The Armenian community of Greater Boston has come together following the tragic fall of Artsakh due to Azeri aggression. Not facing any opposition from the world, Azerbaijan’s dictator amassed a large force on the borders of Artsakh and launched an invasion after subjecting its Armenian population to an almost 10-month long blockade, preventing food, medicine, and other necessities from entering the country. The invasion has resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh, from which over 100,000 inhabitants have already left their homes, fearing rape, murder, and pillage at the hands of the Azeri invaders.
Clergy lead the community in a prayer for Artsakh, Sept. 22, 2023 (Photo: Ani Zargarian)
In its distress, the Armenian community of Boston came together for a prayer service and community gathering on Friday, September 22. The prayer service was conducted at St. Stephen’s Armenian Apostolic Church with clergy from Armenian churches in the Greater Boston area. The Very Reverend Fr. Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, presided and delivered the homily. Very Rev. Fr. Ardag Arabian (Holy Trinity Church in Worcester), Very Rev. Fr. Ghazare Bedrosian (Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church in Belmont), Archpriest Fr. Antranig Baljian (St. Stephen’s Church in Watertown), Rev. Fr. Arakel Aljalian (St. James Church in Watertown), Rev. Fr. Vazken Kouzouian (Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge), Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian (St. Gregory Church in N. Andover), Rev. Fr. Khachatur Kesablyan (Sts. Vartanants Church in Chelmsford), Rev. Fr. Vart Gyozalyan (Armenian Church at Hye Point), Rev. Fr. Mikael Der Kosrofian (Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church of Whitinsville), Rev. Fr. Tadeos Barseghian (Church of Our Savior, Worcester), Rev. Dr. Avedis Boynerian (Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester) and Deacon Asatur Baljyan (Choir Director at St. James Church in Watertown) participated in the community prayer service.
Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board chair Dr. Nyree Derderian (Photo: Ani Zargarian)
Following the service, more than 500 community members came together at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center. Organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Boston, the event featured remarks by Dr. Nyree Derderian, the chairperson of the Armenian Relief Society Central Executive Board, who addressed the humanitarian crisis; Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee of America, who highlighted advocacy avenues moving forward; Dr. Greg Demirchyan from the Armenian Bar Association, who discussed legal considerations for the status of the Armenians of Artsakh; and Weekly columnist Yeghia Tashjian, a regional analyst, who commented on the political situation on the ground and the threats facing Armenia. State Representative Steven Owens of Watertown joined the event in solidarity with the Armenian-American community.
Meghri DerVartanian (Photo: Sona Gevorkian)
On Saturday, September 30, the Pan Armenian Council of New England, working with local Armenian churches and organizations, held a rally at the Armenian Heritage Park on the Green. The event, which was hosted by Meghri Dervartanian and opened with an ecumenical prayer, raised awareness of the ethnic cleansing of the Armenians of Artsakh. “We are a force to drive positive change in our community,” Dervartanian said. “Let us not forget that we always survive…this is not the end! It will never be the end for the Armenian people. It will never be the end for Artsakh.”
Dr. Ara Nazarian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Boston (Photo: Sona Gevorkian
This sentiment was reinforced by Dr. Ara Nazarian of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation of Boston. “Artsakh will always be Armenian, she will rejoin our nation again, and our brothers and sisters will return to their homeland,” he said.
Anthony Barsamian from the Armenian Assembly of America stated that the President of Azerbaijan must be prosecuted for war crimes. “We have got to be strong now because Armenia is at stake,” he said.
Rev. Laura Everett, executive director of the Massachusetts Council of Churches, stressed the need for the violence and displacement to end in Artsakh and for peace to prevail for its people.
Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian (Photo: Sona Gevorkian)
Stating that this is the greatest threat to our community since the Genocide, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian urged, “Now is the time to move forward with one focus to beat with one Armenian heart.”
Ara Balikian from the Armenian General Benevolent Union of New England focused on the need to help the people of Artsakh and “alleviate their suffering” through all means available to the community.
Dr. Shant Parseghian from the Pan Armenian Council of New England joined the voices of each speaker in highlighting the needs of the Armenians of Artsakh. All addressed the humanitarian, advocacy and historical contexts of this monumental loss for the Armenian nation and the need for our government to stand on the right side of history and provide much-needed aid to the people of Artsakh, who have lost everything in a matter of a week.
“Being Armenian…means standing arm-in-arm in a city halfway across the world from our ancestral land and finding hope in our unity,” Ani Belorian of the Pan Armenian Council of New England concluded.
The Greater Boston community came together in support of Artsakh at the Armenian Heritage Park on The Greenway, Boston, Sept. 30, 2023 (Photo: Sona Gevorkian)