Author Archives: Florida Armenians
St. Hagop Armenian Church Opens New Hall
PINELLAS PARK, FL – Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), visited St. Hagop Church of Pinellas Park last weekend, as the community celebrated the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of Our Lord and the opening of its newly built church hall.
On Sunday, January 10, Archbishop Barsamian celebrated the Divine Liturgy and performed the Blessing of Water service. He was assisted on the altar by the Rev. Fr. Hovnan Demerjian, parish pastor. Dr. Michael Shahnasarian, parish council chair and the main benefactor of the new hall, served as the godfather of the cross.
“The gift of Jesus Christ has inspired the Armenian people to great achievements, and has sustained us through every trial,” Archbishop Barsamian said, as he reflected on the legacy of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
“The faithful legacy of our martyrs is meant to inspire us,” he added. “To guide our steps, and help us press forward.”
The Primate also recalled the humble beginnings of the St. Hagop parish in the decades preceding the church’s consecration eight years ago. He noted that it was through the faith, dedication, and hard work of the community that the dream of building a church was realized in St. Petersburg.
“Today I am overjoyed to witness yet another accomplishment of this community-the beautiful new hall you have built to nourish our Armenian heritage and culture,” he said. “May God continue to guide you in your ministry and inspire you in all your endeavors as you enter this new chapter in the history of St. Hagop Church.”
At the conclusion of the service, Archbishop Barsamian distributed Bibles to children of the parish. He then led a procession of altar servers, choir members, and the more than 200 parishioners to the new Michael and Jean Shahnasarian Hall, where a blessing service and ribbon-cutting ceremony were performed. A banquet prepared by the Women’s Guild and served by young adults followed.
An incredible community effort
The parish recognized the need for a multi-purpose facility when St. Hagop Church was consecrated in 2007, but during that period other concerns drew on its time and funds. It was not until three years ago that the community launched a capital campaign to raise funds for the hall project. More than $1 million was raised with the help of 175 donors.
“It was an incredible community effort,” Dr. Shahnasarian said, adding that the new facility “gives us a good venue for our ministry.”
On Saturday evening, January 9, the Shahnasarian family hosted a “thank-you” dinner in their home for major supporters of the project. Also taking part in the weekend’s activities was Diocesan Council member Thomas Ashbahian.
In addition to a large space for gatherings, the new building includes a kitchen, Sunday School classrooms, and offices.
“I think a lot of people felt this makes our community complete,” Fr. Demerjian said. “It is a great blessing.”
Stepan Serpekian, chair of the building committee, said the parish looks forward to using the hall to enhance its cultural programming.
“The ribbon-cutting joyfully opened the gates to the future of the children where they can sing, dance, cook, and speak the language that our ancestors gave their lives for,” he said. “Now that this major project has been accomplished, we look forward to developing more cultural events, from dance instructions to cooking instructions to historical presentations.”
Dr. Shahnasarian added that the St. Hagop parish plans to use the new space for Diocesan-level functions as well, including the annual ACYOA Chapter Workshop the parish hosts each winter and the 2017 Diocesan Assembly, which will be held in St. Petersburg. The hall was already put to good use on New Year’s Eve, when the entire community gathered to welcome the new year and celebrate their accomplishment as a parish.
That same spirit filled Sunday’s official opening. “The mood was one of great joy, celebration, pride, and happiness shared by all,” said Charles Sarkisian, building fund chair. “Everyone in our community pulled together to make the event a huge success.”
Stapanian Hopes to Change Minds with Historical Novel on the Armenian Genocide
By Mike Jeknavorian
FLArmenians Lifestyle Contributor
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The novel is called They Fell, and the title is appropriate. Drawing on Charles Aznavour’s “Ils Sont Tombes,” the author uses graphic imagery to convey the historically based horrors and is stretched over 35 character-experiences in the midst of the Armenian Genocide.
Author Stephen Stapanian of Tampa, FL sets the story in the dying days of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. As it’s read, one is reminded that a story can allow a direct communion with another era, and ultimately, with the era’s deceased.
In a response to questions submitted via email from FLArmenians.com, Mr. Stapanian says that the novel “represents a gift to the Armenian people globally, and to send a message to all of those who suffered . . . that they were not alone as victims of genocide.”
Stapanian says that he was originally inspired to write the novel after watching genocide-themed TV miniseries’ in the 1980s, such as Roots, Holocaust, and Shogun. Over time Stapanian worked on his approach and finally published They Fell on August 1, 2015.
The novel uses a love-story conceit, along with excerpts of song lyrics and poems, to draw the reading into the larger context of Ottoman Armenian life in 1915. It was written to evoke a strong emotional response about the genocide, and, fundamentally, to elicit change, he says.
But what change could he bring? The Armenian Genocide is officially recognized by over 20 nations, such as Canada, France, Russia, Germany, Austria, Argentina, the Vatican, and others. At the same time, the Ottoman Empire’s successor, Turkey, refuses to accept it’s own history and continues a decades-long campaign of genocide denial.
Historians mark the beginning of the Armenian Genocide on April 24, 1915, when the Ottoman Turkish government rounded up over 200 Armenian academics, doctors, businessmen, and religious and community leaders in Constantinople.
The lack of accountability or prosecution of the perpetrators makes recollection of the genocide sting that much more, for many, as it does Stapanian.
Historians estimate that over one million Armenians were ethnically cleansed in a systematic campaign orchestrated by the Ottoman Turkish government in what is widely considered the first genocide in modern times.
The majority of published works about the Armenian Genocide have been memoir or historical, whereas They Fell is fiction based on a historical event.
But given that the novel is predicated on something as gruesome as genocide, should the public only expect to experience a limited amount of entertainment from it?
Hopefully, readers will truly connect with the characters, and in so doing learn something from those who fell and perished in one of man’s darkest chapters.
Florida Armenians 