Azat Adamyan


After the April War, Azat Adamyan founded the “Bardak” pub in Stepanakert, which soon became a favorite gathering place for young people and tourists from Artsakh. During the 44-day war, he volunteered for the 7th defense unit called “Yeghnikner”, where he was wounded in October. Later, in 2023, when Azerbaijan attacked Artsakh, Azat participated in the defense of Khramort. Now, Azat has reopened the “Bardak” pub in Stepanakert in Yerevan. He also aims to create his own new Artsakh in an abandoned village in Armenia.

The clergy of the Aragatsotn Diocese held a joint liturgy in the Aragats Church


During the joint liturgy, the faithful prayed for the holy priests Mkrtich, Bagrat, Michael, Arshak, priest Garegin under house arrest, benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, and Armenians in illegal imprisonment and captivity. At the end of the liturgy, the “Patriarchal hymn” was sung. The clergy of the diocese will hold the next joint liturgy on January 29, at 7:00 PM, in the Saghmosavank monastery complex.

 

Vahagn Samvelyan


Vahagn became known and loved by the public from the TV series “The Last Teacher”, where he played the role of Armen. He was seriously injured as a result of Azerbaijani aggression in Artsakh and spent days in an artificial coma. 21-year-old Vahagn was a conscript, he had been drafted into the army for two months when the war began. Now he is an actor in a drama theater, he still bears the consequences of the war, he can only see with one eye, but he always looks forward, accepting this blow of life.

Sacrilege is condemned by history and God's judgment


The clergy and faithful of the Aragatsotn Diocese were participating in the liturgy at the St. John's Church in Byurakan. The church calendar lists January 15 as the feast of the birth of John the Baptist.

In spring, the circus school of the Nork Youth Center is preparing to perform on the stage of the Tashir Arena.


The Gagik Ginosyan Circus School has been active this year, the opening ceremony of the Tashir Arena, where they performed a separate performance, is memorable for the students. The Nork Youth Center Circus School has been adopted as a circus base. In addition, the students of the Youth Center's singing, dancing, sports, and decorative applied arts classes have returned with awards from concerts, competitions, and festivals.

 

Hayaser Hayrapetyan


Hayaser Hayrapetyan is from the village of Chartar, Artsakh. He was born in 1992, days after his father's death. After graduating from school, he entered the Fine Arts Department of Artsakh State University, and taught for many years in Chartar and several nearby art schools. He participated in the 44-day war as a volunteer. After the war, he continued to paint, while at the same time, he was transferred to the intelligence service in the "Martuni 3" military unit. On September 19, 2023, he was wounded in the head. After being in a coma for five days, he was taken to Yerevan by resuscitation vehicle. After being wounded, he had trouble speaking, even forgetting to write and read. Hayaser had intended to open a large exhibition in Artsakh, but his paintings and sculptures remained at home. Only a small statuette dedicated to his mother and two paintings with Artsakh landscapes were brought to Armenia.

Rev. Father Paren Arakelyan


Father Paren Arakelyan insists that the voice of the priest always reaches the right place. Every diocese has a responsible clergyman, before reaching the executive priest to the assembly, the priest first listens to the opinions of other priests serving in his diocese, and only then puts them on the table of the assembly for discussion. These questions and suggestions are assigned to a priest, who raises them with the Patriarch. Father Paren, the spiritual pastor of Saghmosavank, considers the claim that the voice of the priests is not heard to be false. He is sure that the life of the church is organized and there is no need to reorganize it. According to him, those who exclude themselves from the church are deviating. Church servants are obliged to follow and obey the rules and regulations, which are the backbone of the church.

On the occasion of the feast of Saint Hakob Mtsbna, his right-shaped relic was moved to Gyumri


The Armenian Church celebrated the commemoration day of Saint Hakob Mtsbna, the hermit Maruge, and Bishop Melitos. The faithful went from the yard of the Yotverk Church in Gyumri to Saint Hakob Church, where they prayed for the imprisoned Bishops Michael, Bagrat, Mkrtich, and Arshak, for the benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, for the defense of the homeland and the Church, for the Armenians held in prisons in Armenia and Baku.

The next hearing on the appeal against Archbishop Michael's verdict has been scheduled for January 13


The Criminal Court of Appeals has postponed the hearing of the appeals against the verdict of Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan due to the absence of public prosecutors. Earlier, the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction sentenced Archbishop Mikayel to 2 years in prison. The defense demands that the first instance verdict be overturned, recognizing Archbishop Mikayel's innocence. The prosecutor's office demands that the term of imprisonment of the archbishop be extended by 2 years and 6 months. The Mother See and Archbishop Mikayel claim that the authorities are politically persecuting him.

The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the commemoration day of Saint Abgar the Patriarch


On the occasion of the holiday, the clergy of the Aragatsotn and Artik dioceses and the faithful of the community visited the Yotverq Church in Gyumri. The celebrant was Father Hovhannes Torgomyan, a monk of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and spiritual director of the Izmirlian Medical Center. The faithful and the clergy prayed for the imprisoned Bishops Michael, Bagrat, Mkrtich, Arshak, benefactor Samvel Karapetyan, and all those illegally imprisoned.

 

The Patriarch's housing-construction program


Under the direction of the Catholicos of All Armenians, the Social Services Office of the Mother See has donated 19 apartments to earthquake-affected families from Gyumri, Spitak, and other vulnerable areas over the past ten years, and provided 6 apartments to Armenian families from Artsakh. His Holiness keeps the issues of priests’ living in the center of his attention. In the summer of 2005, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Christian charitable organization “Habitat International” announced a joint fight against homelessness in Armenia. Assistance was provided to 42 communities, 108 families regained their hope and optimism for life. The program not only helped to complete half-built buildings, but also taught people to appreciate support, to reciprocate what they received, if necessary, by extending a helping hand to another person in need.

With the assistance of the Catholicos of All Armenians, a disabled soldier will receive a prosthetic leg in India


Artashes Amiryan's legs were frostbitten during the Artsakh war at the Omar positions. Later, doctors were forced to amputate his leg. After a chance meeting with the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Mother Cathedral, His Holiness offered him to travel to India with his assistance for prosthetics. Since 2020, dozens of soldiers injured as a result of the Artsakh war have been treated and prosthetically fitted in the best medical institutions abroad, restoring their quality of life, with the direct assistance of the Patriarch of All Armenians.