Click each activity to be redirected to its respective webpage.
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PASSES ARTSAKH AID AMENDMENT
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The U.S. House of Representatives cast a powerful vote in support of Artsakh aid today, July 23, adopting a bi-partisan amendment led by Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Jackie Speier (D-CA), Representatives TJ Cox (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), and more than 35 of their House colleagues to continue demining assistance. No other amendment to the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill had as many co-sponsors.
The bi-partisan Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabagh) aid amendment to H.R.7608 was adopted as part of a larger “en bloc” group of amendments backed by the House majority. The Artsakh amendment calls for $1.4 million in U.S. aid for the continuing de-mining efforts of The HALO Trust. House Rules Committee chairman Jim McGovern’s leadership to allow a vote on the amendment – over strenuous objections by the pro-Azerbaijan lobby – was key to House passage of the measure.
The United States has been funding humanitarian programs in Artsakh since 1998, providing clean water to rural communities, support for maternal and child health, and life-saving demining assistance. The HALO Trust has been de-mining in Artsakh since 2001. Since then, they have cleared 61,000 landmines and explosive hazards and transformed 62,000 acres of former minefields into land available for productive use and recreation. Just as importantly, U.S. assistance has provided mine risk education to each student in Karabakh since 2003.
Artsakh aid has been long under attack by Azerbaijan’s Aliyev regime, and over the past two years, aggressively targeted by the U.S. government, even as it ramps up U.S. defense and security aid to Baku.
The Artsakh aid amendment was strongly supported by the Hellenic American Leadership Council and In Defense of Christians.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is currently working with Senate leaders to include Artsakh aid in their version of the FY2021 Foreign Aid Bill, yet to be taken up by the Appropriations Committee.
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Amid the global Pandemic caused by the Covid 19, when mankind is invited to fight against the invisible enemy, we deplore that the leadership of Azerbaijan, in order to divert the attention of their citizens from their domestic failures, has launched a series of military attacks against Armenia. The Azeri authorities by their own words believe that Might is Right. Fortunately, each of the Azeri military attacks against our Armenian homeland has been unsuccessful. But the outcome of the clashes which have occurred during the past two weeks shows us yet again that the right way for the Azeri government to resolve any disputes they might have with Armenia or with Artsakh is to sit down with both the Armenian and Artsakh governmental representatives for peace talks and work towards a mutual understanding which will settle the current crisis. We believe that this is the only right way to generate stability, peace and prosperity in the region.
Prelate, Eastern Prelacy of the United States
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Yet again, Armenia was attacked last week by the forces of Azerbaijan, which targeted civilians, their house and their farms, in line with rules of engagement that are typical of a dictatorship like Ilham Aliyev’s. Consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, Azerbaijan is also one of the most repressive ones, with all types of freedoms curtailed just to serve the interests of Aliyev and his family, who are draining the oil wealth their country is sitting on.
That, however, is beside the point. What matters is that Armenia repelled this attack, at the price of five of its soldiers. Every life is invaluable, yet after the Genocide, every Armenian life lost to Turkish aggression (or Azerbaijani, which is almost the same) reopens the old wounds. It feels as an instance, as we felt with the murder of Hrant Dink, of “1,500,000 + 1.”
At the same time, it reaffirms us in our resolution against our common enemies. For, make no mistake, Turkey and Azerbaijan are in this together, as the anti-Armenian rhetoric continuously fostered in Baku shows to a wide extent. And this has profound implications at this particular juncture in history, because once again the monster of old—the recurring pan-Turkism of the authoritarian Turkish state that brought our nation to brink of extinction, is rearing its head.
The desecration of the St. Sophia Cathedral, converting it into a mosque—the fate that befell so many Armenian churches in the occupied lands of Western Armenia and Cilicia—the Azerbaijani attack and the expressions of support by the Turkish government are part of the neo-Ottoman agenda pursued by the regime of Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Once again, we are seeing the true face of our enemies. We pray for peace in Armenia and the world. Our young soldiers who died at the front are keeping our homeland alive, for all Armenians, in Armenia and in the Diaspora, all over the world. As once Churchill famously said in another existential war, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few.”
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ARCHBISHOP ANOUSHAVAN AT THE CATHEDRAL
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On Sunday, July 26, Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate, will preside over the Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral in New York City. Rev. Fr. Mesrob Lakissian, Pastor, will celebrate the Divine Liturgy. Our faithful may follow the ceremony via live streaming.
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THE FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Prelate’s Homily
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On Sunday, July 19, Archbishop Anoushavan presided over the Divine Liturgy at Soorp Khatch Church in Bethesda, Maryland. Archpriest Fr. Sarkis Aktavoukian, Pastor, was the celebrant. You can read the Prelate’s sermon below:
Today, according to the Armenian Church Calendar, we celebrate the feast of Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read in the Gospel of St. Matthew that Jesus takes three of His disciples—Peter, James, and John—and withdraws to a high mountain. He is transfigured before them. The Evangelist describing this supernatural event, says: “His face shone like the sun, his clothes became dazzling white.” Suddenly Moses and Elijah appear on either side, talking with Jesus, and a voice sounds out from heaven, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am pleased; listen to Him.” The Apostles were overcome by fear, until Jesus touches them, saying: “Get up and do not be afraid”, and orders them not to tell anybody about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead (Mt 17:1-9).
This passage is a spiritual gold mine, providing us with undeniable facts that are essential for the growth of our faith. The scene of the Transfiguration as described is beyond our imagination, and the Apostles indeed were privileged. I would like to draw two thoughts for our daily reflection.
We have three apostolic eyewitnesses that Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking to Jesus. We do not have any record of that conversation. Within our immediate interest when we check the chronology of both these prophets in the Old Testament, we find that Moses, the law-giver, lived around the 15th century B.C., while Elijah, the champion of the worship of Yahweh, lived in the 9th century B.C. That two prophets who have left this earth almost 15 and nine centuries before Christ appear next to Him is a tangible sign that they were in the same line of Divine universal mission set up for a clear purpose, which throughout generations was manifested through the Prophets and ultimately by Incarnate God. Our Lord Jesus Christ refers to His mission as the fulfillment of the laws and the prophecies (Mt 5:17). This statement is explicit evidence of an invisible layer that bridges the laws and the prophecies, and proves that Creation, with all its mysteries, its up-hills and down-hills, is clearly following the pattern designed by the Creator.
Each and every creature is a part of this splendid universal plan, and have their role in this most wonderful gift of life. Manifold attempts have been made to explain or to define Creation. As intellectual beings, if we wish to understand the meaning and goal of our existence, then we should look within the parameters granted to us by the Master Mind our Heavenly Father. By neglecting it, we may head into directions which neither will solve nor shed more light on this dilemma. This scene of the Transfiguration that took place in the presence of three apostles is indeed a magnificent and solid ground upon which not only a pious, but also a rational person might conclude that human life is not a mere, material presence experienced on this planet but, rather, that it transcends time and space and opens a new dimension in search of Truth revealed by the Word of God, foretold and miraculously attested in person by two Prophets, and confirmed by the Heavenly voice, “This is My Son, listen to Him.”
The second point that I would like to reflect on is connected to the first one. More often our believers raise the question whether we should believe in reincarnation. It is not possible to cover all of the aspects related to this valuable question within the limits of a sermon; nevertheless, our daily Bible readings, as well as other miracles recorded in the Old and New Testaments, provide a crucial clue in this regard.
Our life journey, within a Judeo-Christian understanding, has started with God, who formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Gen 2:7). Generation after generation, life has been continued miraculously through the union of male and female. Each birth, along with commonality with others, carries its own unique personality, value and role in the eye of the Creator. While in Judaic belief the full understanding of life was vague, Jesus Christ through His Teaching and Resurrection unveiled the mystery of extraterrestrial life.
The appearance of Moses and Elijah attests to the continuity of our life journey, and moreover to the interconnection between earthly life in the flesh and eternal life in a glorified body, as St Paul describes it (Phil 3:21). In this regard, the raising of dead persons recorded both in Old and New Testaments is valuable evidence, which proves that upon the prayer of a prophet or Our Lord, or an apostle, the departed souls of the deceased were returned animating them to continue their journey for a while on this earth.
The main purpose of reincarnation in different life sequences and in different forms is purification, which absolutely is a noble and valid concern. In Christian theology, the purification of the soul is directly related to the Sacred Atonement on the Cross and the Sacrament of penance. Our earthly life, as much as it is the source of our sins, is also the best and only opportunity to be cleansed from transgressions. The parable of poor Lazarus and the rich man narrated by our Lord Jesus Christ describes in full details both lives with their followed blissful and deplorable conditions (Lk 16:19-31). Therefore, there is no room for an intermediary life phase. There is one life, one opportunity with its consequences.
With this understanding, let us pray to the Almighty Lord to transform us to be always grateful for His unconditional love expressed through and after this life. Let us humbly ask Him to make us the children of light and to grant victory throughout this pandemic and all challenges that face mankind. Let us all pray for the stability of the Land of the Free, and our Homeland, Armenia, whose peaceful life is endangered. We hope that tomorrow [Monday, July 20] our Congress will take the necessary steps to prevent future actions threatening the peace and prosperity of that region. Let us also gratefully praise our merciful, heavenly Father for the life we are enjoying in this world and for the eternal, joy and glory He has prepared for all those who follow in the footsteps of the One whose glory was manifested on Mount Tabor and whose love was poured on Mount Golgotha. Amen.
Prelate, Eastern United States
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THE EASTERN PRELACY’S
2020 MEMBERSHIP DUES
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OVERWHELMED WITH GRATITUDE
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“Thank you for all you do to help us keep the faith and be hopeful for the future,” a donor wrote.
We at the Prelacy are humbled and overwhelmed with gratitude by the generous response of so many members and friends as we still deal with the unprecedented health emergency. Your encouraging support in the initial period of our membership campaign only drives us to persevere in our commitment to serving our parishes and our faithful as we adjust to life during a pandemic. “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work”. (2 Corinthians 9:7-8)
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AZERBAIJANI HACKERS ATTACK CATHOLICOSATE’S WEBSITE
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Last Sunday, July 19, Azerbaijani hackers briefly attacked the website and social network accounts of the Holy See of Cilicia. As the Divine Liturgy was being celebrated in Antelias, the cyber criminals were able to break briefly into the Instagram account of the Holy See
(@holyseeofcilicia). Thanks to the rapid intervention by the media department of the Catholicosate the attack was foiled and the Instagram account restored.
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Bible readings for
Sunday, July 26, Second Sunday of Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ, are: Isaiah 3:16-4:1; 1 Corinthians 1:22-2:5; Matthew 18:10-14.
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1 Corinthians 1:22-2:5
For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.
* * *
Matthew 18:10-14
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
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For a listing of the coming week’s Bible readings
click here.
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Today, Thursday, July 23, the Armenian Church commemorates the prophet Isaiah, who is best known for the longest prophetic book in the Old Testament (66 chapters) that bears his name. Isaiah foretells the birth of the Messiah by a virgin and describes the suffering of the Messiah’s church. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus refer to the book of Isaiah. Because of his clear foretelling about Christ the Savior, Isaiah is also recognized as an Old Testament evangelist. Although it is not recorded in the Bible, it is believed that Isaiah died a martyr’s death by order of the Hebrew king, Manasseh. Relics of the prophet are preserved at Mt. Athos in the Greek Orthodox Khilendaria Monastery in Greece.
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SAINTS THADDEUS AND SANDUKHT
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This Saturday, July 25, the Armenian Church commemorates Saint Thaddeus, one of two apostles who preached in Armenia, and Saint Sandukht, daughter of King Sanadrouk, and the first saint of the Armenian Church. It is not an exaggeration to say that these two—Thaddeus and Sandukht—were pioneer in bringing Christianity to Armenia in the first century.
Princess Sandukht was converted to Christianity by Thaddeus, and she in turn converted many others. Her father tried to have her renounce her conversion and finally gave her a choice of the crown or the sword. She chose the sword and became the first witness for Christianity in Armenia and the first saint of the Armenian Church. Shortly after her martyrdom, Thaddeus was martyred at Artaz (in present day northern Iran). The Armenian monastery of St. Thaddeus is built on the apostle’s tomb. During the early 20 th century the monastery was an important crossroads for travelers and pilgrims. A popular annual pilgrimage by Armenians from around the world takes place in July to coincide with this Feast day. During the four-day festival, thousands gather in tents pitched on the vast monastery grounds.
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SAINT CYPRIAN THE BISHOP AND 45 MARTYRS
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On Monday, July 27, the Armenian Church commemorates St. Cyprian (Gibrianos), bishop of Carthage, and 45 martyrs. Cyprian was an important early Christian writer and a major theologian of the early African church. Many of his works in Latin have survived. One of his best-known works is “On the Unity of the Church.” Many of his epistles, treatises, and pastoral letters are extant. He urged Christians to recite the Lord’s Prayer every day, meditating on each phrase. He wrote a commentary on the Lord’s Prayer showing how it is the model for prayer.
Born in 200, he was the son of wealthy parents and became a teacher of rhetoric and literature. He converted to Christianity in his middle years and ordained a priest. He elected to serve as bishop of Carthage. He was subject to persecution after his conversion and in the year 258 was beheaded along with forty-five martyrs.
When we pray, we should ensure that we understand the words we use. We should be humble, aware of our own weaknesses, and be eager to receive God’s grace. Our bodily posture and our tone of voice should reflect the fact that through prayer we enter God’s presence. To speak too loudly to God would be impudent; thus a quiet and modest manner is appropriate. The Lord has instructed us that we should usually pray in private, even in our own bedrooms. This reminds us that God is everywhere, that he hears and sees everything, and that he penetrates the deepest secrets of our hearts.
(From commentary “On the Lord’s Prayer,” by Cyprian of Carthage)
Also remembered this week:
Tuesday, July 28: Saint Athenogenes the Bishop, ten disciples, and five witnesses.
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LETTER OF APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE
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It has been delightful to listen to Der Hrant’s very impressive daily reflections. His choice of topics and his down to earth style of delivery is commendable. Bravo Der Hayr. Thank you Armenian Prelacy for offering such a wonderful spiritual service.
Norik Checkosky
Former principal of the Siamanto Academy
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The Prelacy’s Orphan Sponsorship program was established in 1993 and continues to be the central mission of the Prelacy’s projects in Armenia and Artsakh. As part of the program, letters are received regularly from children addressed to their actual or potential sponsors. We are pleased to share some of these letters through Crossroads.
This week’s letter is from Emma* who is awaiting to be sponsored. Emma is from Tavush, a border region were the civilian population is frequently exposed to unprovoked aggression by Azerbaijan, more recently last week: four Armenian soldiers died as the Armenian forces successfully repelled the attack.
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Dear Sponsor
My first name is Emma. My father’s name was Gnel. I hardly remember my father – we lost him when I was 2 years old.
I am older now. I live in the village of Archis in the Noyemberian region of the Tavush State of Armenia. I am already 12 years old and go to 6th grade in school. There are 4 people in our family: myself and my sister whom I love very much, my mom, and my grandfather, who is retired and doesn’t work. My mom doesn’t have a job either. That’s all I can tell you about myself.
Thank you for sponsoring me. I wish you good health and may God protect you.
Emma
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YOUR SPONSORSHIP WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW
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The program of the St. Nerses the Great Organization includes both orphans up to the age of 18 and orphans who become students at a higher education institution upon turning 18. There are children of all ages in the waiting list of the Prelacy’s Sponsorship Program. Now we also have orphans due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Please consider sponsoring a child. For quick and easy online sponsorship of minors up to the age of 18, please
click here. Alternatively, for the sponsorship of both minors and university students you may also contact the Prelacy by email (
[email protected]) or telephone (212-689-7810).
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THE PRELACY RAFFLE IS ON!
DRAWING DATE: SEPTEMBER 12, 2020
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The drawing of the Prelacy’s annual raffle is on September 12, 2020. The top prize is $5,000; second prize is $2,000; and third, fourth, and fifth prizes are $1,000.
We always like to point out that in this raffle there are no losers, because all of the money raised benefits the Prelacy’s educational and religious programs.
Tickets cost $100 each. For information, please contact your local parish or the Prelacy office ( [email protected] or 212-689-7810).
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ARMENIAN AS SECOND LANGUAGE (ASL)
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The Armenian National Education Committee now offers a program of Armenian as Second Language (ASL) for one-day schools. The project, first conceived by ANEC four years ago, was developed by teachers Narineh Abrimian, Silva Bedian, and Sossi Essajanian.
Drawing from their experience in both one-day Armenian schools as well as American ones, the trio finally put together the program, devoting their efforts to completing in the course of the last year.
The program is now available to teachers on
https://www.hyeteachershub.org/asl. This also makes possible to refresh the content on a regular basis. The site contains information about the program, a guide for teachers, four instruction levels and a list of sources, allowing teachers or more generally users to prepare their lessons or enrich them. More information will be added to the list of sources shortly.
The ASL has already been used in part by the Siamanto Academy as a test run and has found an enthusiastic response by the students. Teaching videos and model lessons will soon be uploaded to the site.
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What teachers will find on the site
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- Partial reproductions of modern teaching books (respecting the authors’ copyrights: the full contents have not been shared).
- A list of other sources, including supplements, websites, documentaries, songs, a list of books employed in the past and additional books and materials.
- A forum for teachers, where they can get acquainted with each other, post questions and address teaching concerns, share information on model lessons, games, exercises, and generally exchange comments on their experiences at schools in different U.S. states.
- ANEC is looking forward to receiving comments and impressions from ASL program users and teachers in general.
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“ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND CONDEMNATION:
THE TRIALS OF YOUNG TURKS IN 1919-1921 AND 1926”
MELINE ANUMYAN
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Meline Anumyan’s valuable study presents the different trials held in the Ottoman Empire in 1919-1921 about the annihilation of the Armenians, based on scholarly analyses of archival material, revelations published in the Ottoman and foreign press of the period, testimonies of witnesses, official announcements, stenographic records of the trials, memoirs, and various studies. Comparing these trials with those held in the Republic of Turkey in 1926, the author shows their links, which included the accusations of dragging the country into war and war profiteering, while omitting charges for the annihilation of Christian minorities. The substantiated conclusion of the author is that the political traditions, ideology, and adopted political cause of Turkey are a continuation of the policy and modus operandi of the Committee of Union and Progress, which ruled the country at the time and planned the genocide of 1915.
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Copies of this book may be purchased from the Prelacy Bookstore ([email protected] or 212-689-7810)
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The Liberation of Aghdam (July 24, 1993)
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The city of Aghdam in Soviet Azerbaijan became a center of anti-Armenian activity in 1988, and a strategic hub after the Karabagh war started. The Azerbaijani forces shelled permanently the capital of Karabagh, Stepanakert, and nearby towns from there.
To put an end to this daily torment, the leadership of the Armenian self-defense forces decided to liberate that historical Armenian territory. As archaeological excavations would prove years later, it was near Aghdam where Tigran the Great had founded one of the four cities named Tigranakert after him.
The preparations started on July 4, 1993, when the fighters of the defense area of Askeran went on the offense to neutralize the positions of Chukhurmahla, “Camel’s Back,” Khederlu, and others, which oversaw the proximity of Aghdam. At the end of the day, the four battalions had occupied the villages of Chukhurmahla, Khederlu, and Ahmedavar, the positions “Camel Back” and “Resting House,” and height 579.1.
On July 11, the fighters of Marduni cleansed the villages of Shelli and Kurdalar of enemy presence to silence the Azeri fire points. The Armenian fighters contained the enemy attack to recover the lost positions. Five days later, the Azeri infantry attacked in the direction of “Camel’s Back” and bombed the Armenian defensive positions of Shelli and Shahbulagh. The regiments of Askerani countered by neutralizing the fire points in the villages of Kizil, Kengerli, Talishlar, Mahsudlu, and Tarnayud, and height 610. The Armenian forces launched an offensive on the military station of Aghdam, which threatened the safety of Stepanakert in a more immediate way.
At first, on July 21, two groups of thirty fighters from the regiments led by V. Safarian and R. Hakobjanian executed a two-side attack and entered the villages of Kasumlu, Karadaghlu, and Poladlu, while the fighters of the group of central defense liquidated the fire points of Salbalu and nearby areas. The next day, the fighters of Askeran, divided into three groups, reached the Victory Monument in Aghdam proper.
There were bloody combats in different sectors of Aghdam on July 23. The enemy forces blew up factories and residential buildings during their retreat. The three regiments of Askeran attacked in different directions and the freedom fighters of defensive areas Central and Marduni entered the town from the southeast. The Armenian fighters overcame the enemy resistance and, after various operations, at the end of the day Aghdam and its surroundings were under the control of the Artsakh defense forces. This military operation eliminated the enemy bombing threat for Stepanakert, Askeran and surrounding villages.
After the occupation of Aghdam, the government of Azerbaijan submitted a ceasefire request to the authorities of Artsakh, and a temporary ceasefire was signed on July 25. The representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan convened to extend the ceasefire for seven more days on July 28, but the following day Azerbaijan refused to comply with its obligations and the war continued until the ceasefire of May 12, 1994, which continues to be in effect today, despite periodical Azerbaijani aggressions.
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If you know Greek, this is an easy one. The Armenian word
ադամանդ
(
atamant
), which was pronounced
adamand
in Classical Armenian, derives from Greek
adamantos,
the genitive form of
adamas
.
What does
atamant
and
adamantos
mean? Yes, you guessed it: “diamond.” The Greek word is the source for the word in many languages: Latin
adamas,
French
diamant,
English
diamond
(the word entered English via French)
,
Georgian
adamanti,
et cetera.
Now, interestingly, the word
adamas
also meant “fixed, unbreakable” in Greek. It generated the Latin word
adamantem
“hardest iron,” and the English noun “adamant”
(“a very hard stone”) came either directly from the latter or indirectly (via French). The adjective “adamant” (= unshakeable) derived from the English noun.
The word
atamant
was used in Armenian from the fifth century A.D. either to mean “diamond” or “unbreakable.” But it was also used with the meaning “magnet.” It later kept this meaning but added an initial
h,
becoming
հանդամանտ
(
hantamand
),
խանդումանտ
(
khantumand
), and others.
It appears that the Farsi word
almas
(which probably entered Turkish and Kurdish) was also derived from Greek
adamantos
, even though more recently it has been assumed that the source was Semitic. The Armenian dialectal word
ալմաս
(almas)
, which came from Farsi, also evolved to become
ալմաստ
(almast).
The latter became also a female proper name,
Almast,
which became famous through the homonymous opera by Alexander Spentiarian (1871-1928), premiered posthumously in 1930.
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Crossroads
welcomes your inquiries and comments (English and/or Armenian), as well as parish news, photographs, and calendar items. Remember that the deadline for submitting items is Tuesday evenings. Please write to
[email protected].
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
(
Calendar items may be edited to conform to space and style
)
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July 24
—Second summer class of the Siamanto Academy at 4:00 pm. For further information, please contact ANEC Director Mary Gulumian at
[email protected]
or 212-689-7810.
August 10, 17, 24
—A 3-part Bible Study via Zoom on St. Paul’s Letter to Philemon, Monday evenings from 8:00-9:00 pm (EST), conducted by Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of Christian Education (Eastern Prelacy). To register, please email your name, email address, and phone number to
[email protected]
.
September 12
—National Representative Assembly (NRA) of the Eastern Prelacy to meet by videoconference, hosted by the Prelacy.
October 4
—Save the date. St. Stephen's Armenian Apostolic Church of New Britain, CT, 95th Anniversary Banquet.
November 28
—Save the date. Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church 80th Anniversary Celebration, under the auspices of Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate. Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet, Cranston, Rhode Island.
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