Upcoming events in the community The announcements about the community events (up to 150 words) are published upon the request of a particular organisation. ACN do not raise funds on behalf of any other organisation except for Armenian Church (ACT UK, ACYF, Primate s Office, Ladies Committee, St. Yeghiche, St. Sarkis, Holy Trinity, Dublin, Birmingham, Oxford). Editorial: The main objective of the diocesan e-newsletter is to serve and reach out to Armenians throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. The community members and organisations are welcome to send their announcements for the e-newsletter, including information not only about public events but also about important family events such as christening, matrimony or passing away. *** Disclaimer: considering that there are many names in the coverage of events, it is possible that some of them are misspelled or incorrect. We apologise in advance for any misspelling. A Message from the Primate Office His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan wishes to inform you that at the bottom of our weekly e-newsletter you will find the contacts of our Churches and Parishes in the UK and Ireland. Details are also available on the websites of the respective Churches and Parishes. Please do not hesitate to contact any of these addresses if you need any help regarding Church services. You will receive a reply either from the Parish Council Chair or from the priest. If you encounter any kind of problems regarding communication with the above, please contact the Primacy (Առաջնորդարան) directly at the following address: Bishop Hovakim Manukyan The Primates Office 27 Haven Green, London W5 2NZ Tel: primatesoffice@armeniandiocese.org.uk Website Facebook 20

21 Worship Services in the Armenian Churches Services are held in the Armenian Churches in London every Sunday starting at 11:00 am. In Manchester, there is a service on the 1 st Sunday of the month. For further details, please contact the parish nearest to you: Holy Trinity Armenian Church 229 Upper Brook Street Manchester, M13 0FY Tel: st SUNDAY OF THE MONTH St. Sarkis Church Iverna Gardens Kensington, London, W8 6TP Tel: St. Yeghiche Church 13b Cranley Gardens Kensington, London SW7 3BB Tel: Other Parishes of our Diocese: Dublin - Birmingham St. Peter Church, 208 High St, Walsall, WS3 3LA. We invite those who have questions or wish to gain deeper understanding of the faith, moral discernment, teachings and traditions of the Armenian Church to contact the Office of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in United Kingdom and Ireland: His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan The Primate s Office 27 Haven Green, London W5 2NZ Tel: primatesoffice@armeniandiocese.org.uk Registered office address: Kemp House City Road, London EC1V 2NX Website Facebook 21