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  • Armenian Protestant Communities In South America

    ARMENIAN PROTESTANT COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH AMERICA
    Tigran Ghanalanyan

    http://noravank.am/eng/articles/detail.php?ELEMENT_ID=5722
    21.04.2011

    T.Ghanalanyan - An Expert of the Center of the Armenian Studies at
    "Noravank" Foundation

    Today alongside with the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic communities,
    the Armenian Protestant community exists in South America. In
    particular, there are the Armenian Protestant communities in
    Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay which are the integral part of the local
    Armeniancy. The study of the Armenian Protestant communities in South
    America is of great importance in the context of the issues connected
    with both the Armenian Protestants and local Armenians in general.

    Argentina. The Armenian community in Argentina was formed at the
    beginning of the 20th century. There were 20 thousand Armenians in
    Argentina in 1914, and in 1962 there were 40 thousand Armenians.

    According to the data for 2003 there were about 70 thousand Armenians
    living in Argentina, and 60 thousand of them in Buenos Aires, 5
    thousand in Cordoba. There are also Armenians in Mar-del-Plata and
    Rosario (500 in each)1.

    The reason for moving and setting in Argentina for thousands of
    Armenians was the 1890s pogroms and the Genocide. Those events made
    the survived Armenians look for the shelter in the foreign lands.

    Thus, the establishment of the Armenian Protestants in Argentina was
    conditioned by the flow of the Armenians to that country in general.

    In 1920s the first Armenian Protestant churches appeared in Argentina.

    Public prayers were held by Hrant Apachian and Nazaret Salipian in
    Buenos Aires. Soon the number of the adherents reached 200. In 1929
    the Armenian Evangelical Conciliar church was established. In 1939 the
    number of the Armenians living in Buenos Aires and its surroundings
    reached 15 thousand, among which one tenth were Evangelicals. I.e. the
    number of the Armenian Evangelicals was 1500. In the mid-20th
    century the number of the members of the oldest of the three
    Armenian Evangelical churches - the Armenian Brotherhood church -
    was 80. Over the same period the second Armenian Evangelical church
    (which pastor was Rev. N. Ter-Khorenian) had 75 adherent families and
    the Armenian Evangelical Conciliar church (pastor - Rev. M. Palian)
    only 30 families2.

    The Armenian Brotherhood church in Buenos Aires had about 300 and
    in Cordoba about 100 members in the mid-20th century. The Armenian
    Brotherhood church in Buenos Aires had its own building too3. Today
    the pastor of the Armenian Brotherhood Bible church is Luis Vinas4.

    There are two Evangelical Churches, four Evangelical prayer houses
    in Buenos Aires and one prayer house in Cordoba5.

    Today the pastors of the Armenian Evangelical Congregational church are
    Roberto Gongora and David Casaretto6. An important role in the life
    of the Armenian Evangelicals in Argentina is taken by the Armenian
    Missionary Association of Argentina.

    In 1961-1983 in Buenos Aires "Erdjanik huys" ("Happy Hope") monthly
    was issued by the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Brotherhood
    Churches. Since 1983 it has been issued in Pasadena (US). "Erdjanik
    huys" has spiritual content; it has also published news about the
    Brotherhood7.

    2009 was marked in the life of the Armenian Evangelical community in
    Argentina by the events devoted to the 80th anniversary of the Armenian
    Evangelical Conciliar Holy Trinity church. Many spiritual pastors and
    benefactors who made an essential contribution to the history of the
    church participated in those events. Today the Church owns Cristo es el
    Cambio church in Floresta district. The Armenian Evangelical Conciliar
    church initiated the creation of this prayer house back in 1998. Today
    the main functions of the Armenian Evangelical Conciliar church are
    public prayer, panegyric and doxology, music biblical school for the
    people of different ages, Armenian and Spanish languages lessons8.

    Thus, the Armenian Evangelicals play an important role in the biggest
    Armenian community in South America. Their close cooperation with the
    other groups of the Armeniancy is also topical. The active cooperation
    of the Armenian Protestants from Argentina with various spiritual
    and secular bodies in Armenia is important either.

    Brazil. The Armenians settled in Brazil in the second half of the 19th
    century. In 1885 the number of the Armenians was 100. The bigger groups
    of our compatriots arrived to Brazil in 1920s and settled mainly in
    San-Paulo and other cities of the similar state. In 1994 the number
    of the Armenians in Brazil was 20 thousand9. At current moment there
    are 25-30 thousand Armenians. Their main part (15 thousand) lives
    in San Paulo and surrounding cities (Ozasko, Presidente, Altino
    and others). About 600 Armenians live in Rio de Janeiro and about
    300 Armenians in the capital Brasilia. The rest are spread all over
    the other states (Parana, Ceara, Bahia, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerias,
    Santa Catarina and others) 10.

    The Armenian Evangelicals in Brazil has held public prayers since
    1920s. Over that period an important role was taken by Rev. Mikael
    Pichmenian. In a short run an abrupt growth of the number of the
    adherents was registered. Pichmenian held the public prayers till
    April 1930. On April 7, 1930 a church which consisted of 65 members was
    formed in San Paulo. The church formed in 1939 included 42 families,
    234 people, 73 church members; the number of the pupils of Sunday
    schools was 30, and number of the members of "Zargatsman Arshaloys"
    ("Development Rising") was 4511.

    The activity of the Armenian Brotherhood Biblical church in Brazil
    (San Paulo) is also remarkable. Today the pastor of the church in
    San Paulo is Movses Nersisian12.

    Currently there are three Armenian Evangelical organizations in
    Brazil - two Armenian Evangelical churches and regional committee
    of the Armenian Missionary Association. The pastor of the Armenian
    Evangelical Central church in San Paulo is Roy Abrahamian, and
    his assistant is Dionisio Palha Ataide. Roy Abrahamian is also the
    pastor of the Armenian Evangelical church established in 1970 and
    his assistant is also Dionisio Palha Ataide. The activity of the
    regional committee of the Armenian Missionary Association, which head
    is Hampartsum Moumdjian, is of great importance in the life of the
    local Armenian Evangelicals13. It is obvious that Roy Abrahamian as
    well as Dionisio Palha Ataide play an important role in the Armenian
    Evangelical community in Brazil. But the scantiness of the qualified
    ministers of church is a negative phenomenon.

    Currently there are 400 Armenian Evangelical families in Brazil;
    they have church in San Paulo. They have often arranged public and
    beneficial events, issue periodicals (in Armenian and in Portuguese).

    "Evangelical Brothers" union functions14.

    In Brazil the Armenian Evangelicals also carry out important
    educational functions; they have Sunday schools which are of great
    importance for not only the Armenian Evangelical community but also
    for the entire Armenian community in Brazil.

    It is obvious that the Armenian Protestant community in Brazil is of
    great importance for the Armenian community of that country both in
    terms of quantity and its functions.

    Uruguay. The Armenians has settled in Uruguay since the 19th century,
    but before 1900 only 15 Armenians migrated to Uruguay. The Armenian
    community in Uruguay had been formed in 1920s when a big groups of
    the Armenians who survived the Genocide and then found shelter in the
    countries of the Middle East decided to move there. In that period the
    number of the Armenians was 3 thousand. The community enlarged in 1926
    when the second big group of the Armenians arrived. In 1931, according
    to the community census, 4 thousand Armenians lived in Uruguay.

    According to the information for 2003 the number of the Armenians
    in Uruguay was 15 thousand; they are mostly centred in Montevideo;
    there are also several Armenian families in Piriapolis15.

    In Uruguay, just like in Brazil and Argentina, the Armenian
    Protestants started their eager activity in the 1920s. At that
    time their preacher in Montevideo was Z. Karapetian. In 1920s there
    were only 6-8 parishioner families. In 1934 H. Ataturian spread his
    spiritual activity there; in the same year Rev. H. Ter-Ghazarian was
    invited as a preacher. In 1938 the church community consisted of 60
    families. There was also a Sunday school where 30 pupils studies16.

    The activity of the Armenian Brotherhood Bible church in Uruguay is
    also remarkable. In the mid-20th century it had about 100 members in
    Montevideo. Today the pastor of the Armenian Brotherhood Bible church
    in Montevideo is Rev. Pedro Lapadjian17.

    In Uruguay, side by side with the Armenian Apostolic and Armenian
    Catholic churches, two Armenian Evangelical churches work18. The
    Armenian Evangelical church spreads eager activity. In a consequence,
    the number of the Armenian Evangelicals in Uruguay has abruptly grown
    over the recent two decades19. This does not mean that the Armenian
    Apostolic church does not play its traditionally important role in
    the life of the Armenian community of Uruguay, but the presence and
    activity of the Armenian Protestants in the life of the Armenian
    community is getting more prominent.

    The pastor of the First Armenian Evangelical church in Montevideo
    is Obed Boyajian. The regional committee of the Armenian Missionary
    Association in Montevideo also takes an important place in the life
    of the community. It is headed by Jeremiah Elmasian20.

    The cooperation of the Armenian Protestants of South America, in
    this case the Armenian Protestant community in Uruguay, with other
    Protestant churches and organizations is important. It promotes
    strengthening of the community in the country, and due to this the
    role of Armeniancy in that state is raised.

    The Armenian Evangelical church is a member of the Federation of the
    Evangelical Churches of Uruguay, which was established in 1956; it has
    8 members and 5 associate members. The Federation of the Evangelical
    Churches of Uruguay is affiliated with the Commission on World Mission
    and Evangelism of the World Council of Churches21.

    The activity of the Armenian Missionary Association of America in
    South America. The activity of the Armenian Missionary Association
    of America also plays an important role in the life of the Armenian
    Protestant communities in South America. Particularly, in Argentina
    the AMAA mainly helps poor and elder as well as disseminates Bible
    and spiritual literature. Among main functions of the AMAA in Brazil
    is the assistance to the Armenian Evangelical church, dissemination
    of the spiritual literature, granting scholarships to needy students,
    assistance to poor families. In Uruguay the AMAA furnishes financial
    assistance to the local church, needy families, spreads Bible and
    Christian literature22.

    So it is obvious that in the Armenian Protestant communities in South
    America the AMAA mainly deals with rendering assistance to the most
    vulnerable strata, as well as dissemination of Christian literature.

    Thus, in these communities the AMAA singles out social issues, as
    well as evangelical work in order to satisfy the spiritual needs of
    the coreligionists. The eager social activity in those communities
    is conditioned by the general social and economic situation in South
    America. To compare, in the Armenian Evangelical communities in North
    America, i.e. in Canada and especially in the US, the AMAA mainly
    deals with educational and cultural issues, establishment of the
    strong organizational structures, which, naturally, is conditioned
    by the auspicious situation in those countries.

    Nevertheless, it should be mentioned, that the Armenian Evangelical
    communities in South America do not play a leading role in the life
    of the Armenian Evangelicals in general. This can be proved by,
    e.g. the fact that none of the 13 members of the Armenian Evangelical
    World Council represents South American communities. Meanwhile,
    there are 8 representatives from North America. Three of five key
    posts in the council are occupied by the representatives of the
    Armenian Evangelical community in the US. They are the president
    Mgrdich Melkonian23, Treasurer Albert Momjian, executive director
    Rev. Vahan H. Tootikian. There are also 4 other representatives of
    the Armenian Evangelical community in the US in the council24. So,
    the Armenian Evangelical communities of South America look much
    moderate as compared with the leading role of the Armenian Evangelical
    communities of North America (especially US). This is conditioned by
    more powerful organizations of the Armenian Evangelical community in
    North America and its longer history.

    The American Evangelicals of South America are an integral part of the
    Armenian Protestants spread all over the world. In Argentina, Brazil
    and Uruguay the Armenian Protestant communities constitute a part of
    the Armenian communities in those countries and Armeniancy in general.

    The development of the relations of the Armenian Protestant communities
    in those three countries with the other Armenian communities there,
    as well as with each others is important. The cooperation of the South
    American Armenian Protestant communities with the Armenian Protestant
    communities of North America and other communities all over the world
    is also valuable. The collaboration of the Armenian Protestants of
    North America with the adherents of both Apostolic Armenian church
    and Armenians of other confessions is of topical priority.

    1Õ~DÕ¡Õ¬Õ­Õ¡Õ½ÕµÕ¡Õ¶ Õ~D., Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¥O~@Õ¶ Õ¡Õ·Õ­Õ¡O~@Õ°Õ¸O~BÕ´,
    ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶, 2007, Õ§Õ" 21-22O~I

    2Ô±Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¬Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶ Ô¿.Õ~J., Õ...Õ¸O~BÕ·Õ¡O~@Õ±Õ¡Õ¶ Õ~@Õ¡Õµ
    Ô±O~BÕ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡O~A Õ¥O~B Ô±O~BÕ¥Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶
    Õ¥Õ¯Õ¥Õ²Õ¥O~AO~BÕ¸Õµ, Õ-O~@Õ¥Õ¦Õ¶Õ¸, 1952, Õ§Õ" 465O~I

    3Ibid, p 457O~I

    4Armenian Brotherhood Bible Churches Around The World,
    http://www.abbcnj.org/abbcnj/ABBC_Near_You.html

    5Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶,
    2003, Õ§Õ" 103:

    6AMAA Directory 2011: Armenian Evangelical Churches, Institutions,
    Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide, p. 4.

    http://amaa.org/Directory%20for%20website.pdf

    7Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶,
    2003, Õ§Õ" 110:

    880 Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ" Õ°Õ¡Õ¾Õ¡Õ¿O~DÕ" O~G Õ®Õ¡Õ¼Õ¡ÕµÕ¸O~BÕ©ÕµÕ¡Õ¶,
    http://www.ieca.com.ar/hy/index.php

    9Õ~@Õ¡ÕµÕ¥O~@Õ¶ Õ¡Õ·Õ­Õ¡O~@Õ°Õ¸O~BÕ´, Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡Õ¯Õ¡Õ¶
    Õ°Õ¡Õ´Õ¡Õ¼Õ¸Õ¿ Õ¢Õ¡Õ¼Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶, 1995, Õ§Õ" 33O~I

    10Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶,
    2003, Õ§Õ" 118-119:

    11Ô±Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¬Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶ Ô¿.Õ~J., Õ¶Õ·Õ¾. Õ¡Õ·Õ­., Õ§Õ" 463O~I

    12Armenian Brotherhood Bible Churches Around The World,
    http://www.abbcnj.org/abbcnj/ABBC_Near_You.html

    13AMAA Directory 2011: Armenian Evangelical Churches, Institutions,
    Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide, p. 8.

    http://amaa.org/Directory%20for%20website.pdf

    14http://ha.nt.am/media_info.php?ID=5947&LangID=4&h=k&l=l1

    15Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶,
    2003, Õ§Õ" 613:

    16Ô±Õ¿Õ¡Õ¶Õ¡Õ¬Õ¥Õ¡Õ¶ Ô¿.Õ~J., Õ¶Õ·Õ¾. Õ¡Õ·Õ­., Õ§Õ" 463, 465O~I

    17Armenian Brotherhood Bible Churches Around The World,
    http://www.abbcnj.org/abbcnj/ABBC_Near_You.html

    18Õ~@Õ¡Õµ Õ½O~CÕµÕ¸O~BÕ¼O~D Õ°Õ¡Õ¶O~@Õ¡Õ£Õ"Õ¿Õ¡O~@Õ¡Õ¶, ÔµO~@O~GÕ¡Õ¶,
    2003, Õ§Õ" 614:

    19Ð~PкопÑ~Oн Ð~P., УÑ~@Ñ~Cгвай - даÐ"екий и
    бÐ"изкий, http://noev-kovcheg.ru/mag/2010-03/1982.html

    20AMAA Directory 2011: Armenian Evangelical Churches, Institutions,
    Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide, p. 17.

    http://amaa.org/Directory%20for%20website.pdf

    21Federation of Evangelical Churches of Uruguay,
    http://www.oikoumene.org/gr/member-churches/regions/latin-america/uruguay/fieu.html

    22AMAA At Work Around the World, http://www.amaa.org/aroundtheworld.htm

    23Previously the post of the vice-president was occupied by the
    representative of the Armenian Evangelical community in the US Avedis
    Boinerian; see: AMAA Directory 2010: Armenian Evangelical Churches,
    Institutions, Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide,
    p. 2.

    24See AMAA Directory 2011: Armenian Evangelical Churches,
    Institutions, Organizations, Pastors and Christian Workers Worldwide,
    p. 2. http://amaa.org/Directory%20for%20website.pdf

    "Globus National Security", issue 2, 2011

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Another materials of author

    â~@¢ARMENIAN PROTESTANT COMMUNITY IN GEORGIA[29.03.2011] â~@¢ARMENIAN
    PROTESTANT COMMUNITIES IN THE US AND CANADA [15.09.2010] â~@¢ARMENIAN
    PROTESTANTS[12.04.2010]




    From: A. Papazian
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