Hrair Hawk Khatcherian devoted most of his presentation as part of the Armenian Cultural Month observance at St. John to his latest book, Khatchkar. Beautifully produced and photographed, the 500-page coffee table book is an impressive document of Armenian religious stone carvings.
Over seventeen centuries ago, in the heart of Armenia, a vision changed the course of our faith. St. Gregory saw a brilliant light descending from heaven, marking the very spot where the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin would be built. This was no ordinary light; it was the light of Christ Himself, illuminating the path for a nation and its people.
St. Gregory called out to the Armenian people with a message that resonates with us today: “Come, let us build the Altar of Light, for it is here that the Light has dawned upon us.” …
Since 2015, we’ve embraced a beautiful tradition to welcome the New Year by blessing pomegranates. Why pomegranates? Because this fruit, so intricately woven into our Armenian heritage and Christian faith, carries profound symbolism. From its deep red color to the abundance of seeds, the pomegranate has come to represent new life, fresh beginnings, and the overflowing blessings God has in store for us.
When you crack open a pomegranate, you’re met with a burst of color and hundreds of seeds, all packed inside. It’s a visual reminder that God’s blessings aren’t stingy. God doesn’t just want to fill our lives; He wants to overflow in our lives. Ephesians 3:20 tells us He’s able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”
French-Armenian actor and musician Grégoire Aslan was a versatile presence in film and TV sets, as well as on the stage.
He was born Krikor Aslanian to an Armenian family in Constantinople on March 28, 1908. They moved to Paris, and he made his professional debut at the age of eighteen as a vocalist, trumpeter and drummer with the dance band of Ray Ventura et ses Collegiens. He then launched an acting career under the name of Coco Aslan and also performed with guitarist Django Reinhardt.
He appeared in more than 110 films and TV roles between 1935 and 1979. His first film appearance, uncredited, was in Marc Didier’s Le Billet de mille (1935). His first credited appearance happened in Feux de joie (1939). During World War II he toured South America with actor Louis Jouvet and eventually started his own theatre troupe. He became a ubiquitous presence in many British and American films, mostly in the role of foreigner – Russian, Frenchman, Italian, German, Albanian, and Middle Easterner – with equal expertise.
