CHELMSFORD COUPLE TURN TRIP TO ARMENIA INTO FAMILY AFFAIR
By Stephen Dulgarian

Lowell Sun
October 12, 2008 Sunday
Massachusetts

Stephen and Angele Dulgarian of Chelmsford celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary recently in a most unique and memorable
way. They were joined by their four children, their spouses, and nine
grandchildren for a two-week trip to Armenia. Armenia is no stranger
to Stephen and Angele. They first visited the country in the late
1950s and have returned 11 times over the decades.

Recently I went on a trip to Armenia with my wife Angele, my two sons,
two daughters, their spouse and my nine grandchildren.

The trip was in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary on
Sept. 7, but we went to Armenia in August, during school vacation,
so our children and grandchildren could view the historical and
beautiful country.

We flew from the United States to Paris on Air France and then landed
in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. We checked in at the Armenia
Marriott Hotel after a tiresome 15-hour trip.

One day one we toured Yerevan, which has a population of more than one
million people. We saw tour the Erebouni Fortress, the Matenadaran
Museum, the Statue of Mother Armenia, and the new St. Gregory the
Illuminator Cathedral, built in 2001 for the 1700th anniversary of
Armenian Christianity.

Next, we visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial, the first Genocide of
the last century perpetrated by the Turkish Government of 1915-1923
where two million Armenians were massacred and the remainder removed
from their ancestral homeland of 3,000 years, which is now under
Turkish rule.

On the second day we toured the Amberd Church and Fortress, high up
in the mountains, then traveled to the Village of Oshagan, the burial
site of St. Mesrob who wrote the Armenian alphabet in 401 A.D. The next
day we visited the Haghartsin Monastery, took a lift up the Teghenis
Mountain, and then to Lake Sevan, which is 5,000 feet above sea level,
and of two monasteries.

On the fourth day, we saw the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, the first
official Christian church in the world, built in 301 A.D. Armenia was
the first nation to accept Christianity as a people. We visited the
Church of Hripsime, named after Hripsime, whom was martyred there. We
then departed for the Monument of Sardarabad, where the Armenian
forces defeated the Turks in 1918, which set up their short-lived
Republic for 2 1/2 years from 1918-1920.

On day five, we went to Khor Virup, where Gregory the Illuminator was
imprisoned for 13 years. When the king came out with a rare disease,
they told him that only Gregory can cure you, so he was released and
he cured the king and thereafter the king proclaimed the country as
a Christian nation. We then went to the Areni Wine Factory. Armenia
once had 125 varieties of grapes.

On the sixth day we took a six-hour ride to Artsakh (Karabagh), where
the Armenian forces took back from the Azeri’s. This was historical
Armenian territory that Stalin, in 1921, gave to Azerbaijan and
to Georgia.

We stayed at the Nairi Hotel in Stepanakert, went to the Shushi Church
and then went north to the 13th century Gandasar Monastery. We visited
the Mamik-Babig statue dedicated to mothers and fathers, toured the
"Tank" monument that was destroyed trying to liberate Shushi City
and toured the Hand-Woven Rug Factory in Stepanakert.

In the next two days we visited the City of Goris, the Datev Monastery,
and drove to Jermuk where the mineral drinking water flows from
the mountains into a building that has five fountains at different
temperatures, and where thousands of tourists fill their cups.

We also visited the Vernisage (flea market), Yerablur, the Three-Hills
Memorial dedicated to the heroes of the Artsakh War and spent time
shopping and eating at fabulous restaurants.

We rounded out our trip by visiting one more monastery at Geghart,
built and carved into the mountain, and having three altars. Next,
we went to the Garni Pagan Temple, the only pagan temple in Armenia.

Our children and grandchildren were impressed to see Mount Ararat, the
historical mountain said to have been the resting place for Noah’s Ark.

Our family was impressed with Armenia and Artsakh and brought them
closer to their family and historic roots. It was a 50th anniversary
celebration we will all cherish.