MARCH 26, 2016 Mirror-SpeTHE ARMENIAN ctator Volume LXXXVI, NO. 36, Issue 4430 $ 2.00 NEWS The First English Language Armenian Weekly in the United States Since 1932 INBRIEF Armenia Condemns Members of Congress Terrorism in any Form Request Assistance for Armenian President Sargisian YEREVAN (Armenpress) — President Serge Armenia, Karabagh Sargisian sent a condolence letter to Prime To Visit Boston March 28-31 Minister Charles Michel of Belgium on March 22, WASHINGTON — This week, 33 after with the explosions in the Brussels airport Members of Congress sent a letter to the WATERTOWN – President of the Republic of and subway, which claimed the lives of dozens of Appropriations Subcommittee on State, By Aram Arkun Armenia Serge Sargisian is making an official visit innocents. Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Mirror-Spectator Staff to Boston with several cabinet ministers and other “At this difficult time, I express my condolences Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) and Armenian officials from March 28 to 31. Aside from and support to you, the friendly people of Belgium Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) in participating in events at Harvard University, the and the victims’ families and wish courage and support of continued US assistance in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Tufts University, he will be vis- patience. Armenia strongly condemns terrorism in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 budget for the iting several Armenian institutions. Two ceremonial events, at the Massachusetts any form and is committed to bringing its contri- Republics of Armenia and Nagorno State House and at the Armenian Heritage Park, are completely open to the pub- bution to the international fight against this evil. “ Karabagh, the Samtskhe-Javakheti region lic and free. Similarly, President of the National Assembly of of Georgia, and at-risk minorities in the The visit is being coor- the Republic of Armenia Galust Sahakyan sent a Middle East, reports the Armenian dinated by the Mass- condolence letter to President of the Belgian Senate Assembly of America. achusetts Armenian Christine Defraigne and Presidents of the Belgian “Continued US support in the region is Genocide Centennial Chamber of Representatives Siegfried Bracke. critically important,” the letter read. Committee. The three “I am deeply shocked by the horrible terror acts Members of Congress requested at least co-chairmen remain that occurred in Brussels. We harshly condemn $5 million for humanitarian and develop- Anthony Barsamian these terrible acts that claimed lives of numerous ment programs in Nagorno Karabagh, James M. Kalustian and people. I think the civilized society must struggle appropriating no less than $40 million in Ara Nazarian. against this evil with consolidated efforts prohibit- overall economic aid (including Economic Kalustian declared, “It ing the spread of intolerance and extremism. I Support Fund, International Narcotics is a great honor for our express our condolence and solidarity to the rela- Control and Law Enforcement, and Global community to have the tives of the victims on behalf of me and the Health Programs) for Armenia, suspending president come and visit. National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, all military aid to Azerbaijan, allocating at This is the oldest wishing them patience and fortitude, and speedy least 10 percent of aid given to Georgia Armenian community in recovery to the injured.” towards funding sustainable job-creation America, and one of the programs in Samtskhe-Javakheti, enhanc- best organized and inte- ing Section 907 of the FREEDOM grated.” He explained Archdiocese of Boston Support Act, and reinstating Karabagh in that the president was To Hold its First-Ever the Organization for Security and Co-oper- originally scheduled to ation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group come to the opening of Armenian Genocide peace process as a full negotiating partner. the Armenian Heritage “The Assembly applauds the initiative park some four years Commemoration supported by over 30 Members of ago, but was unable to BOSTON — Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley said last Congress and their efforts to ensure the do so due to week that the Archdiocese of Boston will hold its well-being of Armenia and Artsakh. I look see VISIT, page 16 first commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, forward to working with Congressional the latest Catholic Church effort to acknowledge see ASSISTANCE, page 16 the events that killed 1.5 million a century ago. O’Malley is set to preside over a 4 p.m. prayer ser- vice April 23 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End. In a statement, O’Malley referred to an acknowl- An Inheritance of edgment last year by Pope Francis that the World War I-era deaths at the hands of Ottoman Turks were the first genocide of the 20th century, a state- Pain and Secrets ment that angered the Turkish government. O’Malley also expressed solidarity with LOS ANGELES — Since Christians who are suffering around the world. 2015, the year marking By Alin K. Gregorian “Pope Francis made clear that the church the centennial of the Mirror-Spectator Staff acknowledges the suffering of so many who lost Armenian Genocide, the their lives in witness to their faith and that, tragi- floodgates have opened to cally, such witness continues through the persecu- mark this bitter anniversary not only with documentaries, tion of Christians taking place throughout the but through art. The Armenian world today,” O’Malley said. Genocide has served as a “Building on our bond as Christians, the backdrop for many Archdiocese of Boston joins with our Armenian movies, books or brothers and sisters to make this remembrance in paintings this common prayer to our Lord,” O’Malley added. past year and Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian Dies even now. NEW YORK — Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian, the former One novel Primate of the United Kingdom, and a long-serving pastor that has re- among the churches of the Eastern Diocese. He lived to find ceived rave INSIDE himself the eldest clergyman of episcopal rank in the reviews and Armenian Church, and was a true spiritual father to his peo- seen huge ple. He passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours sales has been of Friday, March 18, at the age of 90. O r h a n ’ s Detroit Archbishop Gizirian answered the call of our Lord as a Inheritance by young man, inspired by the examples of holiness he saw Aline Ohanesian. among such great figures as Catholicos Karekin Hovsepiants, See NOVEL, Syrian Patriarch Shnork Kaloustian, and Archbishop Tiran page 11 Nersoyan. In turn, the archbishop became an example of holi- Page 4 ness to subsequent generations, through his faithful, humble, loving service to God. His preaching conveyed authority; yet his personal exam- ple was one of humility and quiet grace. He was a leader of INDEX great inner strength and conviction; yet his greatest strength Arts and Living . 9 was the tender compas sion he showed to all — a quality that Armenia . 2 made him beloved wherever he served. Community News. 4 As a teacher, a pastor to many parishes in the Eastern Diocese, Editorial . 13 and as Diocesan Primate of the United Kingdom, Archbishop International . 3 Yeghishe Gizirian touched the lives of countless people. see YEGHISHE, page 15 2 S ATURDAY, M ARCH 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 T HE A RMENIAN M IRROR -S PECTATOR ARMENIA News From Armenia Land and Culture Organization Launches Meghri Restoration Project Moody’s Downgrades PASADENA, Calif. — On March 11-13, preservation mission, the organization is in such a way as to resemble Persian Armenia’s Government the international body of the Land and researching and documenting Armenian architecture. The walls were painted by Culture Organization (LCO)/ national monuments and properties con- artists from the family of Naghash Bond Rating Organisation Terre et Culture (OTC) fiscated by the Turkish state and may be Hovnatanian, a renowned artist from the held their general assembly meeting in found online at www.collectif2015.org. period whose works are also within the YEREVAN (PanARMENIAN.Net) — Moody’s Lyon, France to discuss current and The Board determined to launch a Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin. Investors Service on Friday, March 18 downgraded upcoming Armenian historical restora- new campaign in the city of Meghri, LCO will launch the first phase of the Armenia’s long-term issuer and senior unsecured tion projects. The most recently com- Armenia. LCO will be renovating the project during the summer campaign of debt ratings to B1 from Ba3. Concurrently, Moody’s 2016. Volunteers will be clearing Sourp has changed the outlook to stable from negative, the Hovannes Mkritch’s grounds and partic- agency said. The key drivers for the downgrade to B1 ipate in archaeological excavations with are Armenia’s increasing external vulnerabilities Armenian archaeologists. The workday stemming from declining remittances from Russia packed with physical labor is just one that have not yet bottomed out; an uncertain outlook part of the LCO/OTC experience. for foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows that col- Volunteers live in a very modest home lapsed in 2015; and an elevated susceptibility to and spend non-working hours bonding renewed pressures on the local currency and the with local residents, while enjoying local country’s foreign exchange reserves; activities and their surroundings. In Armenia’s worsening fiscal and government debt addition, during off-hours volunteers go metrics and the expectation that Armenia’s general- on excursions of Armenian historical government-debt-to-GDP ratio will rise above 50 per- sites. cent in 2017 under the baseline assumption of a Meghri, one of the most fascinating growing economy. and remote cities in Armenia, is situated In the same action, Moody’s has also lowered in the southern most tip overlooking the Armenia’s long-term foreign-currency deposit ceil- Iranian border on the Araks River.