Armenian News... A Topalian... Armenia on UN Honor Roll
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ARMENIA ON UNITED NATIONS HONOR ROLL
17 Feb 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Armenia has been included in the UN Honor Roll for paying the regular
budget assessments in full.
In January 2016 the Armenian Government transferred $150,039 to the
United Nations Regular Budget as 2016 annual membership fee.
The Honor roll includes the countries that have paid their regular
budget assessments in full within the 30 day due period specified in
Financial Regulation. Only 27 of the 193 UN states have made to the
Honor Roll this year.
UK DOES NOT RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH
APA, Azerbaijan
Feb 12 2016
Baku. Agshin Rafigoglu - APA-Economics. On February 11, London hosted
the 1st meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic
Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and
the Government of the United Kingdom.
According to Ministry of Economy, the meeting was co-chaired by
Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev and the UK Minister
for Trade and Investment Francis Maude and attended by officials
and businessmen.
Minister Shahin Mustafayev said 473 British companies operate in
Azerbaijan: "The UK companies participate in the projects implemented
in our country as contractors. The UK has invested over $23 bln in
Azerbaijan's economy".
Mustafayev noted that Working Groups on Trade and Investments,
Finance and Professional Services, Oil and Gas operate within the
Intergovernmental Commission and prospects for cooperation in relevant
fields between Azerbaijan and the UK were discussed at the meetings
held on February 10-11.
The UK Minister for Trade and Investment Francis Maude said his country
is interested in extension of relations between Azerbaijan and the UK,
underlining that the discussions held in the meeting will be important
for economic cooperation.
At the end of the meeting, Shahin Mustafayev and Francis Maude signed
a protocol on results of the 1st meeting.
Envisaging extension of cooperation in economy, trade, investment,
industry, tourism, energy, education, culture and etc, the document
also says that the UK does not recognize independence of the Nagorno
Karabakh and supports peaceful settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan,
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Interfax: Russia & CIS Military Newswire
February 12, 2016
Baku claims Armenian losses in Karabakh conflict zone,
Yerevan refutes
those reports
The Armenian Armed Forces have lost from five to seven servicemen
during an attempt to attack Azerbaijani army positions in the Karabakh
conflict zone, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry press service said on
Friday.
"Sabotage and reconnaissance groups from the Armenian Armed Forces
tried to attack our positions in various parts along the contact line
in the early hours of February 12. The early detection of the
hostilities, the preventive measures and the strike forced the
invaders to retreat. According to tentative data, the enemy lost from
five to seven servicemen," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.
It said Azerbaijan did not suffer casualties and retained control over
the operative situation.
Artsrun Hovannisian, the Armenian defense minister's press secretary,
refuted the Azerbaijani report and said that the Armenian army had no
casualties.
"The report claiming an attack on Azerbaijani army positions is not
true. The Armenian Armed Forces have no casualties," Hovannisian told
Interfax on Friday.
In turn, Senor Asratyan, press secretary of the Defense Ministry of
the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, also refuted the
casualties claimed by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, and said that
Karabakh positions had been attacked again.
"An escalation of tensions was observed along the contact line today
and yesterday. More than 4,500 shots were fired towards Karabakh
positions. The enemy also used mortars and grenade launchers,"
Asratyan said.
those reports
The Armenian Armed Forces have lost from five to seven servicemen
during an attempt to attack Azerbaijani army positions in the Karabakh
conflict zone, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry press service said on
Friday.
"Sabotage and reconnaissance groups from the Armenian Armed Forces
tried to attack our positions in various parts along the contact line
in the early hours of February 12. The early detection of the
hostilities, the preventive measures and the strike forced the
invaders to retreat. According to tentative data, the enemy lost from
five to seven servicemen," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.
It said Azerbaijan did not suffer casualties and retained control over
the operative situation.
Artsrun Hovannisian, the Armenian defense minister's press secretary,
refuted the Azerbaijani report and said that the Armenian army had no
casualties.
"The report claiming an attack on Azerbaijani army positions is not
true. The Armenian Armed Forces have no casualties," Hovannisian told
Interfax on Friday.
In turn, Senor Asratyan, press secretary of the Defense Ministry of
the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, also refuted the
casualties claimed by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, and said that
Karabakh positions had been attacked again.
"An escalation of tensions was observed along the contact line today
and yesterday. More than 4,500 shots were fired towards Karabakh
positions. The enemy also used mortars and grenade launchers,"
Asratyan said.
armradio.am
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVOR KNAR BOHJELIAN TURNS 107
15 Feb 2016
Siranush Ghazanchyan
Knar Bohjelian-Yeminidjian was born in 1909 in Kayseri. When the
armenian massacres and the assault on Kayseri began, she and her family
sought refuge in a barn for a few months. Her family was then deported,
but not too far from their home, the reason being that her father was
a soldier in the Turkish military. Growing up, Bohjelian recalls how
her mother tied a scarf to her brother's head so that he would pass
for a girl, given that all the men were being rounded up and killed.
Following a governmental decree and with their grandmother's backing,
Bohjelian's family was forced to Turkify themselves in order to
survive. Subsequently, Bohjelian and her entire family bore Turkish
names. Once a cease-fire was announced, her parents decided to flee
the region. In 1928, they travelled to Ankara, then Constantinople.
After staying for 11 months, they made their way to Greece by boat
and two days later, arrived in Alexandria, Egypt. She was 19 years
old by then.
Bohjelian claims that the only reason they survived the Armenian
genocide is because they took up Turkish identities. She remains
grateful towards her grandmother who (surely reluctantly) encouraged
the Bohjelian family to take on Turkish identities. Bohjelian got
married and lived in Egypt for over 40 years before moving to Montreal
in 1971 with her family.
She survived the genocide against all odds. Bohjelian has two children,
three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.
ARMENIAN V ARMENIAN: MURDEROUS ROBBERY ATTACK IN
ISTANBUL CASTS SHADOW ON HOMELAND-DIASPORA TIES
17.02.16
By Gayane Mkrtchyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A robbery attack by citizens of Armenia against an Istanbul-based
elderly Armenian family, as a result of which one of the spouses
died, not only got wide response in Turkish media, but also caused
the Istanbul Armenian community's negative attitude towards Armenian
citizens.
"Turkish media started trumpeting about this. It was enough just to
look at Turks' negative and sarcastic comments under articles covering
the incident. On the other hand, the local Armenian community'
distrust towards Armenian citizens grew up," Andranik Ispiryan,
a Turkey expert, told ArmeniaNow.
On February 6, Hakob Demirjian, who lived in Harbiye Cumhuriyet Street
of Istanbul's Sisli district, where lots of Armenians live, killed
in his apartment. He worked as a goldsmith for over 40 years. The
criminals tied up Hakob and his wife, 79-year-old Aida Demirji,
then took the valuables from the house and went away.
Police and rescuers managed to save the woman's life, but the old
man was suffocated. The group of criminals was arrested in Trabzon,
4 days after the crime. According to a preliminary version, the
initiator of the robbery was an Armenian woman working at Demirjis'
home. Five of the arrested suspects are citizens of Armenia, which
was approved by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On February 12, Garo Pailan, an Armenian MP from Turkey's pro-Kurdish
'People's Democratic Party' (ZHDK- HDP), referring to the events
and activities of Armenians visiting Turkey said: "As a community,
we should discuss the Armenian citizens issue.
They are involved to stealing, prostitution and drug sales here."
Sargis Hatspanyan, an expert-analyst in regional affairs, said that
the Armenian community of Istanbul was worried that the cruelty
may have been perpetrated by Armenians, which has already become an
undeniable fact.
"Armenians have been living in Istanbul for more than three thousand
years. More than 50 percent of the city's buildings have been
constructed by local Armenian community. Armenians were the most
respected, most reliable, exemplary nation there. But the picture
has changed since 1991. Two types of Armenians have emerged in every
Diaspora - Armenians of Diaspora and those from Armenia. The latter
are considered to be corrupt, liars, thieves, etc. But it was not so
until 1991. They say that the Soviet regime was to be blamed for,"
said Hatspanyan.
Experts do not rule out that after this incident, the Turkish
government can force the Armenian community to pass information on
Armenian citizens working in their houses to the police, after which
nearly 100,000 Armenians living there may be deported. They said that
the incident involves a number of risks.
According to Hatspanyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can
make use of this isolated case against Armenia.
Turkey is a labor market especially for women from Armenia who are
engaged in babysitting, cleaning homes, caring for the elderly.
Ispiryan said that the number of saleswomen from Armenia working in
shops has increased recently, a phenomenon which one would not come
across before.
"Another tendency can also be observed: as the Turkish lira has
depreciated, labor migrants prefer to bring their families from Armenia
to Turkey. In the past, if they earned 1,000 lire, which was equal
to about $700, today the same amount of money makes up about $300,"
said Ispiryan.
According to Hatspanyan, females who left for Turkey are mainly
engaged in prostitution. They also get involved in different gangs,
carrying out robberies, murders.
"If the Armenian community in Istanbul was an exemplary community,
today due to dozens of criminals their reputation falls.
Turkish media have been divided into two parts: pro-Armenian ones
show vigilance and present the incident in social context, whereas
the nationalists present it as an actual display of the Armenian
character," said Hatspanyan.
arka.am
17.02.16
By Gayane Mkrtchyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
A robbery attack by citizens of Armenia against an Istanbul-based
elderly Armenian family, as a result of which one of the spouses
died, not only got wide response in Turkish media, but also caused
the Istanbul Armenian community's negative attitude towards Armenian
citizens.
"Turkish media started trumpeting about this. It was enough just to
look at Turks' negative and sarcastic comments under articles covering
the incident. On the other hand, the local Armenian community'
distrust towards Armenian citizens grew up," Andranik Ispiryan,
a Turkey expert, told ArmeniaNow.
On February 6, Hakob Demirjian, who lived in Harbiye Cumhuriyet Street
of Istanbul's Sisli district, where lots of Armenians live, killed
in his apartment. He worked as a goldsmith for over 40 years. The
criminals tied up Hakob and his wife, 79-year-old Aida Demirji,
then took the valuables from the house and went away.
Police and rescuers managed to save the woman's life, but the old
man was suffocated. The group of criminals was arrested in Trabzon,
4 days after the crime. According to a preliminary version, the
initiator of the robbery was an Armenian woman working at Demirjis'
home. Five of the arrested suspects are citizens of Armenia, which
was approved by the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On February 12, Garo Pailan, an Armenian MP from Turkey's pro-Kurdish
'People's Democratic Party' (ZHDK- HDP), referring to the events
and activities of Armenians visiting Turkey said: "As a community,
we should discuss the Armenian citizens issue.
They are involved to stealing, prostitution and drug sales here."
Sargis Hatspanyan, an expert-analyst in regional affairs, said that
the Armenian community of Istanbul was worried that the cruelty
may have been perpetrated by Armenians, which has already become an
undeniable fact.
"Armenians have been living in Istanbul for more than three thousand
years. More than 50 percent of the city's buildings have been
constructed by local Armenian community. Armenians were the most
respected, most reliable, exemplary nation there. But the picture
has changed since 1991. Two types of Armenians have emerged in every
Diaspora - Armenians of Diaspora and those from Armenia. The latter
are considered to be corrupt, liars, thieves, etc. But it was not so
until 1991. They say that the Soviet regime was to be blamed for,"
said Hatspanyan.
Experts do not rule out that after this incident, the Turkish
government can force the Armenian community to pass information on
Armenian citizens working in their houses to the police, after which
nearly 100,000 Armenians living there may be deported. They said that
the incident involves a number of risks.
According to Hatspanyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can
make use of this isolated case against Armenia.
Turkey is a labor market especially for women from Armenia who are
engaged in babysitting, cleaning homes, caring for the elderly.
Ispiryan said that the number of saleswomen from Armenia working in
shops has increased recently, a phenomenon which one would not come
across before.
"Another tendency can also be observed: as the Turkish lira has
depreciated, labor migrants prefer to bring their families from Armenia
to Turkey. In the past, if they earned 1,000 lire, which was equal
to about $700, today the same amount of money makes up about $300,"
said Ispiryan.
According to Hatspanyan, females who left for Turkey are mainly
engaged in prostitution. They also get involved in different gangs,
carrying out robberies, murders.
"If the Armenian community in Istanbul was an exemplary community,
today due to dozens of criminals their reputation falls.
Turkish media have been divided into two parts: pro-Armenian ones
show vigilance and present the incident in social context, whereas
the nationalists present it as an actual display of the Armenian
character," said Hatspanyan.
arka.am
CHARTER FLIGHTS FROM ARMENIA TO CANARY ISLANDS
TO BE AVAILABLE IN SUMMER
YEREVAN, February 16. /ARKA/. Citizens of Armenia will be able to spend
their vacations in the Canary Islands this year, Vladimir Gevorgyan, a
member of the Inbound Tourism Travel Operators Union Board, said today.
Speaking at a news conference he said preliminary talks had been
conducted with tour operators and hotels in the Canary Islands and
in all likelihood charter flights will be operated from Armenia in
July and August to Las Palmas.
According to Gevorgyan, the flight will take from 6 to 7 hours,
almost as much as a flight to the coast of Spain.
"The only problem is a relatively high cost of the trip because of
high cost of the air ticket,' said Gevorgyan.
He specified that an all inclusive tour for 7-10 days for two persons
including the air tickets and accommodation in a five star hotel will
be cost 2,500 euros.
According to the ministry of economy, Armenians seek to spend their
vacations on the sea coast, preferring Jordan, Egypt, Sri Lanka and
Spain.
Extract from
MORMON PRESENCE IN TURKEY AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
Journal of Turkish Weekly (JTW)
February 11, 2016 Thursday
As far as Armenia is concerned, the church had a presence in the
Ottoman Empire prior to World War I, and proselytized to the various
ethnic groups within the empire's territories. The Book of Mormon
and other church books have been, in whole or in part, translated
into Eastern and Western Armenian for several years. During the
translation of the Book of Mormon into Modern Standard Turkish, an old
copy of the Book of Mormon that had been published in Ottoman Turkish
with Armenian characters was instrumental in helping to finish the
translation into Modern Turkish.
The church's presence in Armenia was facilitated in part by the work
of Jon M. Huntsman, a prominent businessman and member of the LDS
church, in whose name the basketball arena and cancer hospital at the
University of Utah were given. When the 1988 Spitak earthquake struck
Armenia shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mr. Huntsman
donated large amounts of supplies, money, and manpower to help Armenia
rebuild. There was not a church presence in Armenia at that time,
however these donations of the LDS Church facilitated the church`s
entry in the Republic of Armenia. The LDS Church has had a steady
presence in Armenia since the breakup of the USSR. In fact, the church
created its first "Stake" within the past 3 years (fully-functioning
group of congregations, with the larger congregations known as "Wards"
and the smaller ones known as "Branches"). The formation of a Stake
indicates that the church has matured and is fully formed in the area.
The church's mission in Armenia also covers the missionary activities
in the Republic of Georgia, where currently there is just one
congregation, which is located in Tbilisi.
Commonweal
Feb 13 2016
Last Word: Christian Iran
Ancient History, Ever New
by Christopher Thornton
On a dimly lit side street in central Tehran, a bright yellow light
shines above a wooden door. Step inside and you might imagine you had
left the Islamic Republic. An unveiled woman greets guests and leads
them to a spacious dining room, where other women have hung their
veils and monteaux at the door. It is early summer, so sleeveless tops
reveal bare arms and shoulders. When one patron produces a bottle of
Scotch, a waiter brings him a tumbler with ice.
This is one of Tehran's three Armenian clubs'informal `Islamic-free
zones' where Armenian Christians can socialize without the constraints
of Islamic law. There are other kinds of Christians in Iran'Assyrians
and Chaldeans, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox'but Armenians are
the most numerous. It is estimated that there are three hundred
thousand of them in Iran. They are allocated five seats in the
religious-minorities section of parliament, freely attend services in
the six hundred Armenian churches throughout the country, hold
observer status on the powerful Guardian Council, and operate their
own schools so that their children can be taught in the Armenian
language.
Christianity has a long history in Iran. The Acts of the Apostles tell
us that Parthians, Persians, and Medes converted to Christianity at
Pentecost, and the Parthian kings allowed the new religion to spread
throughout the empire. Christians fleeing Roman persecution found a
safe haven there. But for the next fifteen hundred years the fortunes
of Persian Christians were subject to the political conflicts that
swept across Asia. The fourth-century Zoroastrian ruler Shapour II
initially allowed religious freedom but then cracked down on both
Christians and Jews. In the early centuries of Islamic rule,
Christians enjoyed the status of a protected minority, but the
Crusades revived old religious tensions. The early Mongol rulers
converted to Christianity after they invaded in the thirteenth
century, but when later rulers opted for Islam, Christians were again
persecuted.
The Armenian community of Iran was formed in 1603, when Shah Abbas
allowed five-hundred thousand Armenian Christians who were persecuted
by the Ottoman Turks to resettle in Esfahan. Three centuries later,
the Armenian genocide of 1915 led fifty thousand more Armenians to
seek refuge in Iran, primarily in Tabriz, Tehran, and the enclave of
Esfahan that had come to be known as New Julfa, after the city in
Azerbaijan where the Armenians originated. As Reza Shah and his son
Mohammed Reza Shah sought to modernize Iran in the twentieth century,
Armenians rose to high positions in the government, as well as in the
arts and sciences.
Since its construction in 1606, Vank Cathedral has served as the
spiritual heart of the Julfa district. It is also one of Esfahan's
major tourist attractions. Christian pilgrims, foreign tourists, and
visiting Iranians all pass through its gates. In one corner of the
cathedral's grounds stands a memorial of the 1915 genocide'a slender
spire encircled by an apron of grass. Inside the Armenian Museum,
photographs and documents offer a moving record of the genocide.
Visitors, both Christian and Muslim, also gaze at handwritten Bibles,
distinctive crosses, vestments, and chalices.
The main attraction is the cathedral itself, where the beauty of the
Armenian religious tradition is revealed in all its glory. At the top
of the central dome the creation story is painted in patterns of blue
and gold. Winged cherubs, a traditional Armenian motif, decorate the
stone columns, and traditional Persian imagery appears in the floral
patterns that adorn the entrance ceiling.
The cathedral isn't the only church in Julfa. Knock on the wooden door
of the Church of St. Mary and a caretaker will open it to admit
visitors to the inner courtyard. Built by a wealthy silk merchant in
the seventeenth century, St. Mary's was later expanded to accommodate
overflow crowds. Then there is the Church of Bethlehem, where the life
of Jesus is portrayed in seventy-two wall paintings. The crosses of
both churches rise above their central domes to share the skyline with
the local minarets.
Many Westerners think of Iran as a theocratic monolith. They would no
doubt be surprised to discover Christians of various kinds living
there comfortably. Some of these Christian communities are ancient;
some arrived more recently, seeking asylum. But even the newcomers now
regard Iran as their home. They think of the Shiite majority not as
their hosts, but as neighbors with whom they have much in common. For
example, Muslim and Christian Iranians are united in their enthusiasm
for the recent nuclear deal, which will release their country from
stifling economic sanctions. In an interview with the Fides News
Agency, Hormoz Aslani Babroudi, director of the Pontifical Missionary
Society of Iran, offered his endorsement of the agreement:
`Christians, along with all the Iranian people, are rejoicing because
their prayers were answered. From now on it will be easier for the
world to have a positive view of Iran.' He added, `We do not consider
ourselves foreigners but Iranians, and we are proud of it.
YEREVAN, February 16. /ARKA/. Citizens of Armenia will be able to spend
their vacations in the Canary Islands this year, Vladimir Gevorgyan, a
member of the Inbound Tourism Travel Operators Union Board, said today.
Speaking at a news conference he said preliminary talks had been
conducted with tour operators and hotels in the Canary Islands and
in all likelihood charter flights will be operated from Armenia in
July and August to Las Palmas.
According to Gevorgyan, the flight will take from 6 to 7 hours,
almost as much as a flight to the coast of Spain.
"The only problem is a relatively high cost of the trip because of
high cost of the air ticket,' said Gevorgyan.
He specified that an all inclusive tour for 7-10 days for two persons
including the air tickets and accommodation in a five star hotel will
be cost 2,500 euros.
According to the ministry of economy, Armenians seek to spend their
vacations on the sea coast, preferring Jordan, Egypt, Sri Lanka and
Spain.
Extract from
MORMON PRESENCE IN TURKEY AND NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES
Journal of Turkish Weekly (JTW)
February 11, 2016 Thursday
As far as Armenia is concerned, the church had a presence in the
Ottoman Empire prior to World War I, and proselytized to the various
ethnic groups within the empire's territories. The Book of Mormon
and other church books have been, in whole or in part, translated
into Eastern and Western Armenian for several years. During the
translation of the Book of Mormon into Modern Standard Turkish, an old
copy of the Book of Mormon that had been published in Ottoman Turkish
with Armenian characters was instrumental in helping to finish the
translation into Modern Turkish.
The church's presence in Armenia was facilitated in part by the work
of Jon M. Huntsman, a prominent businessman and member of the LDS
church, in whose name the basketball arena and cancer hospital at the
University of Utah were given. When the 1988 Spitak earthquake struck
Armenia shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mr. Huntsman
donated large amounts of supplies, money, and manpower to help Armenia
rebuild. There was not a church presence in Armenia at that time,
however these donations of the LDS Church facilitated the church`s
entry in the Republic of Armenia. The LDS Church has had a steady
presence in Armenia since the breakup of the USSR. In fact, the church
created its first "Stake" within the past 3 years (fully-functioning
group of congregations, with the larger congregations known as "Wards"
and the smaller ones known as "Branches"). The formation of a Stake
indicates that the church has matured and is fully formed in the area.
The church's mission in Armenia also covers the missionary activities
in the Republic of Georgia, where currently there is just one
congregation, which is located in Tbilisi.
Commonweal
Feb 13 2016
Last Word: Christian Iran
Ancient History, Ever New
by Christopher Thornton
On a dimly lit side street in central Tehran, a bright yellow light
shines above a wooden door. Step inside and you might imagine you had
left the Islamic Republic. An unveiled woman greets guests and leads
them to a spacious dining room, where other women have hung their
veils and monteaux at the door. It is early summer, so sleeveless tops
reveal bare arms and shoulders. When one patron produces a bottle of
Scotch, a waiter brings him a tumbler with ice.
This is one of Tehran's three Armenian clubs'informal `Islamic-free
zones' where Armenian Christians can socialize without the constraints
of Islamic law. There are other kinds of Christians in Iran'Assyrians
and Chaldeans, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox'but Armenians are
the most numerous. It is estimated that there are three hundred
thousand of them in Iran. They are allocated five seats in the
religious-minorities section of parliament, freely attend services in
the six hundred Armenian churches throughout the country, hold
observer status on the powerful Guardian Council, and operate their
own schools so that their children can be taught in the Armenian
language.
Christianity has a long history in Iran. The Acts of the Apostles tell
us that Parthians, Persians, and Medes converted to Christianity at
Pentecost, and the Parthian kings allowed the new religion to spread
throughout the empire. Christians fleeing Roman persecution found a
safe haven there. But for the next fifteen hundred years the fortunes
of Persian Christians were subject to the political conflicts that
swept across Asia. The fourth-century Zoroastrian ruler Shapour II
initially allowed religious freedom but then cracked down on both
Christians and Jews. In the early centuries of Islamic rule,
Christians enjoyed the status of a protected minority, but the
Crusades revived old religious tensions. The early Mongol rulers
converted to Christianity after they invaded in the thirteenth
century, but when later rulers opted for Islam, Christians were again
persecuted.
The Armenian community of Iran was formed in 1603, when Shah Abbas
allowed five-hundred thousand Armenian Christians who were persecuted
by the Ottoman Turks to resettle in Esfahan. Three centuries later,
the Armenian genocide of 1915 led fifty thousand more Armenians to
seek refuge in Iran, primarily in Tabriz, Tehran, and the enclave of
Esfahan that had come to be known as New Julfa, after the city in
Azerbaijan where the Armenians originated. As Reza Shah and his son
Mohammed Reza Shah sought to modernize Iran in the twentieth century,
Armenians rose to high positions in the government, as well as in the
arts and sciences.
Since its construction in 1606, Vank Cathedral has served as the
spiritual heart of the Julfa district. It is also one of Esfahan's
major tourist attractions. Christian pilgrims, foreign tourists, and
visiting Iranians all pass through its gates. In one corner of the
cathedral's grounds stands a memorial of the 1915 genocide'a slender
spire encircled by an apron of grass. Inside the Armenian Museum,
photographs and documents offer a moving record of the genocide.
Visitors, both Christian and Muslim, also gaze at handwritten Bibles,
distinctive crosses, vestments, and chalices.
The main attraction is the cathedral itself, where the beauty of the
Armenian religious tradition is revealed in all its glory. At the top
of the central dome the creation story is painted in patterns of blue
and gold. Winged cherubs, a traditional Armenian motif, decorate the
stone columns, and traditional Persian imagery appears in the floral
patterns that adorn the entrance ceiling.
The cathedral isn't the only church in Julfa. Knock on the wooden door
of the Church of St. Mary and a caretaker will open it to admit
visitors to the inner courtyard. Built by a wealthy silk merchant in
the seventeenth century, St. Mary's was later expanded to accommodate
overflow crowds. Then there is the Church of Bethlehem, where the life
of Jesus is portrayed in seventy-two wall paintings. The crosses of
both churches rise above their central domes to share the skyline with
the local minarets.
Many Westerners think of Iran as a theocratic monolith. They would no
doubt be surprised to discover Christians of various kinds living
there comfortably. Some of these Christian communities are ancient;
some arrived more recently, seeking asylum. But even the newcomers now
regard Iran as their home. They think of the Shiite majority not as
their hosts, but as neighbors with whom they have much in common. For
example, Muslim and Christian Iranians are united in their enthusiasm
for the recent nuclear deal, which will release their country from
stifling economic sanctions. In an interview with the Fides News
Agency, Hormoz Aslani Babroudi, director of the Pontifical Missionary
Society of Iran, offered his endorsement of the agreement:
`Christians, along with all the Iranian people, are rejoicing because
their prayers were answered. From now on it will be easier for the
world to have a positive view of Iran.' He added, `We do not consider
ourselves foreigners but Iranians, and we are proud of it.
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