Armenian Jerusalem
Book Review: “The Call of the Crane” APRIL 24, 2016 "Who remembers the Armenians?" Hitler once taunted. History has made a mockery of his infamous claim, for who does not remember and mourn the destruction of a million and a half innocent Armenians a century ago? Dispossessed, driven out of their homes, cast out into the desert, annihilated for no other reason other than that they worshipped a different God.

The Nightingale that flew away

April 20, 2016 Anna Vahan Baghsarian, beautiful, elegant, gentle nightingale of the Armenian Quarter's Baghsarian clan, has flown away, after a lingering debilitation. Her voice, before we had even heard of Feirouz, ignited our soul. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her, and all who love music. Uncovering unknown mystic masterpieces April 18, 2016 A thousand years ago, a monk in a distant monastery in the western Armenian province of Reshdunik, picked up a reed pen and began etching out what would later become known as the first great Armenian mystic and liturgical poetry. Krikor Naregatsi (Gegory of Nareg), who spent his entire life in the monastery, died at the relatively young age of 50, but what he has left behind has outlived his time and age: as long as one Armenian heart beats anywhere in this world, his inspired odes and lamentations will continue to find an echo there.

Guardians pledge to restore Edicule

JERUSALEM, March 29, 2016 The Three Guardians of the Holy Places (the Greek and Armenian Orthodox Patriarchates and the Franciscan Custodia) have pledged to begin renovating the tomb of Jesus (the Edicule) in the Holy Sepulchre church, at an estimated cost of 3m Euros. The work is expected to start within a few weeks and take up to 8 months to complete. The last time the Edicule was restored was 200 years ago.

Abp Shirvanian resigns from post

JERUSALEM, March 25, 2016 The highly esteemed Archbishop Aris Shirvanian has resigned from his position as head of both the Secretariat and Ecumenical Department of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, after several years of sterling service. He is being replaced by Fr Goryoun Baghdasarian, lecturer at the Armenian seminary, and a former private secretary to the late Patriarch Torkom Manoogian.

Church loses eminent leader

LYONS, FRANCE, March 16, 2016 The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has lost one of its most eminent leaders, Archbishop Tavit Sahagian, former Grand Sacristan under the late Patriarch, Torkom Manoogian. Sahagian had been suffering from kidney ailments. He had served the church in various postings around the world, and had settled in France recently. His nephew, Serop Sahagian, has penned this touching obituary in tribute.

“Gentle Prince” passes away

CALIFORNIA, USA, February, 2016 Alfred Kevorkian, nephew of the great musician and composer, Ohan Dourian, has passed away after a long illness, scant weeks after losing another uncle, the eminent philosopher Haig Khatchadourian. He gained his 15 minutes of fame early in life when he underwent the first open-heart surgery in the Middle East. He was always known as a gentle, cheerful person, ever eager to lend a hand. He spent several years in Saudi Arabia working as a teacher before retiring in the US. His loss further devastates the Khatchadourian clan, one of Jerusalem Armenians grandest.

Irretrievable loss

SYDNEY, Feb 2016 Within a matter of weeks earlier this year, the Armenian community of Jerusalem was decimated by the loss of four of its members. One family alone, the Stepanians of "Dar el 'Ajayez", lost their first-born, Kevork, only days after the death of his sister Arousiag. The devastating development was followed by the departure of Hagop Mnatzaganian, a man of many sorrows. And soon after, the whole Armenian world became poorer for the absence of the great philosopher, Haig Khatchadourian.

Jerusalem Armenian heroes

All Armenians, not only Jerusalemites, owe a great debt of gratitude to the unsung heroes, particularly Khatchig Bekarian, Ardavazt Minassian, Anoush Nakkashian and Father Ghevond who are so selflessly and diligently striving to place Armenian Jerusalem on the map. Their untiring efforts have resulted in bringing to the attention of all those who love Jerusalem the unique place Armenians occupy in its history. Long may they continue to live and serve Armenian Jerusalem.

Armenian Patriarchate renovation work

JERUSALEM, Feb 2016 The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem has completed partial structural restoration at our magnificent Cathedral of St James with the intention of pursuing a fullscale restoration at some future date. In order to accomplish this immensely important undertaking, the Patriarchate has launched appeal for help and support from Armenians all over the world. Click here for full text of Patriarchate statement on the restoration project.

New book on Armenian genocide

Haygan Mardikjan has published a new book, called “The Call of the Crane,” as a testimony to the valiant spirit of courage and endurance under inhuman suffering displayed by her Armenian grandparents who survived the Turkish genocide. The book was originally written in Dutch and translated into English by Sarah Owen who has dedicated her work to the memory of Raffi Hagopian who passed away in the US nine years ago. The book will be reviewed here shortly.

Gulbenkian support for “Armenian Jerusalem”

The august Gulbenkian philanthropic Foundation has expressed its unwavering support for the "Armenian Jerusalem" heritage

preservation project with a timely grant that has enabled us upgrade and update both the hardware and software required to

design and manage the website which has now moved to a permanent address at http://armenian-jerusalem.org

News Archives
SYDNEY, June 2017 Khatchig Dikbikian (Chris Dikian) has passed away short of his 80th birthday, after a long struggle with cancer. He leaves behind his wife Seta, his son Jack and daughter Suzie and two grandchildren. His life was anything but ordinary: he was actually born in Greece, and lived there for a few years under the Nazi occupation. It was a painful struggle for existence, but he managed to pull through, eventually landing in Beirut where he established a pharmacy. But it was Australia that was to be his home for the past few decades. And it is here where he developed his cultural gifts, writing articles, broadcasting, teaching Armenian. His voluntary community work saw him recognized with an award by the Rotary Club.

Jerusalem Armenian loses another “bantukhd”

July, 2017 In an article entitled “Fascinating Armenian Jerusalem,” Jirair Tutunjian explains that “while many Armenians know that the Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem’s Old City covers one-sixth of the city, many Armenians, including even some living in Jerusalem, don’t know the many Armenian-related facts which make our presence in the Holy City so significant.” And proceeds to regale us with intriguing and amazing tidbits about our beloved city. For instance, he reveals a long- dorman secret that Maymar Sinan (1489-1588), the Armenian engineer-architect from the Agirnas village near Caesarea, was responsible for building the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. As chief architect of the Ottoman palace, he was in charge of the construction of more than 300 structures—mosques, hospitals, public kitchens, schools, mausoleums, baths, palaces, mansions, bridges, aqueducts, and caravansaries. He circled (in the mid-1530s) Jerusalem with the 4 kilometer walls including 34 watchtowers and seven gates.

Fascinating Jerusalem

The Armenians of Jerusalem mourn the loss of another of its blythe spirits, Dickran Dickranian. He was ever the epitome of the cultured gentleman, A gentle soul helfpul and considerate, a warm, cheerful presence in the Armenian Quarter ofJerusalem. He left the city of his birth when quite young and spent most of his adult life in the USA. He is the brother of leading Armenian educator Yeghya Dickranian, deputy principal of the Sts Tarmanchats parish school.

RIP Dickran Dickranian

Feb, 2018