Armenian News

Sassounian on the Hye Seas with Armenian Heritage Cruise XIV
By Maria Tavitian

Organizers of the Armenian Heritage Cruise recently announced that Harut

Sassounian, a well-known Armenian American journalist and political

commentator, and a leader in humanitarian causes, will join them in the

January 2011 Cruise XIV.

“We are proud and honored to have such a prominent Armenian American

join us on the Armenian Heritage Cruise XIV, participate in town hall-style

meetings, and talk about current events,” said a spokesman for the

Organizing Committee.

Sassounian is the publisher of the California Courier newspaper. His

weekly editorials, translated into several languages, are published in

scores of newspapers around the world and posted on numerous

websites. He has a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia

University and an MBA from Pepperdine University.

As president of the United Armenian Fund, Sassounian has managed the

procurement and delivery of $600 million of humanitarian aid to Armenia

during the past 20 years. As senior vice president of Kirk Kerkorian’s

Lincy Foundation, he has overseen $240 million of infrastructure projects

in Armenia and Artsakh (Karabagh).

From 1978-82, Sassounian worked as an international marketing executive

for Procter & Gamble in Geneva, Switzerland. He was a human rights

delegate at the United Nations for 10 years and played a leading role in the

recognition of the Armenian Genocide by a UN committee in 1985.

He is author of The Armenian Genocide: The World Speaks Out, Documents

and Declarations, 1915-2005, published in English and Arabic. He is also

the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and has been decorated by

the president and prime minister of the Republic of Armenia, the president

of Artsakh, and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic Churches.

The cruise is a reputable and highly popular annual maritime event that attracts

hundreds of Armenians and friends from over 30 countries. Participants enjoy

a week-long festival of Armenian heritage and culture by way of quality

entertainment, enticing performances by renowned singers, comedians,

dancers, and musicians. They also take part in highly insightful and

educational town hall meetings and panel discussions by well-informed

leaders in their respective fields.

For more information or to reserve a cabin, contact TravelGroup International

by calling 1-866-447-0750 ext #103, emailing AHC@travelgroupint.com, or

visiting www.ArmenianHeritageCruise

[if you want to discuss this cruise, do contact me by email to arrangea chat]

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHEDRAL IN GANDZASAR IS 770 YEARS OLD
Tert.am
11:33 12.07.10

On 11 July President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan partook at
solemn ceremonies dedicated to the 770th anniversary of dedication of
the St. John the Baptist Cathedral of the Gandzasar monastic complex
in the village of Vank in Martakert region.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, chairman of the National Assembly Ashot
Ghoulyan, premier Ara Haroutyunyan, other high ranking officials,
numerous guests from Armenia and abroad took part in the ceremonies.

VARDAVAR - ARMENIAN NATIONAL TRADITION
Noyan Tapan
11.07.2010

Imagine yourself walking along the street in one of the modern capital
cities in summer heat. Suddenly, a group of children or teenagers
come up to you running and pour pails of water over you.....You are
astonished, confused and do not know what to do. Call the police,
complaint, cry, or what else can you do? It is difficult to answer
this question, if you are in Germany, France, Russia or elsewhere.

Only if you are in Armenia the answer turns out to be quite clear. The
only thing to do is just smile and laugh from the heart, as here,
on the successive 14th Sunday of Saint Easter, the people celebrate a
national religious holiday - the so-called Vardavar. And the tradition
of spilling water on each other dates back from the remote ages
(the holiday falls at the period from June 28 till August 1).

As for an ancient legend pagan Godess Astghik had spread love on
Armenian earth by pouring water from roses.

Vardavar (Transfiguration, Brilliance) is one of the most favorite,
joyful and noteworthy holidays in Armenia. After adopting Christianity
this holiday had some changes and now days it is celebrated
as a holiday devoted to the well-known event of the Christ's
transfiguration, when he appeared to his disciples on the Mount
Tabor in his brightened appearance. According to some specialists,
Vardavar holiday is also related to the Flood and the Noah's decent
from the Ark.

Vardavar is one of the most ancient Armenian holidays. It was
celebrated by the pagan Armenians and, therefore, the holiday's customs
of pagan times including spilling water on each other, making the
pigeons fly etc., are still maintained. By tradition, Armenian month
Navasard begins on the day when Noah finds his refuge on the Mount
Ararat during the Flood and then comes down from the top. Noah orders
his sons to pour water over each other for the memory of the Flood.

Vardavar was celebrated by starting pilgrimages to the sanctuaries
and saint waters situated on the well-known mountains.

During the holiday's celebration the people were gathering the
wheat-ears in the fields and took them to the church for blessing to
keep the fields away from the hail and damages. Girls were collecting
multi-colored bouquets of flowers (especially bunches of a yellow
flower called "vartiver") and have been furtively throwing them to
the gardens and yards of their relatives and neighbors. They were
also knitting bunches from the wheatears, so called khachburs,

Vardavar is a very festive and brilliant holiday: young people lighted
fires and met the dawn dancing shurjpar (round dance) around them. The
dances were accompanied with songs, plays and jokes. In the morning
girls visited all the houses and were given presents for the bunches
of flowers thrown to their yards.

In the mountainous places, fairs, picnics, joyful performances and
plays of tightrope walkers were organized.

The most remarkable and important tradition of Vardavar holiday was
the ceremony of making the pigeons fly. The pigeons grown up during
the whole year especially for Vardavar holiday were flying in the
sky admiring the audience and especially their proud keeper-trainers.

Another very marvelous and interesting ceremony of Vardavar is the
tradition of pouring water on each other, which is preserved till
our times. From morning till night all the people both young and
old, men and women, children and adults, friends and strangers,
collect water in their pails and other pans and spill water on each
other. Nobody is offended by. On that day, the people are merry,
friendly and kind. For the children and teenagers this is the most
expected and favorite holidays in the year.

Vardavar is a very beautiful holiday. So, instead of hearing about
it for several times you'd rather just visit Armenia and participate
in this cheerful holiday.