MELKONIAN MEMORIAL SERVICE

Gibrahayer
21 January, 2009
Nicosia

Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra for Gibrahayer – Nicosia – 21 January,
2009 – Former Melkoniantsi and friends attended the annual memorial
service (hokehankisd) of the school’s founders and benefactors,
Krikor and Garabed Melkonian, held immediately after the Badarak at
Sourp Asdvadzadzin church in Nicosia. Led by Der Momik Habeshian,
prayers were said in front of the Melkonian Brothers’ Monument;
following the ‘Hayr Mer’, Vartan Tashdjian led those present with
the school’s hymn. The most senior Melkoniantsi, Haroutyoun Dedeyan
(1936), symbolically laid flowers and invited us to observe a moment
of silence. After the brief ceremony, many wandered around to witness
the state the historical school buildings have fallen into and the
statues that have been defaced or allowed to erode. We express the
sincere hope that this will be the last hokehankisd held with the
Melkonian non-operational.