Author: Yeghisabet Vorskanian

On Friday, , Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church visited the Archdiocese of America Headquarters during his Pontifical visit to the United States of America.

In his welcoming remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America expressed gratitude for the close relationship between the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and the Armenian Prelacy, thanking Catholicos Aram I for his strong commitment to “ecumenical witness” and “mutual support and encouragement.”

Elpidophoros also shared his prayers for the Armenians suffering in Artsakh and his hopes for a peaceful end to global conflicts.

“As People of Faith” Archbishop Elpidophoros said, “we trust in the Lord’s will that His peace will reign upon the earth, even as it is in the Kingdom of Heaven. But we must work diligently toward that end. And until such peace is found, we must minister and serve those whose lives have been torn apart by conflict.”

Catholicos Aram I responded with words of gratitude and insisted on the importance of Orthodox unity through honest theological dialogue. He said: “It is a must to restore the broken unity of the Orthodox Churches.” He then continued: “I would like to say my appreciation to His Eminence for receiving me today in a truly Orthodox way with a spirit of true fellowship.”

This day marks the second time Catholicos Aram has visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the first time being on October 3, 1997, during the tenure of His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon.

Catholicos Aram was accompanied by Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; Very Rev. Sahag Yemishian, Vicar of the Eastern Prelacy; Very Rev. Hovagim Panjarjian, Media Officer of Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia; Very Rev. Sarkis Aprahamian, Staff bearer; Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, Pastor, St. Sarkis Church in Queens, NY.

Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was joined by Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos; V. Rev. Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos, V. Rev. Archimandrite Vaseilios Drosos; Rev. Protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos; Rev. Protopresbyter Nicolas Kazarian, Rev. Archdeacon Dionysios Papiris & Mrs. Elaine Allen.

Source: Orthodox Observer

Photos: Archdiocese of America

Eating is more than just sustenance in Armenia; it’s vital to the warm hospitality for which the nation is known. Get talking to any Armenian and there’s a good chance you’ll be invited to dinner and presented with any number of regionally grown and lovingly prepared dishes to savour. To say no would not only be futile but also be deeply foolish.

Armenian cuisine has much in common with Persian and Arab cooking. A typical Armenian dinner table will be laden with a variety of complementing tastes and textures, from smoky barbecued meats and salty baneer cheese to crunchy raw veg destined to be stuffed into folds of traditional leavened lavash bread and enjoyed over the course of several hours. Presented with modest simplicity, Armenian food is a lesson not only in flavour but culture, history and humanity – and there’s no better way to learn than to pull up a chair. Here are six dishes you should not miss.

A staple at every table, lavash is a traditional soft flatbread that resembles a colossal Mexican tortilla. The dough is made from a simple combination of flour, salt and water, though it’s in the centuries-old technique that the magic really lies. The tonir, or oven, is a deep circular cavern that is sunken into the ground with a blistering hot fire at its base. After being rolled and cut on a baking board, the dough is hand-spun like a pizza base before being stretched out over a padded batat, which resembles a mini ironing board. Bakers then vigorously slap the stretchy dough onto the side of the oven where it crisps up in a matter of minutes. Once the bread is ready, it is typically removed by the most senior baker before being frisbeed onto a rapidly building pile. Amateur bakers can roll up their sleeves at Sergey’s Place, a traditional restaurant nestled in a leafy garden in Garni, just minutes from the Greco-Roman Garni Temple and 27km east of Yerevan. Under the guidance of wisened lavash makers Noyem and Nariné, visitors can swirl and slap to their heart’s content, before sampling the finished product with a spread of local delicacies.

Gata is to Armenians what crepes are to the French; fresh, doughy and available everywhere. Devoured morning, noon and night by sweet-toothed locals, the dense, bready cake is a mixture of butter, flour and sugar with various nut and fruit fillings on offer. For a true gata education, look no further than Haghartsin Gata in the grounds of Dilijan’s Haghartsin Monastery, 100km north of Yerevan. Here, sisters Lusaber and Susana run a tight ship, communicating through a series of expressive grunts, which leave little room for misinterpretation. We’re told, via our guide, that we will be shown the technique for making gata once and once only, though the tough masks soon begin to slip as the sisters hoot with laughter and dish out grandmotherly hugs when the cakes emerge hot and golden from the wood-fired oven. Enjoy your handiwork fresh out of the pan while wandering around the impressive 13th-century monastery. The Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, was so impressed during his 2005 visit that he funded an entire refurbishment, though his opinions on its gata remain a mystery.

Armenia’s famously loaded vine and cabbage leaves are packed full of minced meat and rice, stewed slowly in a light sauce and served up tapas style, ready to be thrown back in gluttonous abandon. If you opt to eat in a homestay (which you absolutely should), the range of dolma on offer can be overwhelming, featuring a pick ‘n’ mix of bulghur, nuts, spices, veg and dried fruits. In restaurants, common dolma tends to comprise minced meat and rice with an increasing number of vegetarian options available. For a stimulating way to sample dolma, head to Sherep Restaurant just steps away from Yerevan’s Republic Square. From the open kitchen and live music to the chic industrial décor, the lively space is brimming with character for a tantalising night on the tiles.

Khurjin is a dish you will eat once and dream about for all eternity. The lamb parcel is wrapped in lavash dough to the effect of a clay jar, which is ceremoniously snipped open at the table using silver tongs and kitchen scissors. The outpouring of tomatoes, onions and succulent morsels of buttery lamb is an eruption of gastronomic bliss, creating a molten cascade of flavours unlike anything else in the Caucases or beyond. For five-star khurjin, head to Lavash Restaurant in Yerevan for farm-to-table fare served up in a bright and airy dining room that spills out onto the street. Don’t leave without a wedge of the famous milfey, a towering dessert of crispy layered pastry and silky cream.

Khorovats – or barbecued meats – are served everywhere from fine-dining restaurants to roadside stalls. Seasoned skewers of pork, chicken, lamb and beef are typically barbecued over wood coals and dished up with a parcel of lavash. The Armenian word for “life lived to the fullest”, khorovats  are served at every Armenian gathering, be it a wedding celebration or a birthday party, with waiters regularly dancing as they serve the sizzling skewers. To enjoy a similar jovial atmosphere, few places compare to Tavern Yerevan Riverside in the capital. Here, live theatrical performances are staged regularly, complete with an all-singing, all-dancing cast – though the waiters remain suitably stationary between services.

Though it may seem gratuitous to add fruits and vegetables to a list of iconic dishes, the garden crudités in Armenia really are a highlight of any meal. Outside of Yerevan, the most popular occupation is agriculture, and the quality of locally grown produce is notable and rare. Armenians grow what the climate favours. Food is seasonal and hasn’t crossed continents to make it to your plate. The country is perhaps best known for its apricots, though peaches, pomegranates, plums, cherries and grapes all flourish in Armenian soil. Salads – or aughtsan – are remarkably fresh, with both mixed dishes and raw platters usually served early on in a meal. Perhaps most unusual to a foreign palate is red ruben basil, a highly fragrant herb with a distinctive dark purple hue and strong notes of aniseed. Though served in almost every restaurant, local fruits, veg and herbs are best enjoyed with a view. Zarni Parni Restaurant in Haghpat is 170km north of Yerevan, teetering on a cliffside with rolling green mountains and picturesque valleys as far as the eye can see. Overlooked by an accessible cave fortress and museum, it’s a tremendous way to combine culture and cuisine and a fitting end to your Armenian culinary schooling.

https://www.cntravellerme.com/story/what-to-eat-in-armenia-6-authentic-dishes-and-where-to-try-them 

Paruyr Hovhannisian, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister, commented on Russia's dissatisfaction with Yerevan's participation in the Ukrainian Peace Formula summit in Malta.

Source: European Pravda with reference to News.am

Details: Hovhannisian said the Russian Federation incorrectly qualified the meeting in Malta between Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, and Andrii Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian President's Office.

Quote: "This platform is a platform for secretaries of security councils. I wouldn’t say that it was devoted to the issue of Ukraine, there was a broader agenda. I think that this description does not correspond to reality."

Background:

• Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said that Moscow considers Armenia's participation in the summit on the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Malta to be a "demonstrative anti-Russian gesture".

• The third meeting on the Ukrainian Peace Formula in Malta, which occurred on 28-29 October, focused on questions of nuclear, food and energy security, as well as the release of prisoners and deportees and the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

• The meeting was attended personally or remotely by representatives of 66 countries – over 20 more than in the previous meeting in Saudi Arabia. Armenia took part in the meeting for the first time. However, China did not participate.

• In September of this year, Armenia handed over humanitarian aid to Ukraine for the first time – it was brought during the visit of Nikol Pashinyan, the Armenia Prime Minister's wife.

• Subsequently, Pashinyan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met for the first time on the sidelines of the European political community summit in Granada in early October.

Hungary remains committed to rebuilding relations with Armenia, and after a ten-year diplomatic hiatus, the parties are working to establish cooperation that serves the interests of both nations, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó said in Yerevan on Friday.

At a joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan, the minister stressed that this visit “marks the end of a long journey,” as there had been no diplomatic relations between the two countries for ten years. He recalled that last year, the two sides decided to normalize relations.

He said that the strong common ground of Christianity is a great help in this, as both Hungary and Armenia have a long Christian heritage. He added that the Armenian Christian Church has played an important role in rebuilding the relationship.

he said.

He also stressed that the government had provided 116 million forints (EUR 300,000) in aid to families resettling from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and 100,000 doses of vaccines during the coronavirus epidemic. “Hungary remains committed to rebuilding these links,” he said.

As a sign of this, he said, another 40 million forints (EUR 90,000) will be provided to families moving from Nagorno-Karabakh, and Hungary is ready to participate in the medical treatment of the resettled families and to offer summer camps for the children of the affected families next year.

Szijjártó also announced that a cooperation agreement on higher education will be signed, allowing thirty Armenians to study at Hungarian universities on scholarships every year. He also touched on the Armenian minority in Hungary, stressing that the budget support for the community has been increased fourfold over the last thirteen years. He said that he had asked his Armenian counterpart to authorize the establishment of a Hungarian consular representation in Yerevan.
He said that the government would encourage WizzAir to add Budapest as a destination for flights from Yerevan. “Then the direct link could really be physically established. I think that after ten years, this is not a bad step forward for a meeting,” he said.

The minister also underlined that the Caucasus is extremely important for Europe, both because of its proximity and because the region can help to overcome the continent’s energy crisis, and there is a realistic possibility of obtaining new resources from there.
“This is precisely why we Hungarians want Azerbaijan and Armenia to be able to sign a peace agreement as soon as possible, which will then guarantee that people in this region can live in peace and tranquillity for the next decades, and which will enable the next years and decades to be about peaceful economic development in the region,” he said.