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 …
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…
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)
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”)…
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 …
Vertanes Papazian was a prolific writer who delved into subjects of social and national interest at the turn of the twentieth century.
He was born in Van, in a priest’s family, on April 12, 1866. He moved to Tabriz, Iran, as a child. After his schooling in Agulis and Tabriz, he studied at the Gevorgian Seminary in Etchmiadzin, but he could not graduate, for he had to start working at the age of fifteen…
Avedik Evdokiatsi, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople was born on April 1, 1657, in Evdokia (Tokat). He was a disciple of the priests Sarkis and Bedros, and then of archimandrite Hagop Belenktsi. In 1675 he was ordained deacon in Payas (Cilicia), and then he moved to the monastery of St. Hagop of Gabos, in Upper Armenia (Partser Hayg), where he was consecrated monk (apegha) and …
Dikran Chukhajian was the first author of operas in Armenian reality, and his first opera became famous long after his death. He was born in Constantinople in 1837, studied at composer Gabriel Yeranian’s class, then followed classes in Milan. Along with other Armenian intellectuals of that period, he fought for the development of national culture, organized musical societies, theatres…
Very little is known about the early life of priest, poet, and composer Petros Ghapantsi. He was born in Ghapan (nowadays Kapan, Siunik), in Eastern Armenia, in the early 18th century. He became a member of the Holy Echmiadzin Brotherhood in 1753-1756. Later, he served as legate in various places, including Constantinople, Adrianopolis (Edirne), Armash, and Crimea…
Poet Aramayis Sahakian was synonymous with the satirical weekly, Vozni (“Hedgehog”) for over three decades. He was born in Artsvashen (province of Gegharkunik), on May 25, 1936, in the Armenian exclave occupied by Azerbaijan since 1992. He graduated from the language and history department of the Khachatur Abovian State Teacher Training Institute (now university) in 1960 and followed the courses of literature …
