Tag Archive for: This Week in Armenian History

KRIKOR ODIAN

Krikor Odian was born in Scutari. His father was the secretary of palace architect Krikor Balian. After his early schooling with his father, Krikor continued his studies with brothers Kapriel and Khachadur Bardizbanian. Later, he attended the private school of Gabriel Utujian, who would soon become the founding editor of the influential newspaper Masis. He also took private lessons of Ottoman Turkish and French. In the 1850s, Odian moved in the circles of the Armenian reformist intellectuals and political figures like Nahabed Rusinian, Mgrdich Beshigtashlian, Krikor Aghaton and others.

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DEATH OF ROBERTO GULBENKIAN

A scion of the Gulbenkian family, Roberto Gulbenkian was not only a remarkable name in the history of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, based in Portugal, but also a well-regarded scholar of Armenian Studies. Gulbenkian was born on April 7, 1923, in Algiers (capital of Algeria). He was the third son of Vahan Gulbenkian (brother of Calouste, the famous Mr. Five Per Cent) and Francoise Trillat-Gulbenkian.

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DEATH OF ROUPEN HERIAN

Roupen Herian was born in Tokat in 1869. After graduating from the local school in 1883 he left for Constantinople, before moving to Boston in 1900 and then to New York, where he engaged successfully in the tobacco industry. He had become a member of the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party when he was still in Tokat, and after the division of the party in 1896, he sided with the Reorganized Hunchakian Party. He joined the Armenian General Benevolent Union …

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ECUMENICAL COUNCIL OF EPHESUS

The Council of Ephesus is the third ecumenical council, after those of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople (381), accepted by the Armenian Church. It was held over several sessions in 431 at the Church of Mary in Ephesus, Asia Minor (nowadays western Turkey). The council was called after Patriarch Cyril of Alexandria appealed Pope Celestine I to condemn Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople for heresy due to …

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DEATH OF SARKIS BAGHDASARIAN

Author, Sargis Baghdasarian, was born on September 5, 1923, in the village of Banadzor in the district of Hadrut (Artsakh). His family moved to Yerevan, and he continued his studies at the Pushkin School and the sculpture group of the Pioneers (Soviet version of the boy scouts) Palace “Ghukas Ghukasian.” He participated in the republican exhibition “Our Young Creators” and won the first prize…

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DEATH OF MOUSHEGH ISHKHAN

Moushegh Ishkhan was one of the most relevant names in Diaspora poetry in the 1940s-1960s and his decades-long work as a teacher forged generations of students. He was born in Sivri Hisar, near Ankara, in 1913. He was exiled with his family in 1915. He managed to survive the Armenian Genocide and finally settled in Damascus. His life changed upon a chance meeting with a …

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LUCINE ZAKARIAN

Lusine Zakarian was one of the most celebrated voices of Armenian singing in the twentieth century, who is now most remembered for her splendid renditions of centuries-old Armenian spiritual music. She was born Svetlana Zakarian in Akhaltskha (Javakhk) on June 1, 1937, in a family of musicians, and studied at the local Russian school. In 1952, she moved with her family to Yerevan to pursue musical studies. She attended the Romanos Melikian secondary music school from 1953-1957. Then she entered the Yerevan State Musical Conservatory in 1957 and her singing talent soon became apparent…

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DEATH OF VARTAN MAMIGONIAN

The Armenian Church commemorates the 1,036 martyrs of the Vartanants War on Thursday before Poon Paregentan, while the Feast of Ghevontiants, two days before, commemorates the priests who also gave their lives in the defense of faith. However, the battle of Avarayr, the highlight of the Vartanants War, was fought on May 26, 451, the actual date when (click on heading to read more)

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ASDGHIK|SIRANUSH (MEHRUBE KANTARJIAN)

Amber Kantarjian was born on June 30, 1852 in the neighborhood of Pera, in Constantinople. She was interested in theater from a young age and participated in family performances at the home of her grandmother. She entered the theatrical group of Hagop Vartovian at the theater Osmaniyeh of Gedik-Pasha during the theatrical season 1870–1871, aged eighteen, getting the pseudonym of Asdghik (“Little Star”)…

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BIRTH OF NIKODIMOS AMATUNI

Born in Armenia, Prince Nikodimos Amatuni—who appears to have been somewhat connected to the medieval princely family of the same name—developed his career in the Russian administration until the October Revolution, which ended with his emigration to France. He was born in the village of Oshakan, in the province of Yerevan (the burial place of Mesrop Mashtots). He studied …

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