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BAY AREA ARMENIANS HEARTENED BY REMARKS OF POPE FRANCIS
Tampabay.com
April 13 2015
Waveney Ann Moore, Times Staff Writer
PINELLAS PARK ---When the Tampa Bay Armenian community learned that
Pope Francis had labeled the early 20th century slaughter of 1.5
million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks a genocide, they were surprised
and gratified.
Adrienne Ekizian had grown up hearing her mother and grandmother
tell of being driven from their home in Turkey, suffering hunger and
exhaustion, seeing the elderly and children left to die along the way
and of soldiers throwing babies in the air and using their bayonets
to spear them.
Chris Sassouni called the pope's statements -- coming as Armenians
worldwide prepare to mark the centenary of the killings on April 24 --
"huge."
"Armenians throughout the world all carry this emptiness in their
spirit because they feel lost and forgotten. We recognize the
genocides of Rwanda, Cambodia, the genocides that occurred in Bosnia,
and certainly we recognize the Holocaust," said Sassouni, a member of
St. Hagop Armenian Church in Pinellas Park, which draws parishioners
from as far away as Fort Myers and Gainesville.
"My family was a victim of the genocide," he said, adding that his
grandfather's mother and a brother were burned alive and a sister
and two brothers were shot to death.
During a Mass on Sunday, the pope called the killing of Armenian men,
women and children, which began in 1915 and lasted until 1923, the
first genocide of the 20th century.
"We're hoping that other world leaders will recognize the genocide,"
said Michael Shahnasarian, a psychologist in Tampa and chairman of St.
Hagop's parish council. "Ultimately, we would like Turkey to take
responsibility for the atrocities."
More than 20 nations have recognized what occurred as genocide. The
United States has not.
"President Obama has an opportunity this April 24 to fulfill his
campaign promise and unequivocally affirm the Armenian genocide,"
said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of
America, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C.
In the Tampa Bay area, the 100th anniversary will be marked with song
and prayer at St. Hagop's, part of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Church, and other events.
While Francis has pleased Armenians, his remarks have annoyed Turkish
officials, who summoned the Vatican's ambassador to condemn the
pontiff's remarks. They notified the ambassador "of their government's
'grave disappointment and sadness' over the pope's remarks, which
were 'away from historical facts' and dismissive of the deaths of
non-Christians in the country during the same historical period,"
the New York Times reported.
Armenians were a Christian minority in a Muslim community. Beginning
on April 24 1915, said St. Hagop's pastor, Father Hovnan Demerjian,
intellectuals and powerful Armenians were rounded up and killed. Other
Armenians were sent to starvation and death. Young women were raped,
forced into harems or to marry their abductors.
Ekizian's son-in-law, Dr. George Kamajian, said he has put up two
billboards addressing the issue. One sits across from his Largo
office and another on Interstate 275. They ask Turkey to acknowledge
and condemn the genocide. His grandparents were ordered out of their
homes, he said.
Jean Shahnasarian, who is married to Michael Shahnasarian, is in
charge of the April 24 "Evening of Remembrance" at St. Hagop's. She
is putting together a commemorative book.
"A lot of people at the church are including information in this book
in memory of their relatives," she said. "One woman is going to be
performing. Her father was an orphan and somebody else raised him.
It's not only Armenian heritage. It's history and how it affected
all of us."
On Easter Sunday, the church dedicated an 8-foot monument to those
who perished.
"We're trying to look beyond this. We don't believe this defines
our culture," Michael Shahnasarian said, noting the symbolism of the
dedication on the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. "We are looking
at what lies ahead of us."
It's the message that his pastor emphasizes.
"After 100 years, my hope is that the open wounds of Turkey and the
Turkish people will be healed by recognition and that the open wounds
of Armenians will be healed only through the answer of their faith,"
Demerjian said.
"On April 23, for the first time in 100 years, we are going to canonize
a group of martyrs of the genocide," he said of the ceremony that will
take place in Etchmiadzin, Armenia, the spiritual and administrative
headquarters of the Armenian Church.
"This is living history of our church being made. Yes, we were victims,
we were persecuted, but that's not all we are."
-----
Armenian Genocide remembrance events
Orphans of Genocide," a documentary by director Bared Maronian, 8 p.m.
April 21 on WEDU.
Rising from the Ashes of Tragedy - Armenia's Triumph Over Its
Genocide," Dr. Garabet Moumdjian and student panel, 2 p.m., April
23, University of South Florida, Main Library Building, 4th floor,
Grace Allen Room 4202 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. A second presentation
will take place at 7 p.m. April 25, at St. Hagop Armenian Church,
7020 90th Ave., Pinellas Park.
An Evening of Remembrance, 7 p.m., April 24, St. Hagop Armenian Church.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/bay-area-armenians-heartened-by-remarks-of-pope-francis/2225371
From: Baghdasarian
Tampabay.com
April 13 2015
Waveney Ann Moore, Times Staff Writer
PINELLAS PARK ---When the Tampa Bay Armenian community learned that
Pope Francis had labeled the early 20th century slaughter of 1.5
million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks a genocide, they were surprised
and gratified.
Adrienne Ekizian had grown up hearing her mother and grandmother
tell of being driven from their home in Turkey, suffering hunger and
exhaustion, seeing the elderly and children left to die along the way
and of soldiers throwing babies in the air and using their bayonets
to spear them.
Chris Sassouni called the pope's statements -- coming as Armenians
worldwide prepare to mark the centenary of the killings on April 24 --
"huge."
"Armenians throughout the world all carry this emptiness in their
spirit because they feel lost and forgotten. We recognize the
genocides of Rwanda, Cambodia, the genocides that occurred in Bosnia,
and certainly we recognize the Holocaust," said Sassouni, a member of
St. Hagop Armenian Church in Pinellas Park, which draws parishioners
from as far away as Fort Myers and Gainesville.
"My family was a victim of the genocide," he said, adding that his
grandfather's mother and a brother were burned alive and a sister
and two brothers were shot to death.
During a Mass on Sunday, the pope called the killing of Armenian men,
women and children, which began in 1915 and lasted until 1923, the
first genocide of the 20th century.
"We're hoping that other world leaders will recognize the genocide,"
said Michael Shahnasarian, a psychologist in Tampa and chairman of St.
Hagop's parish council. "Ultimately, we would like Turkey to take
responsibility for the atrocities."
More than 20 nations have recognized what occurred as genocide. The
United States has not.
"President Obama has an opportunity this April 24 to fulfill his
campaign promise and unequivocally affirm the Armenian genocide,"
said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of
America, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C.
In the Tampa Bay area, the 100th anniversary will be marked with song
and prayer at St. Hagop's, part of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Church, and other events.
While Francis has pleased Armenians, his remarks have annoyed Turkish
officials, who summoned the Vatican's ambassador to condemn the
pontiff's remarks. They notified the ambassador "of their government's
'grave disappointment and sadness' over the pope's remarks, which
were 'away from historical facts' and dismissive of the deaths of
non-Christians in the country during the same historical period,"
the New York Times reported.
Armenians were a Christian minority in a Muslim community. Beginning
on April 24 1915, said St. Hagop's pastor, Father Hovnan Demerjian,
intellectuals and powerful Armenians were rounded up and killed. Other
Armenians were sent to starvation and death. Young women were raped,
forced into harems or to marry their abductors.
Ekizian's son-in-law, Dr. George Kamajian, said he has put up two
billboards addressing the issue. One sits across from his Largo
office and another on Interstate 275. They ask Turkey to acknowledge
and condemn the genocide. His grandparents were ordered out of their
homes, he said.
Jean Shahnasarian, who is married to Michael Shahnasarian, is in
charge of the April 24 "Evening of Remembrance" at St. Hagop's. She
is putting together a commemorative book.
"A lot of people at the church are including information in this book
in memory of their relatives," she said. "One woman is going to be
performing. Her father was an orphan and somebody else raised him.
It's not only Armenian heritage. It's history and how it affected
all of us."
On Easter Sunday, the church dedicated an 8-foot monument to those
who perished.
"We're trying to look beyond this. We don't believe this defines
our culture," Michael Shahnasarian said, noting the symbolism of the
dedication on the celebration of Jesus' resurrection. "We are looking
at what lies ahead of us."
It's the message that his pastor emphasizes.
"After 100 years, my hope is that the open wounds of Turkey and the
Turkish people will be healed by recognition and that the open wounds
of Armenians will be healed only through the answer of their faith,"
Demerjian said.
"On April 23, for the first time in 100 years, we are going to canonize
a group of martyrs of the genocide," he said of the ceremony that will
take place in Etchmiadzin, Armenia, the spiritual and administrative
headquarters of the Armenian Church.
"This is living history of our church being made. Yes, we were victims,
we were persecuted, but that's not all we are."
-----
Armenian Genocide remembrance events
Orphans of Genocide," a documentary by director Bared Maronian, 8 p.m.
April 21 on WEDU.
Rising from the Ashes of Tragedy - Armenia's Triumph Over Its
Genocide," Dr. Garabet Moumdjian and student panel, 2 p.m., April
23, University of South Florida, Main Library Building, 4th floor,
Grace Allen Room 4202 E Fowler Ave., Tampa. A second presentation
will take place at 7 p.m. April 25, at St. Hagop Armenian Church,
7020 90th Ave., Pinellas Park.
An Evening of Remembrance, 7 p.m., April 24, St. Hagop Armenian Church.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/religion/bay-area-armenians-heartened-by-remarks-of-pope-francis/2225371
From: Baghdasarian