#armenianhighland
Pope Francis and Catholicos KarekinII release dovesat the Khor Virap monastery towards Mount Ararat in Armenia.
and on the seventeenth day of the seventh month the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. - Genesis 8:11
So he waited yet another seven days; and again he sent out the dovefrom the ark. The dove came to him toward evening, and behold, in her beak was a freshly picked olive leaf. So Noahknew that the water was abated from the earth. Then he waited yet another seven days, and sent out the dove; but she did not return to him again. - Genesis 8:11
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Սուրբ Սանդուխտ
Holy Sandukht
Thefirst saint In the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Virgin Sandukht, who was martyred for her faith, she was the daughter of the Armenian King Sanatruk in the first century AD.
The Armenian Church observes the Feast of St. Thaddeus the Apostle and St. Sandukht the Virgin. This Story sheds light on the early days of Christianity in Armenia.
St. Thaddeus and Saint Bartholomew, two of the twelve holy apostles of Jesus Christ, were charged by Saint Peter, leader of the disciples, to spread Christianity in Armenia in the 1st century A.D. St. Thaddeus converted King Abgar V the Black, the first Christian king and a historical Armenian ruler of the kingdom of Osroene, holding his capital at Edessa. A vassal of the kingdom of Armenia. The king along with Thaddeus baptised and converted of all the people of Edessa. Here St. Thaddeus built a church and ordained priests and deacons.
After leaving Edessa, the apostle traveled to northern Armenia, bearing the spear of christ given him by Peter and a letter from King Abgar. He finally arrived at the town of Shavarshan, where King of Armenia Sanatruk lived. Thaddeus preached in people’s homes, in hidden underground chambers, in marketplaces, and in the streets.
Sandukht learned about Christ, when her nurse confessed her commitment to the Christian faith, the princess sparked by curiosity, disguised herself as an ordinary woman and followed her nurse to a Christian gathering. Intrigued, Sandukht continued attending the Christian gatherings. The Christian faith made such an impact on Sandukht’s life that she decided to convert. She declared her belief in Christ and was baptized, But when the king’s spies reported the news to her father, Sanatrouk was enraged. In an attempt to discourage his daughter, he promised to allow her to marry the man she loved, an exceptional horseman named Zareh, and to enjoy life in a comfortable palace, surrounded by endless riches.
Sandukht declined his offer of this extravagant life, infuriated by his daughter, the king sentenced the princess to jail. Zareh visited her in prison, begging her to return to him and to her old Armenian faith, but nothing could sway Sandukht. Meanwhile, the news of Sandukht’s imprisonment spread throughout Armenia. Increasingly, people began to accept the Christian faith, and they prayed for Sandukht’s release. Even some of the king’s soldiers became believers and converted. Further enraged, yet mostly moved by the love for his daughter, the King summoned Sandukht from prison to give her a last chance to renounce her new faith and to claim allegiance to her father and his pagan gods. He asked his daughter to choose between the crown and the sword,either she would renounce Christianity and serve as a pagan princess or face death.
Sandukht chose the sword, knowing that Christianity would soon blossom in Armenia. The young princess was ordered to be executed. During this difficult time, she drew strength from St. Thaddeus, who encouraged her to be firm, reminding her that she would soon be with her Saviour. Thaddeus was also executed by the king. Zareh was among the many Armenians who were moved by Sandukht’s faith, and who also converted to Christianity. King Sanatruk continued the orders for the executions of Christians, including Zareh. Their sacrifice planted the seeds of the Christian faith in Armenia
Legends say that immediately after one of the soldiers thrust his sword into the holy virgin’s heart “a sweet fragrance filled the air and a light shone from heaven in the form of a fiery pillar that hovered over Santoukhd’s body for three days and three nights.” More than two thousand people that witnessed these events, it is said, all converted and were baptized that night. St. Sandukht’s body was buried and entombed by St. Thaddeus at the same site. St. Sandukht was martyred on the 15th of December.
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We are few, but we are called Armenians.
We do not put ourselves above anyone.
Simply our fortune has just been so different.
Simply we have just shed too much blood.
Simply in our lives of centuries long.
When we were many and when we were strong.
Even then we did not oppress any nation.
See, centuries have come and centuries have passed,
yet over no one have we become tyrants.
If we have enslaved, only with our eyes.
And if we have ruled, only with our books.
If we have prevailed, only with our talents.
And if we have ever oppressed,
it has only been with our wounds.
Մենք քիչ ենք‚ սակայն մեզ հայ են ասում by Paruyr SevakpartII
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Armenian girl with identification scaring on chest and face, 1919.
Credit: Underwood & Underwood/Corbis
In the 1920’s thousands of Armenian girls and women managed to escape the Armenian Genocide by fleeing to Syria. Armenian girls were kept in slavery and forced into prostitution. In order to identify them and prevent their escape, their Turkish pimps tattooed their face, arms and chest.
The girl in the photo had just been rescued from a Turkish house and was cared for by the Y.W.C.A workers at Aleppo.
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Faces of political demonstration
Portraits made at one of the Armenian electional meetings of opposition.
Political corruption in Armenia is a widespread and growing problem in Armenian society. Armenia is facing problems by being bullied into decisions by the Russian federation. Armenia is often described as the country in exile as its borders are one of the most closed in the world. Turkey and Azerbaijan lead an aggressive genocidal policy towards Armenia backed by our northern neighboring country Georgia as their ally. Armenia has also faced in the past hundred years Genocide, Invasion by Soviet, Multiple massacres by the Azeri and Soviet regime. Economic, cultural and political abuse by Soviet, Collapse of the Soviet Union, earthquake, war with neighboring Azerbaijan, a decreasing population and an inability to maintain a democratic society. This only the past hundred years, beforehand Armenia and Armenians were heavily abused, neglected, raped, mistreated and persecuted by Ottomans, Seljuk’s, Turks, Kurds, Arabs and have had from less to none freedom both in a political and cultural, spiritual and individual sense in the one thousand years
Photographs taken by the very talented Suren Manvelyan
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Book Illustrations From The Daredevils Of Sassoun: Part II
TheArmenian epic Daredevils of Sassoun recounts the story of David of Sassoun, a defiant and self-reliant youth, who by the grace of God defends his homeland in an unequal duel against the evil. The epic falls within the tradition of heroic folktales that dramatize and voice the deepest sentiments and aspirations of a nation. The epic is told in a lyrical voice with rhythmic enunciation, while separate cantos are sung in a rhyming poetic style. It is performed annually on the first Saturday of October (Epic Day holiday in some villages), during weddings, birthdays, christenings and major national cultural events. Usually the epos teller sits, wearing national costume and is accompanied on the duduk, a woodwind instrument. The epic-telling art has no gender, age or professional limitations. It is transmitted through families as a vocation, most strongly in rural communities with close links to folklore culture. There are 160 variants. Performances nowadays last up to two hours with the epic narrated in parts. It is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Armenian folklore, functioning as an encyclopaedia and repository of the entire range of knowledge about the heritage of Armenian people, their religion, mythology, philosophy, cosmology, customs and ethics.
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We are few but we are called Armenians,
we do not put ourselves above anyone
Simply we also admit that we, only we have Mount Ararat,
and that it is right here on the clear Sevan
that the sky could make it’s exact duplicate
Simply David has indeed fought right here.
Simply the Narek was written right here.
Simply we know how to build from the rock, a monastery.
How to make fish from stone, how to make man from clay.
To learn to become the student of the beautiful,
the kind, the noble, and the good.
Մենք քիչ ենք‚ սակայն մեզ հայ են ասում by Paruyr SevakpartI
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The month of March has begun and with it marks the end of winter. Life will yet again prevail and find a way. Let us celebrate this years winter in Armenia with beautiful photography by the amazing Suren Manvelyan and with the poem ‘The Snow’ by the great Paruyr Sevak.
I love the snow,
when it falls down from the invisible sky
down to the sidewalks.
And swiftly, slowly there you go to wander.
Without knowing yourself, you go on to dream.
That, in life, is noble and flawless.
Սիրում եմ ես ձյունը,
Երբ որ նա իջնում է
Անտես երկինքներից այս մայթերին,
Եվ մեծաքա՜յլ , դանդա՜ղ դու շրջում ես,
Ինքդ էլ չիմանալով անրջում ես Այն,
ինչ կյանքում վեհ է և անթերի:
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Աշխեն Հովակիմյան
Ashkhen Hovakimian
Anglicised toAgnes Joaquim. She was an Armenian woman who bred the world’s first cultivated orchid hybrid, Vanda ‘Miss Joaquim’. This flower was chosen on 15th april 1981 as the national flower of Singapore, for it’s resilence and year-round blooming quality, ment to represent Singapore’s uniqueness and hybrid culture. Joaquim was inducted in the Singapore Women’s Hall of Fame in 2015.
Ashkhen was the eldest daughter to Basil, her father who was an Armenain merchant and commercial agent and her mother Urelia, also an Armenian who was an avid gardener. Ashkhen joined in with her mothers interests as well as being an active member of the Armenian Church. She was also a very skilled embroiderer.
Agnes lived a very short life, dying only at the age of forty five. She managed to achieve very much in her short life. Winning prizes annualy at flower shows and won the prize of the rarest orchid at the 1899 annual flower show. Shortly after she died from cancer. Her flower was used as symbols for various organizations, societys and political parties. In april 1981 came the ultimate honour, from from forty contenders, her flower was selected as the national flower of Singapore.
Her family members were also highly successful. Narcis street in Singapore is named after her brother Nerses. Her Brothers Jonathan and Robert were well known barristers and founders of the legal Company Braddel Brothers. Another brother of hers Arathoon was the Deputy registrar of the Hacnkey Carriges Department. Ashkhens grandniece also cultivated famous flowers. Also Ashkhens maternal grandfather was the first member of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, They are all a small part of the unique Armenian community of Singapore.
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Armeniangirl in traditional clothes,
(1900 hundreds) Galata, Constantinople, Tchobanian brothers atelier.
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