Vanessa Kachadurian one of the oldest Armenian Churches in Azerbaijan

Vanessa Kachadurian study backs history of Armenia dating back farther than previous studies

Study backs 5th-century historian’s date for founding of Armenia

By NICHOLAS WADE, The New York Times
Movses Khorenatsi, a historian in the fifth century, wrote that his native Armenia had been established in 2492 B.C., a date usuallyregarded as legendary though he claimed to have traveled to Babylon and consulted ancient records. But either he made a lucky guess or he really did gain access to useful data, because a new genomic analysis suggests that his date is entirely plausible.
Geneticists have scanned the genomes of 173 Armenians from Armenia and Lebanon and compared them with those of 78 other populations from around the world. They found that the Armenians are a mix of ancient populations whose descendants now live in Sardinia, Central Asia and several other regions. This formative mixture occurred from 3000 to 2000 B.C., the geneticists calculated, coincident with Movses Khorenatsi’s date for the founding of Armenia.
Toward the end of the Bronze Age, when the mixture was in process, there was considerable movement of peoples brought about by increased trade, warfare and population growth. After 1200 B.C., the Bronze Age civilizations of the eastern Mediterranean suddenly collapsed, an event that seems to have brought about the isolation of Armenians from other populations. No significant mixing with other peoples after that date can be detected in the genomes of living Armenians, the geneticists said.
The isolation was probably sustained by the many characteristic aspects of Armenian culture. Armenians have a distinctive language and alphabet, and the Armenian Apostolic Church was the first branch of Christianity to become established as a state religion, in A.D. 301, anticipating that by the Roman empire in A.D. 380.
The researchers also see a signal of genetic divergence that developed about 500 years ago between western and eastern Armenians. The date corresponds to the onset of wars between the Ottoman and Safavid dynasties and the division of the Armenian population between the Turkish and Persian empires.
“This DNA study confirms in general outline much of what we know about Armenian history,” said Hovann Simonian, a historian of Armenia affiliated with the University of Southern California.
The geneticists’ team, led by Marc Haber and Chris Tyler-Smith of the Sanger Institute, near Cambridge in England, see long-isolated populations like that of the Armenians as a means of econstructing population history.
Armenians share 29 percent of their DNA ancestry with Otzi, a man whose 5,300-year-old mummy emerged in 1991 from a melting Alpine glacier. Other genetically isolated populations of the Near East, like Cypriots, Sephardic Jews and Lebanese Christians, also share a lot of ancestry with the Iceman, whereas other Near Easterners, like Turks, Syrians and Palestinians, share less. This indicates that the Armenians and other isolated populations are closer than present-day inhabitants of the Near East to the Neolithic farmers who brought agriculture to Europe about 8,000 years ago.
The geneticists’ paper was posted last month on bioRxiv, a digital library for publishing scientific articles before they appear in journals. Dr. Tyler-Smith, the senior author of the genetics team, said he could not discuss their results for fear of jeopardizing publication in a journal that he did not name.
http://www.panorama.am/en/society/2015/03/11/armenia-founding/

 

Vanessa Kachadurian News: L.A Turkish American Association Lobbies to Erect Statue of Armenian Genocide Profiteer Ataturk in City of Carson - Armenian Chronicles

News: L.A Turkish American Association Lobbies to Erect Statue of Armenian Genocide Profiteer Ataturk in City of Carson - Armenian Chronicles

Vanessa Kachadurian Armenian katchkars (stone croses) top 5 pieces of artwork in Julfa subject to vandalism

Armenian cross stones in Julfa are in top of five significant works of art subjected to vandalism in 21st century

Vanessa Kachadurian
Russian site Novate.ru reckoned Armenian khachkars (Cross stones) in Julfa to the five most significant works of art that have been subjected to vandalism in the 21st century.

"For a long time, the Armenians have constituted a significant part of the current population of Nakhijevan region which is a part of Azerbaijan. However, at the beginning of the third millennium, only the remnants of the Armenian architecture and numerous cemeteries, the largest of which was a graveyard near the town of Julfa, remind about the existence of the past," notes the site.
Vanessa Kachadurian
According to the article by the end of the 20th century, more than two thousand khachkars (Armenian tombstones decorated with carvings and ornaments) survived at this cemetery. The first attempt to destroy them was made in 1998, but was prevented by the sharp reaction of the world community. Another massive act of vandalism occurred in 2002, and finally the "Armenian cause" in Julfa was settled in 2005th, when the Azerbaijani soldiers fully cleared the cemetery and turned it into a shooting territory.

"At the same time, official Azerbaijan, despite the overwhelming evidences, denies the fact of vandalism as well as the Armenian history of Nakhijevan as a whole," writes Novate.ru.
Vanessa Kachadurian
The five works of art subjected to vandalism, also included Bamyan status in Afghanistan, Islamic monuments in Timbuktu (Mali), "The Little Mermaid" in Copenhagen and Fresco “Ecce Homo” in Spain.

http://www.panorama.am/en/popular/2014/03/03/julfa-khachkar/

 

Vanessa Kachadurian

Vanessa Kachadurian Armenian History in Crimea

SEVASTOPOL (PanArmenian.net)—In the 8th century, Crimea was a part of the Byzantine Empire, with Armenians, as its subjects, moving here from various cities of the empire. The region’s stability allowed them to achieve economic prosperity, uninterrupted even in the face of the Mongolian invasions.

Hardships in Armenia drove increasing number of Armenians to Crimea, with Armenians becoming the 2nd biggest ethnic group after Crimean Tatars. In 1475, Crimea became part of the Ottoman Empire, and Christian persecutions began. Despite the strengthening of Islam in the region, Armenian communities still existed in Kaffa, Karasubazar, Balaklava, Gezlev, Perekop and Surkhat. From 1778-1779, more than 22,000 Armenians were resettled in the Azov province.

In 1783, the Russian Empire conquered the Crimean khanate. Russian authorities encouraged the settlement of foreign colonists, including Armenians, into Crimea. This led to a fresh wave of Armenian immigrants, reviving former settlements. In 1913, their numbers totaled around 9,000 and 14,000-15,000 in 1914. The resettlement of Armenians in the peninsula lasted until the First World War and the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923. The immigrants of the 19th and 20th centuries were largely from Western Armenia and the various regions of the Ottoman Empire.

In 1944, the Commissar of Internal Affairs of the Soviet Union, Lavrentiy Beria signed Directorate 5984 to deport 37,000 Bulgarians, Greeks and Armenians. The Armenians were deported to Perm Oblast, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Omsk Oblast, Kemerovo Oblast, Bashkortostan, Tatarstan and Kazakhstan.

In 1989, the communal life of Crimea’s Armenians was institutionalized with the formation of one of the peninsula’s first national-cultural associations, the Armenian Luys (Light) society. Later, after re-registration in 1996, it was renamed the Crimean Armenian Society. At present, the Crimean Armenian Society consists of 14 regional offices, coordinated by the National Council of Crimean Armenians. The highest governing body is the National Congress, which convenes at least once every four years. Operational management of the society is carried out by the executive committee, which functions in the periods between meetings of the National Council. The society operates the Luys cultural and ethnographic center and publishes a monthly newspaper, Dove Masis. The one-hour Armenian-language program Barev airs twice a month on Crimean television, and radio broadcasts are made five times a week. There are Armenian churches in Yalta, Feodosiya and Evpatoria, while the first Armenian secondary school opened in 1998 in Simferopol.

Armenians living in the Crimea are currently concentrated in the cities of Armyansk, Simferopol, Evpatoria, Feodosiya, Kerch, Yalta, Sevastopol, Sudak. The Armenia Diaspora Encyclopedia indicates that there were 20,000 Armenians living in the region in 2003.

http://asbarez.com/120170/a-history-of-armenians-in-crimea/

The Armenians were mostly adherents of the Armenian Apostolic Church. There were a number of churches built in Yalta, Feodosiya and Yevpatoria. Construction activity took place from the 14th century and according to one manuscript the monastery of Gamchak had been built by the fifteenth century in Kafa.

In Kafa, there were a number of Armenian schools, dozens of churches, banks, trading houses, caravanserai, and craftshops. The town was served as a spiritual center for the Crimean Armenians, and its stature grew so prominently that that in 1438 the Armenians of Kafa were invited to send representatives to the Ferrara-Florence Cathedral (Florence ecumenical council).

The second largest Armenian population after Kafa in the same period was Surkhat. The name of Surkhat is probably a distorted form of the name of the Armenian monastery Surb Khach (Holy Cross). There were many Armenian churches, schools, neighborhoods here as well. Other major settlements included Sudak, where until the last quarter of the 15th century and near the monastery Surb Khach there was a small Armenian town called Kazarat. Armenian princes kept troops there and on a contractual basis to defend Kafa.

The social life of the Crimean Armenians surged in the late 19th and 20th centuries. They organized themselves into community organizations. Wealthy Armenians and the church tried to “raise” the nation to the level of modern civilization, and to carry out charitable activities. The source of money and material welfare of the church were grants, wills, and donations.

The church’s role in the colonies was to some extent becoming secularized. In 1842, the Catholicos in Crimea lost his position to the Chief Guardian of the Crimean Armenian churches.

Surb Khach Monastery is a medieval Armenian monastery located on the Crimean peninsula near Staryi Krym and founded in 1358. It has been an Armenian spiritual center and a place of pilgrimage for centuries.

Crimea gave the world many outstanding Armenians, including world-renowned painter Hovhannes Ayvazovsky, composers Alexander Spendiarov and Christopher Kara-Murza, and artist Vardges Sureniants.

At present, no significant outflow of Armenians from Crimea has been noted, with Armenians safe here, unlike in Syria. However, considering the unpredictability of the development of events in Ukraine, the possibility of a dangerous situation should not be ruled out.

 

Vanessa Kachadurian Armenian Church in Turkey restored

Dikranagerd

http://www.panorama.am/en/popular/2014/03/13/dikranagerd-church-museum/

 

 

Dikranagerd church in Turkey to display Armenian legacy

One of Diyarbakır’s (Dikranagerd) most famous churches, the Armenian church of Surp Giragos, is set to become a city museum hosting artwork and artifacts depicting the Armenian history in the city, Hurriyet Daily News reports, according to Asbarez. 

Earlier, the Hürriyet Daily News reported that Diyarbakir Metropolitan Mayor Osman Baydemir and Surp Giragos Armenian Foundation President Ergün Ayik had signed a protocol to turn the church, which was recently restored and opened to prayer, into a museum.

According to the protocol, the church’s Hidir Ilyas section will be given to the municipality and converted into a museum featuring belongings and ethnographic artifacts.

Ayik said the church was the largest church in the Middle East but was in ruins until it was restored and reopened to worship three years ago.

Noting that the church was surrounded by many famous buildings and artifacts in the city, Ayik said, “The representatives are evaluating the buildings around the church.”

The Diyarbakir City Museum will display Armenian heritage and Armenian art. “We are currently meeting with the municipality and we have signed a protocol to open this part,” Ayik said.

“We will first collect artifacts before decorating the museum. The decorations and the curation will be made according to the artifacts,” said Ayik, noting that there would be information about the family, social and cultural life of Armenians.

Letters from Lice

Very few artifacts have survived over the past 100 years, but Ayik said they were able to collect letters from 1913 from a family who lived in the province’s Lice district, as well as kitchen appliances, musical instruments and other examples of writings from elsewhere.

During the last 100 years, many artifacts that belonged to Armenian families have been lost, he said. “We are currently collecting artifacts to display in the museum. This is the first time that something like this has happened in Turkey, and many people are approaching this with suspicion.”

The written documents are very valuable because they reflect the lifestyle of Armenians at the time, he said. “We have collected these documents from Turkey and also from foreign countries. We have succeeded in collecting these artifacts.”

Noting that there were also many financial documents, Ayik said these revealed the debts and the trade that Armenians had in history.

Artifacts in Istanbul

The artifacts that have been collected have been sent to Istanbul to be analyzed and researched.

Collecting the data and the artifacts has taken a long time, he said, adding that the job was an important task that only professionals could do.

After analyzing the works, the artifact will be sent to the museum for display.

Surp Giragos, which boasts seven altars, originally had an earthen roof, although a new roof of wood was subsequently erected over the restored church. It was closed in 1915-1916 before being returned to the local Armenian community in 1960.



Vanessa Kachadurian, Armenian church of Bangladesh

Holy Resrection Armenian Church of Bangladesh

http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2014-01-26-an-armenian-island-in-bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh - There have never been very large enclaves of Armenians residing in Asia or the Far East however the presence of pockets of Armenians in the region and their impact on the societies in which they lived have left their mark despite the dwindling of these communities over time.

The footprints of Armenians in Asia can be traced back to the seventeenth century and there is no greater symbol of the Armenian presence than the Armenian Apostolic Church spotted in various locations in the region, still standing with their courtyards of tombstones filled with life stories of Armenian traders and merchants.

One such oasis can be found in the capital city of Bangladesh in Dhaka, the Armenian Apostolic Church of Holy Resurrection.

The Armenian population of Dhaka began taking root in the early part of the 18th century most of whom were engaged in the jute trade with some prominent Armenian merchants who owned their own companies. The earliest settlers built a small chapel in the midst of their community graveyard but by the end of the century the Armenian community had grown considerably and the chapel became inadequate for the needs of the community. In 1781 the Church of Holy Resurrection was completed as a place of worship and gathering. In 1837, the belfry that also served as a clock tower was added and in 1907 a parsonage was built.

Today, the Church grounds continues to stand in Armanitola, Old Dhaka as a major landmark with the original edifice and buildings well-restored and over two hundred gravestones nestled on the estate. Still an oasis of peace and tranquillity in the surrounding chaos of the district, the immediate area is highly dense with populace and industry primarily in chemical and paper trading. Whilst the resounding Armenian language may no longer be resonating from the altar and filling the once thriving church, the Armenian spirit continues to linger with the inscriptions, motifs, designs, crosses and monuments that decorate the fasciae and facades. And so in December 2013, with the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, an international delegation from the Armenian Apostolic Church headed by His Grace Bishop Haigazoun Najarian, Primate of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, accompanied by Mr. Haig Didizian (London), Mr. and Mrs. Armen and Laura Arslanian (Los Angeles), Mr. Hagop Didizian (London), and Mr. Pierre Hennes and Ms. Cheryl Ho (Singapore) departed on an exploratory visit to learn more about the overall current situation of the Church and the Armenian community, meeting with key stakeholders and community members, most notably long-standing Church Custodian, Mr Michael Joseph Martin.

Mr Martin (born Mikel Housep Martirossian in Yangon, Myanmar 1930) came to Dhaka in 1942 during World War II following in the footsteps of his father who had settled in the region decades earlier. Now widowed with three daughters who reside in Canada, Mr Martin took on the role of Custodian in 1986 and continues to oversee all its needs until today. He resides in the custodian's residence (formerly the parsonage) which is adjacent to the Church. The grounds also house a caretaker's residence and a building dated back to 1929 which was once used as a schoolhouse and residential quarters.

According to Mr Martin there are currently 50-60 families in Bangladesh who are of mixed Armenian-Bangla descent. "Sometimes there were several thousand Armenians trading in the Bengal region." He notes, "They were always an important community in Dhaka and dominated the country's trading. They were the who's who in town. They celebrated all their religious festivals with pomp and style." He also recalls how "every Sunday was a day of festival for us. Almost every Armenian would attend the service, no matter how big he was in social position. The Church was the centre of all activities."

The decline of the community however came gradually after the British left India and the subcontinent was partitioned in 1947 with Dhaka becoming the capital of East Pakistan and then of Bangladesh after it gained independence in 1971. Martin said the once-busy social scene came to a halt after the last Armenian priest Bagrat left in the mid 1960's.

These days, the Armenian Church holds only occasional services on major feasts in the Orthodox Christian calendar with a visiting priest leading the services.

During the delegation's three-day visit, His Grace Bishop Najarian celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of Holy Resurrection on Friday 13 December during which he presented Mr Martin with the Encyclical conferred upon by His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians recognising his dedicated contribution and devotion to the Church. He was bestowed the St Nerses Shnorhali Medal a tribute reserved for noteworthy recipients who demonstrate exemplary and time-honoured service.

Mr Martin's determination to continue to maintain and preserve the jewel of the Armenian Church of Dhaka is best summed up by his own words (as recorded by the BBC) ...

"Whatever happens, I'm determined not to let this church go to the rack and ruin. I may be the last resident Armenian in Bangladesh, but I will do everything in my power to ensure an Armenian from abroad takes over the job." Despite a diminished community Martin stands firm in his resolve, "I've seen bad days before, but we always bounced back. I am sure Armenians will come back here for trade and business. I will then rest in peace beside my wife."

Dhaka has an estimated population of more than 23 million people, making it the largest city in Bangladesh and the 8th largest city in the world.

For more information about Armenian history and communities in Asia, please visit: www.armeniansinasia.org.