Nothing is new under the sun: part 2


Khoren I Muradbekyan: Catholicos of All Armenians was elected in 1932. From the day of the election, he was under the control of punitive bodies. During the investigation of the clergy, the task was to collect discrediting information about him and put pressure on the Catholicos. First, the Catholicos' brother, Levon Muradbekyan, was arrested and shot. The same fate befell his other brother, Sergey Muradbekyan, an employee of the Margara customs house. In 1938, Muradbekyan, Catholicos of All Armenians, also became a victim of terrorism organized by the authorities, being killed in the Veharan.
Source: RA Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Archives and National Archives
 

Nothing is new under the sun: part 1


The Bolshevik authorities launched an active struggle against the church with the church opposition called the “Free Church Brotherhood”. They declared themselves church reformers: they demanded the abolition of the hierarchal order of the Armenian Church, the class of high-ranking spiritual authorities, the order of celibacy, the abdication of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the election of a new Catholicos, who would be “of the people”, finally, “return the church to the believers” and limit the Armenian Church to the borders of Soviet Armenia. The task set before them was, in particular, to collect false accusations against the monks of St. Etchmiadzin and to forge manuscripts. The St. Gregory the Illuminator Church in Yerevan was given to the “Free Church Brotherhood” by the decision of the City Council. This sect did not have a long life. Its leader, Bishop Ashot Shakhyan, in 1927, before his death, wrote a petition to Catholicos Gevorg V, where he confessed the wrongness of his step and asked to return his title. The defrocked bishop dies in solitude, abandoned even by his political patrons.
Source: RA Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Archives and National Archives

ACYO 25


The World Armenian Church Youth Organization celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It all began in 2001, when Armenia celebrated the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion. Under the direction of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, a youth office was established, the goal of which was to activate the involvement of youth in the life of the Armenian Church. It was on the basis of this structure that the World Armenian Church Youth Organization- the ACYO, was established years later.

Preparation for the Mother Cathedral re-consecration and blessing of the Holy Muron ceremonies


For the Mother Cathedral re-consecration and blessing of the Holy Muron to be held on September 28, 29, new church festive outfits are embroidered and sewn with Armenian ornaments. The works of restoration of church accessories and dishes of the Mother Cathedral are performed by the best specialists.

 

Lusine Zakaryan


She was the first who not only performed spiritual songs, medieval verses, hymns, but also performed them on international stages. She was the soloist of the cathedral choir for more than 30 years. The film presents the merits of Lusine Zakaryan and the five-year activity of the house museum named after her.

Monologue of a Terlemezyan student: Vardan Petrosyan


Terlemezyan, the Painting School previously, was opened in a period when hundreds of people died every day in Yerevan from hunger and disease. There was no paint, pencil and paper. The school has been renamed several times over the decades, but the traditions created by the founders have been preserved. In 1926, it was named "Geghard" art-industrial technical school, since 1938, Art School, in 1941, it was named after the great Armenian artist Panos Terlemezyan.

Hakob Movses: The sacrament of Resurrection


The essence of Christianity is resurrection. In history, hundreds of thousands of people were crucified before Christ, crucifixion was just a form of punishment, but only one, Jesus Christ, was resurrected. Poet, translator Hakob Movses presents his perception of the sacrament of resurrection, reads his poems written on the subject.

Displacement stories


Stories of forcibly displaced people from different settlements of Artsakh

More than 300 people forcibly displaced from Artsakh now live in Ranchpar village of Ararat region. Their rented apartments are in a poor condition: they have no kitchen, bathroom, beds and household appliances. Usually several people sleep in one room. Most of the forcibly displaced Artsakh residents do not have jobs.

An ongoing feat


In October 2022, the Armenian island of St. Lazarus in Venicehosted about 200 people who appreciate humanitarian values from different countries of the world to talk together about humanitarianism in a broken world and to thank all the unknown and famous brave people working in the world. The film tells the story of 2022. About the awarding of the "Aurora" Humanitarian Award. The participants are: Co-founders of "Aurora" Ruben Vardanyan and Nubar Afeyan, Chairman of the Creative Council Marine Ales, Patriarchal Delegate of Western Europe Khajak Parsamyan, members of the selection committee for the "Aurora" Award, Director of the Center for Globalization Studies of Yale University, former President of Mexico Ernesto Cedillo, Pulitzer Prize winner laureate Dele Olojede, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson and 2019 "Aurora" award winner Mirza Dina.

 

In Raffi Musakhanyan's studio


Abstraction is your inner energy, which you bring out every time based on a specific situation"- artist, sculptor Raffi Musakhanyan is creating. 

The Godfather - Ararat Melkumyan


This year the Godfather of the cross of the Water Blessing service at the end of the Christmas liturgy in St. Mariane Church in Ashtarak is the hero of Artsakh, Major General Ararat Melkumyan. The high-ranking military serviceman took the sacred cross to his place of residence and service in Artsakh. In Artsakh, the sacred cross was taken in military bases, in the families of fallen servicemen, in ancient sanctuaries.

Holy Nativity Journey


Rev. Fr. Mushe Vahanyan takes the children of families settled in the Aparan region after the 2020 Artsakh war to a trip. They have to celebrate the Holy Nativity.