Entries by stjohn

BIRTH OF PAUL GARABEDIAN

Paul Garabedian was an Armenian American mathematician whose computer computations helped lead to fuel–efficient wings for modern jetliners.

He was born in Cincinnati on August 2, 1927. He was home-schooled by his parents, who both held Harvard graduate degrees. Harvard rejected him when he applied for college in 1943, and he attended Brown University instead. After graduation (1946), he went to Harvard for his master’s (1947) and doctoral studies and completed his Ph.D. in mathematics in 1948 at the age of 21.

After working for seven years at the University of California, Berkeley (1949-1956), and three years at Stanford University (1956-1959), Garabedian joined New York University and remained there for the next 51 years in the division of computational fluid dynamics of the university’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, becoming its director in 1978. He supervised 27 dissertations from 1953 to 1997. He married and had two daughters.

A TALE OF TWO BROTHERS

Two brothers lived side by side on adjoining lands. One was the head of a large family, while the other lived alone. One night, the older brother lay awake, thinking about his younger brother. He thought, “My brother lives alone; he does not have the companionship of wife and children to cheer his heart as I have. While he sleeps, I will carry some of my sheaves into his field.” And so, he did.

At the same time, the younger brother was also awake, thinking about his older brother. He thought, “My brother has a large family, and his necessities are greater than mine. While he sleeps, I will put some of my sheaves on his side of the field.” And so, he did.

DEATH OF EDUARD DANIELIAN

A prolific historian, Eduard Danielian had an important contribution to the study of Armenian ancient and medieval history.

Danielian was born on February 18, 1944, in Yerevan. He graduated from the Faculty of Geography of Yerevan State University (1961-1966) and the English section of the Institute (now University) of Foreign Languages Valery Briusov (1966-1972). After finishing the course at the Ph.D. program of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences, in 1972 he defended his dissertation on “The Reflection of Ancient Cosmological Views in Anania Shirakatsi’s Cosmology and Atlas.” He earned a second doctorate in 1988 with the subject “Armeno-Byzantine Political Relations in the Twilight of Sassanid Persia and the Early Period of the Arab Caliphate.”

CULTIVATING FAITH IN THE NEXT GENERATION

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done” (Psalm 78:4)

A Sunday school teacher once had a discussion with a person who firmly believed that children should not be given formal religious instruction but should be free to choose their own religious faith when they reached maturity.

The teacher, not wanting to disagree outright, decided to demonstrate her point. She invited the person to see her garden. As they walked in, the visitor was taken aback. “Do you call this a garden?” he exclaimed.

MILWAUKEE ARMENIAN FEST A SUCCESS

Milwaukee Armenian Fest drew more than 1,000 visitors to the grounds and culture hall of St. John the Baptist Armenian Church in suburban Greenfield on Sunday, July 21. It was a joyful get-together for Armenian families from southeast Wisconsin. However, many visitors had never been to Armenian Fest and had no knowledge of Armenia. They were drawn to the event by social and other media publicity as well as prominent signage in front of the church.

Several visitors to this year’s Milwaukee Armenian Fest commented on how professionally organized it was…

DEATH OF STEPANOS MALKHASIANTS

Along with Hrachia Ajarian and Manuk Abeghian, Stepanos Malkhasiants was a key name in Armenian philology of the first half of the twentieth century.

He was born in Akhaltskha (Akhaltsikh), Javakhk, nowadays in Georgia, on November 7, 1859. He received his primary education at the Karapetian parochial school in Akhaltskha and then the local Russian gymnasium. From 1874 to 1878 he attended the Gevorgian Seminary in Vagharshapat. Malkhasiants was later admitted to the department of Oriental Studies at St. Petersburg State University and graduated in 1889 with an emphasis in Armenian, Sanskrit, and Georgian Studies and a first doctorate in philology.

SONS AND GRANDSONS OF ST. GREGORY

On Saturday, July 20, the Armenian Church commemorates the sons and grandsons of St. Gregory the Illuminator, namely, Sts. Aristakes, Vrtanes, Housik, Grigoris, and Daniel (who was not related, but was a distinguished and favorite student of St. Gregory). All of them continued the work of St. Gregory, preaching the word of Christ to pagans at great personal peril. Gregory had two sons, Aristakes and Vrtanes. Aristakes, the younger son, succeeded…

DEATH OF HEINRICH GELZER

German historian and philologist Heinrich Gelzer’s wide interest in ancient history led him to learn Armenian and deal with the intricacies of Armenian ancient history.

He was the son of well-known Swiss historian Johann Heinrich Gelzer (1813-1889). He was born on July 1, 1847, in Berlin. He taught classical philology and ancient history at the Basel Institute and the universities of Heidelberg and Jena, where he became professor in 1878.

He studied the works of various ancient historians (Sextus Julius Africanus, Eusebius of Caesarea, George of Cyprus, and others), as well as the history of Byzantium. His main works of Armenian Studies were translated into Armenian: Pavstos Buzand and the Beginnings of the Armenian Church (1896),…

THE BEST IS YET TO COME

There was an elderly clergyman who fell seriously ill. His right side was completely weakened; he couldn’t walk, and his eyes could barely see. One of his clergy brothers came to visit him. They sat together, reminiscing about the past. With a heavy sigh, the visiting brother said, “Hayr Soop, our best days are behind us.” But with a sudden burst of strength, the ailing clergyman lifted his head, looked towards the heavens, and said, “No, my dear brother, our best days are yet to come when we shall see our Lord Jesus Christ in His glory, standing at the right hand of God.”

THE FLAME OF HOPE

Four candles were placed on an altar, their gentle flames casting a warm glow in the silent room. In the corner, a child was hiding near the light and warmth of the candles, staring calmly without blinking. The surroundings were so silent and calm that the child heard the candles’ burning shutters as whispers speaking.

The first candle said, “My name is Peace, but I no longer desire to burn. The world is filled with conflict and strife. My light has lost its purpose.” And with that, the candle extinguished itself.

The second candle spoke, “I am Faith, but …