Armenian Church News. Ecumenical Prayers at St. Yeghiche Church for the victims of the Paris Terrorist Attacks

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1 Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and Ireland Volume 1, Issue November 2015 Ecumenical Prayers at St. Yeghiche Church for the victims of the Paris Terrorist Attacks In this issue: Prayer Service for the Victims of the Paris Attacks Lecture on St. Gregory of Narek Historic Photography Exhibition at the Armenian Genocide Museum Article about Armenian Genocide in WalesOnline Manchester Parish: New Deacon s Training Programme Cardiff Parish: Pilgrimage to St. Davids Hamazkayin Celebrates 25 Years Diocese of the Armenian Church of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate Diocesan Office Tel primatesoffice@ armenianchurch.co.uk After the Sunday Divine Liturgy on 22 nd November, a prayer service was held at St. Yeghiche Armenian Church in solidarity with the French people. The prayer service was organised jointly by the Diocese of the Armenian Church and Armenian Community Council. During the Memorial Service participants prayed for the victims of the recent attacks in Paris, as well as those in Beirut, Baghdad, and Sharm el-sheikh. The incensefilled church was almost full. Attending this mournful event were hierarchs from the Syriac and Coptic Orthodox as well as Catholic Churches. After the introduction speech by Harry Hagopian, in English as well as French - as a sign of respect for the French faithful present during the prayer - he recited in English prayers written by St. Francis of Assisi and by Brother Roger of the Taizé Community. His Grace Bishop Hovakim addressed the congregation inviting them to observe a one-minute silence respecting the memory of the victims. His Grace Bishop John Sherrington, representing His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, and His Grace Bishop Mor Athanasius Touma Dakkama, Primate of the Syriac Orthodox Church, also made speeches in solidarity with the French People. His Grace Bishop Angaelos, preached on how we can deal with evil and how we overcome it only by the grace of God. At the end of the service the hierarchs blessed the congregation. There was a reception after the service. We quote here an extract from Bishop Hovakim s speech: The apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrews, said: Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured a great

2 Page 2 conflict full of suffering. Speaking on behalf of my Church and community I would like to convey my deepest condolences to the French people. The Armenians and the faithful of the Armenian Church deeply feel the sorrow that the French people are experiencing at this time. The Armenian nation shares in their pain for many reasons. For Armenian people have endured a great conflict full of suffering, as the apostle Paul said. We know the price that we paid to have peace. Firstly, we have historical closeness to the French people and feel deep gratitude towards the French for the last 100 years, because of their hospitality towards the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. The largest Armenian European diaspora community is in France. The second reason is the daily tragedy that our people experience. We try to live in peace, but every day we feel the terrorist threat that snatches away our children s lives both on the borders of Armenia and also in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq where we have large communities. I would like to state that terrorism cannot be justified in any way. It is not an act against any nation or a particular group of people; it is an act against God and God s plans for His beautiful creation. During the last decades Christian Churches and inter-religious meetings have always called upon people for peaceful co-existence, dialogue and cooperation: for God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Cor. 14:33). However, this call doesn t often echo in the hearts and minds of people. Some deliberately distort the name of God, as you cannot kill in the name of God. Unfortunately, these incidents have become a part of our daily lives. The attack in Lebanon and the explosion of a Russian airplane in Sinai are just two examples. People in the

3 Page 3 Middle East have been the victims of terrorism for almost four years. When we speak about this, we have to bear in mind that this didn t just happen overnight and the reasons for the situation today are complex. I believe that some of the causes of extremism are based predominantly on the value system that we provide for our people. It is also closely related to the way that people address the questions of the past. When we see the manner in which ISIS threatens innocent civilians, I am reminded of the stories told by my greatgrandmother, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. We have to commit ourselves to the culture of peace, which starts in our daily lives. We do this by being at peace with ourselves, at peace with others and at peace with creation Lecture on St. Gregory of Narek Annual Lecture of the St. John Chrysostom Society given by Bishop Hovakim St. Gregory of Narek: Doctor of the Universal Church, with Canonised Armenian martyrs, Communion of Saints and the Ecumenism of Blood was the topic of the annual lecture of the St. John Chrysostom Society, held on 24 th November on the occasion of the 20 th anniversary of the Apostolic letter Orientale Lumen, at the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. The meeting was attended by more than 40 lay and ordained people. At the beginning of the presentation the Primate was greeted by the President of the Society, the Very Revd. John Salter. Father John also spoke about the Armenians in the UK and recounted the story of Calouste Gulbenkian and how this prominent Armenian was rescued in 1915 by Canon John Douglas, the Anglican Chaplain in Istanbul. After the welcoming remarks of Rev. Fr. Mark Woodruff, Vice Chairman of the Society, Bishop Hovakim, the main speaker of the day, presented the life and works of St. Gregory of Narek and spoke about the act of the Catholic Church proclaiming the Armenian theologian, mystic and poet as a doctor of the Universal Church. His Grace presented the question from the ecumenical perspective and discussed historical developments of the bi-lateral relations between the Armenian and Catholic Churches. At the end of his presentation the Primate spoke about the centennial of the Armenian Genocide. He presented the history of the Genocide and spoke about the efforts of Church leaders and the ecumenism of blood, which is stressed nowadays by Pope Francis. At the end

4 Page 4 of the lecture there was a Q&A session about the Armenian Church, the Genocide and its relation to the present situation in the Middle East. Our legacy and history Daylight after a Century Historic Photography Exhibition at the Armenian Genocide Museum, Yerevan On 12 th November, the Djerdjian Collection was exhibited at the Armenian Genocide Museum Institute (AGMI) in Yerevan together with other exhibits of Ottoman Armenian Photographers. Dr. Hayk Demoyan, the Director of AGMI, made the opening remarks about the exhibition to a few hundred visitors and several TV, radio and print media journalists and introduced George Jerjian, who made a five-minute speech. The exhibition will run until 5 th December Dr. George Djerdjian ( ), grandfather of the writer, took 240 photographs of his hometown of Arabkir and his college town of Erzurum between 1900 and 1907, of which only about 100 survive. These photographs capture the way of life of a people that within a decade would become extinct in Anatolia, their homeland for over 3,000 years. The photographs are varied and have been arranged under separate headings such as water, land, people, churches, schools, economic life, social life, and political life. For over a century, these photographs were stored in a grey steel box, which migrated from Arabkir to Alexandria, Egypt, where it stayed for almost 50 years. Then it moved with descendants to Khartoum, Sudan, where it stayed for 20 years, then onto London, England for 30 years, and then to Washington DC for about 10 years. Now this collection of photographs has finally been exposed to daylight after a century of darkness. (George Jerjian) To watch the video material, please, visit or watch on YouTube:

5 Page 5 The genocide that took place 100 years ago and has been airbrushed from history By Martin Shipton (published in Wales Online on 24 th April 2015) Perhaps it s not so strange that the Turkish Government is so reluctant to describe what happened on its territory 100 years ago as genocide. After all, there remain plenty of people who to this day deny the Jewish Holocaust during World War Two, despite the overwhelming evidence that it happened. And it s no surprise that Hitler himself said weeks before the outbreak of war in 1939: Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians? In his new book the second he has written about Armenia Canon Patrick Thomas, the Vicar of Carmarthen, clearly sets out the facts of what happened to the Armenian community in Turkey in Earlier this month Pope Francis acknowledged the killing of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide, but despite promising to do so during his presidency, Barack Obama will not do so for fear up upsetting Turkey at a time of continuing tension in the Middle East. Using a huge amount of source material, Dr Thomas tells the often gruesome story of how a whole community was targeted for extermination by those who took control of Turkey as the Ottoman Empire collapsed. What had been a multicultural society where people of different faiths lived harmoniously together was turned within a short space of time into one where a significant ethnic minority was seen as fair game for slaughter. Brutal torture In his book, Dr Thomas writes: April 24, 1915 is remembered as the date on which the genocide began to be implemented. The Armenian community in Constantinople was effectively beheaded by the sudden arrest of its cultural, political and intellectual leaders, who were deported into the interior. Only a tiny handful of them survived. In many other centres leading Armenians were rounded up, brutally tortured and killed. A special organisation of criminals (including many convicted murderers) had been recruited from the prisons. "They were sent to the provinces to enforce the deportation of Armenians, with the assistance of Kurdish irregulars. "In the Armenian heartland these deportations usually followed a set pattern. "The remaining men would be rounded up, taken away and massacred.

6 Page 6 Ashes sifted "The women and children were sent on death marches towards the Syrian desert. Many were gang-raped, some were abducted or trafficked, while others were left to die of exhaustion or starvation at the side of the road. Pregnant women had the babies ripped from their wombs. "Those suspected of swallowing gold coins were sometimes set on fire. "Their ashes were later sifted by those looking for loot. "In Trebizond boatloads of Armenians were taken out and drowned in the Black Sea. Few survived the death marches. "A later phase was of deportation by rail of Armenians from western Turkey, crammed into cattle trucks. Insanitary transit camps were set up, where many perished from disease. "Those who reached the concentration camps in northern Syria were later brutally eliminated. 'Overwhelming' evidence "In a few places Armenians refused to hand in their arms and attempted resistance, only to be overwhelmed and slaughtered. At Musa Dagh on the Mediterranean coast, however, a courageous band of Armenian villagers held off a Turkish attack during a lengthy siege, and were eventually rescued by French naval vessels. "The penalty for a Turk found sheltering an Armenian was death by hanging. Nevertheless some Turks and Kurds did take the risk of helping their Armenian neighbours. "Those brave officials who refused to implement their government s genocidal plans were almost all either removed or assassinated. Dr Thomas asserts that evidence for the Armenian genocide is overwhelming. It comes from eye-witness accounts by survivors, accounts of the trials of some of the perpetrators that took place immediately after the end of the war, reports by missionaries, diplomats and foreign soldiers and railway officials working alongside the Turks. Parallels with Jews of Germany Although attempts were made to ensure that no photographic evidence would survive, horrified observers like the German medical orderly Armin Wegner managed to smuggle out pictures of some of the atrocities. Perhaps the most damning evidence of all is the fact that those areas of western Turkey which were the homeland of Armenians for thousands of years now form an Armenia without Armenians. Seeking to explain why Armenians became the object of such hatred, Dr Thomas explains how resentment had developed against their material and professional success. By the late 18th century a group of wealthy Armenian magnates were

7 Page 7 A boy pauses in front of a wall-sized poster in Yerevan, Armenia, depicting the faces of 90 survivors of the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire regarded as valuable servants of the Sultan. In the century that followed they often fulfilled state functions as financiers, large-scale manufacturers and administrators. A middle class of Armenian merchants and entrepreneurs developed, not only in the capital, but also in many other urban centres. Armenians became teachers, doctors, dentists and pharmacists. Armenian artisans played a crucial role in the life of virtually every community. Their increasing prosperity made Armenians the subject of suspicion and envy from some other sections of Ottoman society. The parallels with the Jews of Germany are obvious. Today 100 candles will be lit in Cardiff in memory of the Armenians who died in their genocide. Remembering The Armenian Genocide by Patrick Thomas is published by Carreg Gwalch at 8.50.

8 Page 8 Parish News: Manchester New Deacon s Training Programme The Holy Trinity Armenian church in Manchester is happy to announce the start of a new programme of deacons training under the leadership of Deacon Artur Bobikyan. The first stage of this programme includes preparation of the altar servers, singing the mass and psalms as well as preparing for both written and singing examinations in order to become an acolyte. The programme also includes several lectures and master classes with His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan who will oversee the examination. The team of five candidates are: Ara Couligian, Hovhannes Takukyan, Vicken Couligian, Zareh Nersessian and Razmig Couligian. Parish News: Cardiff Pilgrimage to St. Davids Cathedral The Primate s Office is planning to conduct a pilgrimage to St. Davids Cathedral, St. Davids, Pembrokeshire, South Wales, on 19 th December. A memorial in gratitude to the Church In Wales for recognising the 24 th April as Armenian Genocide Day will be unveiled in St. Davids Cathedral, the holiest centre in Wales. The memorial is on behalf of All Armenians and the inscription is In Memory of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide The full size bronze statue will we hope be an everlasting testament to the Armenian Genocide. We are proposing (subject to sufficient demand) to organise a day trip by coach from London on 19 th December: Leaving Iverna Gardens: Arriving St. Davids: Dedication Service: Refreshments: Depart back to London: Approximate timings - London to Cardiff normally takes 3½ hours (with one stop) by coach - Cardiff to St. Davids normally takes 3 hrs (with one stop). Anyone wishing to take part please contact the Primate s Office by to indicate their interest. The cost of this trip will be per person; buffet and refreshments are free of charge courtesy of the Cardiff Parish. Payment to be made by way of a donation to ACT UK.

9 Page 9 Hamazkayin Celebrates 25 Years in the UK This year marks the 25 th anniversary of the Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association in the UK. Hamazkayin UK was founded on 31 st October In the last 25 years it has put its stamp on the London Armenian Community and is now moving forward with firm steps and a well-established presence. On this occasion, Hamazkayin UK held a celebratory evening in the Navasartian Centre, London in the presence of His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, accompanied by Rev. Fr. Movses Sargsyan. Also present at the event was Hamazkayin Central Committee Member for Europe, Mrs. Anna Hovhannisian, specially invited from Paris. The event was attended by Mr. Hayk Khemchyan, representing the Armenian Embassy in the UK, and Mr. Ara Palamoudian, Chairman of the Armenian Community Council-GB. Representatives of various organisations and establishments, prominent figures and many members of the community also attended the event. The cocktail-style evening started with the blessing of the table by His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, which was shortly followed by a cultural program, presented by Ms. Alenoush Grigorians and speeches by Dr. Hrach Boghosian, current Chairman of Hamazkayin UK, and Mr. Hayastan Vartanian, a founding member and chairman for a number of years. There were also congratulatory speeches by Mrs. Anna Hovhannisian and Mr. Hayk Khemchyan, Poems were recited by two of the community s youngsters, Annie Stepanian and Narineh Beshirian, and a reading presented by Miss Arda Haladjian. A piano recital by Miss Lilit Nagapetyan who played pieces from Arno Babajanian gave an artistic element to the evening, which is fitting for Hamazkayin. A word of blessing from the Bishop and the cutting of the cake concluded the event. During the evening, as always, the organisers made a promise to continue pursuing the educational and cultural work in the interest of the development of the London Armenian Community and especially the younger generation.

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11 Page 11 Massis Restaurant supports the Armenian Church Have a great evening enjoying delicious Armenian and Lebanese food whilst supporting the mission of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in UK and Ireland. Dine with Massis for lunch and dinner with family and friends for birthdays and events. Mention you are Armenian and 20% of your bill will go towards the Armenian Church. Open 7 days a week from 12pm 11pm you can find your Massis Lebanese Bar and Grill Restaurant at: 9 Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, London W2 6HT Phone number:

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13 Page 13 The ACYF London Chapter are delighted to invite you all to our Annual Christmas Carol Service on Monday 21 st December at 7pm in St. Sarkis Church in Kensington, Iverna Gardens, W8 6TP. Following the carol service there will be a festive wine and food reception in the Gulbenkian Hall. All are welcome and we also have a very special guest joining us who will definitely want to meet the children. Please do let us know if your child/children will be attending so we can tell Father Christmas by Saturday, 19 th December! We look forward to welcoming you all there and if you have any question please do contact us at acyf@armenianchurch.co.uk or message us on our Facebook page ACYF London

14 Page 14 London Armenian Opera Davit Bek London Armenian Opera will be performing Armen Tigranian's Opera "Davit Bek" 18th and 19th December 2015 at 7.30pm at the Benjamin Britten Theatre at the Royal College of Music, Prince Consort Road, SW7 2BS. Ticket prices: 35, 25, 15 Concessions (under 16 & disabled) = 20% (Not suitable for children below 8 years of age) To book tickets please contact: or Or londonarmenianopera@virginmedia.com Cheques made payable to London Armenian Opera to: 10 Beacon Way, Rickmansworth, WD3 7PG

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17 Page 17 Upcoming Events DIOCESAN PROGRAMMES Forthcoming Events in November and December Bible Studies Every Thursday, at St. Sarkis Church Gulbenkian Hall led by the Primate and the clergy of the Diocese. Bible Studies are an important part of the church s ministry as they provide opportunities for the faithful and those who are interested and curious to have a deeper understanding of Christianity and to ask questions about their faith, beliefs and concerns. During Bible studies we make observations (what do passages in the Bible say?), provide interpretation (what do they mean?) and ask how applicable these passages are to our lives today. Open to everyone. Forthcoming dates: December: 1 st, 8 th, 15 th, 22 nd Deacons Training Deacons training takes place every Sunday at 5:00pm in the Vicarage, St. Sarkis Church. In November and December rehearsals are taking place for special hymns of the Midday Prayer - Ճաշու շարական, which are sung during the Divine Liturgy. For more details please contact the Diocesan Office. Lecture: Challenges Facing Eastern Christianity Caught in Extremism and Destruction in the Middle East Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford. Monday, 30 th November, 7:00pm at Armenian House The Middle East is the cradle of Christianity and multi-ethnic Christian communities are amongst the most ancient natives in the region. Four of the five most important hierarchical centres in Christianity are in the Middle East today whose roots go back two millennia (namely, the Patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Constantinople). While small in numbers relative to global Christianity, communities in the Middle East, especially the Levant, have ecclesial significance for the wider Christian world. This talk will discuss the many challenges that Eastern Christians face in the Middle East today, including war, militant extremism, interreligious conflicts, exile, socio-economic decline and migration. Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian is a sociologist of religion and associate faculty member of the Oriental Institute, University of Oxford. From 2002 to 2012 he taught and held various positions at University of Cambridge and has published and lectured extensively on inter-ethnic conflicts in the Caucasus, the Armenian Church, minorities in the Middle East, and Diaspora (

18 Page 18 Dublin Parish Dublin Dedication of Memorial Khachkar (Cross stone) Saturday, 5 th December, 2:00pm in Christ Church Cathedral, Christchurch Place, Dublin 8, Republic of Ireland. The dedication of specially sculpted Khachkar Memorial, service and concert on the occasion of the opening of the first ever memorial dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the Republic of Ireland, thanks to the efforts of the Armenian Church Parish in Dublin. Dublin Divine Liturgy Sunday, 6 th December, 12:30pm at Taney Parish Church, Taney Road, Dundrum, Dublin 14, Ireland. Workshop: Being a Christian in a Secular World Wednesday, 9 th December, 7:00pm at Armenian House Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate, PhD, Church History, will lead this workshop on being a Christian in the modern world and challenges of evangelism on the occasion of the feast of St. Thaddeus and St. Bartholomew, the first evangelizers of Armenia. The discussions will be facilitated by Dr Hratch Tchilingirian. An evangelising church needs to open up to the people and not be timid to enter the public realm. Such a presence could become possible through the Church s engagement with the world, as well as the testimony and example Christians provide in their working and living environment. What are the opportunities for the Church to engage with the secular world? How could the Church function in the secular world of media, education and culture and find ways of collaboration in these spheres? How do the diaconal, charitable activities of the Christian faith become realities in the world today? These are some of the questions that will be explored by the Primate. Pembrokeshire Divine Liturgy Saturday, 19 th December, 1:00pm Following the Divine Liturgy in St. David s Cathedral, St. David s, Pembrokeshire, the unveiling ceremony of a full size bronze statue will take place. The statue is a gift from all Armenians to the Church in Wales in gratitude for their recognition of 24 th April as Armenian Genocide Day. AGBU/Tekeyan Cultural Association New Year s Eve Dinner-Dance Thursday, 31st December, 7:30pm 2:00am New Year's Eve Dinner-Dance at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, Kensington, W8 5SY. As before, having seen the New Year in, those wishing to do so may proceed to St. Sarkis Church for a short service by Bp Hovakim and then return to the hotel until 2 am. The flyer contains all necessary information. Early booking will ensure your place. New Year s Eve Service Friday, 1 st January, 12:30am in St. Sarkis Church A prayer service for the New Year.

19 Page 19 New Year s Day Service Friday, 1 st January, 1:00pm in St. Sarkis Church The blessing of pomegranates, followed by a reception in Gulbenkian Hall.

20 Page 20 Prayer intentions for November: We invite our faithful to pray for justice and peace in the world, especially for the refugees from the Middle East who are trying to find shelter in Europe. We ask for the intercessions of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide for the refugees and for having God s mercy and grace pour forth wherever justice is shaken, wherever tranquility is disturbed, wherever security is violated, wherever human rights are trampled, wherever social welfare is threatened, wherever faith and identity are fanaticised. 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.

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. Sarkis Church Iverna Gardens Kensington, London, W8 6TP Tel: St. Yeghiche Cathedral 13b Cranley Gardens Kensington, London SW7 3BB Tel: Other Parishes of our Diocese: Cardiff - Tel: , john@jagproperties.co.uk Dublin - Tel: Birmingham Tel: St John s Church, Stratford Road, Birmingham, B11 4EA Oxford - Tel: armenian.society@studentsclub.ox.ac.uk Editorial Board: His Grace Bishop Hovakim Manukyan, Primate Garen Arevian Hovik Hovhannisyan Aznive Simon Gagik Stepan-Sarkissian Sossi Yeretsyan 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: The Primate s Office The Armenian Vicarage Iverna Gardens London, W8 6TP or primatesoffice@armenianchurch.co.uk PLEASE NOTE OUR CHANGE OF POSTAL ADDRESS