Azat Artsakh – Repubic of Nagorno Karabakh
March 22, 2004

THE MAN AND HIS CAUSE

One of the honourable representatives of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, reverend Parghev archbishop Martirossian became fifty of age.
It is not easy to write of a person who himself is living history, the
honest tribune of his nation and time. Reverend Parghev is a religious
figure, artist, soldier, tribune, a true man at the same time. Who has
once seen him, felt at once what a large soul and human sensitive
heart he has. Reverend Parghev Martirossian was born on March 20,
1954. His parents are from Chardakhlu. In 1966 his family moved to
Yerevan. He finished the physics and mathematics school N 132 and
entered the Yerevan Polytechnic Institute. But an inner voice directed
him towards the spiritual and cultural creativity. He continued his
education at the Valery Brusov Institute of Foreign Languages and
graduated from the department of Russian philology in 1976. His final
paper on “The Master and Margarita of M. Bulgakov” was awarded t! he
gold medal, the first prize of the USSR. Then he worked as a teacher
in the village Yeghegnut, Armavir region of Armenia, served in the
Soviet army. In 1980 he entered the Gevorgian seminary of Edjmiatsin
and graduated with an excellent final paper on the “Echoes of
Zoroastrianism in Armenian Manuscripts in the 5th c. and the Struggle
Against It”. In 1985 he was ordained priest. In Sanct Petersbourg he
defended his thesis and received the degree of candidate of
science. By the order of Catholicos Vazghen A he worked at the
Gevorgian seminary as senior tutor. In 1988 he was ordained archbishop
and headed the Diocese of Artsakh. The activities of reverend Parghev
overlapped with the national awakening, the liberation movement, a new
Avarair, which had its new Ghevond Yerets in the face of reverend
Parghev. He did everything that Artsakh were Armenian and free, that
the bells rang and the light of the creative Armenian spirit was not
e! xtinguished. Due to him already the doors of 23 churches are o! pen
to people. His role is effective on the international arena, in the
solution of the problem of Artsakh and the connections between
Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian Diaspora. Since 1992 he has been
among the active encouragers and participants of all the marathons for
restoring the country Artsakh. Reverend Parghev was elected member of
the Supreme Religious Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church, member
of the International Academy of Social Sciences, since 1999 he has
been directing the Armenian “Round Table” of the World Religious
Council. Due to his efforts were founded the theological center
“Gandzassar”, the “Ekeghetsasirats” children’s union, the
24-hour radio channel “Vem”, the Center of Christian Education and
Preaching, the construction of the seminary of Gandzassar is being
carried out. Owing to his efforts and the decision of the Artsakh
authorities the subject The History of the! Armenian Church was
introduced to the schools of Artsakh.

GAGIK YERNJAKIAN