Father Shmavon Ghevondyan, pastor of the St. Hovhannes Armenian Apostolic Church in Yerevan’s Kond neighbourhood, called for the allotment of same-sized cemetery plots for all and said that the Church was opposed to gravestones depicting images of the deceased. The clergyman noted, however, that such church practices were not abided by and there was little that anyone could do.

Father Ghevondyan added that the Church was opposed to the cremation of the deceased and that more cemeteries should be built. »»»»»

By David Kelly

Armenians like to say that that if they can’t achieve anything themselves, all the better if they can take down a rival. Sounds familiar.

However, given a history littered with earthquakes, genocide and political repression, perhaps theirs is an attitude slightly more explicable than that prevailing closer to home. »»»»»

This morning as I drove past the State Economics Institute on Nalbandyan Street in Yerevan I saw two Red Berets standing on the corner in front of the entrance.

Today is back to school day across Armenia and students were flocking in front of their college buildings waiting for class to start while smoking slim cigarettes and playing with cell phones, as they do every day. (Read more in Footprints)

According to the NKR Ministry of Defense, at around 6:30 yesterday morning Azerbaijani forces attempted to advance on an NKR frontline position in the northeast sector, in the vicinity of the village of Verin Chailou. Armenian forces were able to halt their advance and the Azeri unit left behind 7 dead.

The NKR Defense Army also denied statements emanating out of Baku that the Armenian side had started the incident and that Armenian losses amounted to 3 dead and 1 wounded. During the skirmish Roudik Manasaeryan, an NKR soldier, was wounded.

Sects continue “soul saving” in Etchmiadzin’s backyard

After today’s Divine Liturgy celebrated by Catholicos Garegin II at Etchmiadzin celebrating the start of the school year, the Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Church stated that the number of evangelical religious sects operating in Armenia was decreasing.

Catholicos Garegin II was responding to a Hetq reporter who asked why such sects were operating in the town of Etchmiadzin itself if, as the Catholicos claimed, the church was taking measures to strengthen the bonds between itself and Armenia’s youth, especially in terms of spiritual instruction. »»»»»

The start of the new school year in Armenia was ushered in today with a special Divine Liturgy at Etchmiadzin celebrated by Catholicos Garegin II. The Catholicos conveyed his blessings on the occasion and noted the historical strong bonds between the Armenian church and school

Present were RoA Minister of education Armen Ashotyan, representatives of the education departments of various Regional Administrations and school principals. Minister Ashotyan and Catholicos Garegin II met with reporters after church services. The Minister noted the important educational role the Armenian Church played during the long centuries when there was no Armenian state and thus no ministry of education. »»»»»

For some Diaspora Armenians it’s the “ultimate high”

By Edna Baghoumian

It is mid August again and the heat has been unbearable, here, in Yerevan, but the conditions for climbing Mt Ararat (elevation 5,165 m/16,946 ft) are perfect – the best time of the year for such an undertaking. »»»»»

Georgia Seeks to Regain “Paper” Control of Lost Borders

See also: Inviolable Borders: Georgian Court Sentences Armenian to One Year, Inviolable Borders: Georgians Arrest Armenian for Abkhazia Visit

Hetq has already covered the case of RoA citizen Arman Ghazaryan, who was arrested by Georgian authorities and sentenced to one year imprisonment for entering Georgian territory from the breakaway republic of Abkhazia. »»»»»

RoA President Serzh Sargsyan has promoted Sergey Manasaryan, now serving as Armenia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, to the post of RoA Deputy Foreign Minister.

Today, a press conference was scheduled to take place in Yerevan where MP Lernik Aleksanyan and Hrach Berberyan, President of the RoA Agrarian Union, were to discuss the rise in the price of agricultural prices, notably the potato. (In eastern Armenian, the word for potato is kartofil, a Russian term, and not getnakhndzor).

Anyway, Mr. Berberyan never showed up; he was in Lori Marz and couldn’t make it back to Yerevan. Thus MP Aleksanyan, of the ruling Armenian Republican Party, proceeded to expound his views as to why potato prices had gone up. For a start, he argues that the price hike couldn’t be blames on the ‘oligarchs’, but rather market conditions and the vagaries of the climate. »»»»»

At a press briefing today, Armenian MP Lernik Aleksanyan stated that he had no idea about the land holdings of National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan in Ararat Marz. Aleksanyan was queried about the sharp increase in the potato price in Armenian markets.

“How the heck should I know about what Abrahamyan owns? He’s a sharp businessman and a good organizer and he’s done a good job at organizing the parliament. The Constitution allows anyone to own as much land as they want,” was MP Aleksanyan’s response. »»»»»

An environmental umbrella organization in Armenia has published a statement condemning recent steps by law enforcement agencies to expose those who organized recent demonstrations against the construction of a hydro-electric station on the Argitch River in Gegharkunik Marz.

Some 45 civic organizations and NGO’s have signed the statement, expressing their concerns regarding the heavy-handed tactics being employed by the police and the prosecutor’s office to pressure local residents into testifying and naming names. Residents from five local communities had blocked the Yerevan-Martuni highway on July 19 to protest construction of the power plant and plans to divert the Gayladzor tributary south towards Vayots Dzor. »»»»»

Anahit Ghazaryan, a representative of the All Armenia Fund’s Great Britain affiliate was in Armenia from August 24-26, to take part in ceremonies marking the distribution of 2.5 million AMD in school supplies to pupils in the country’s outlying rural districts.

Mrs. Ghazaryan visited the the Talin Children’s Art School and the schools in the villages of Dzoramout and Artzni, Lori Marz, where 180 pupils received their gifts. During the past ten years, the Great Britain branch of the Fund has distributed school supplies to over 1,800 pupils in Shirak, Lori, Tavoush, Vayots Dzor and Aragatzotn. »»»»»

TATEV – Two winners will receive travel and accommodations to the Saturday, October 16, 2010 launch of the Tatev Revival Project. To qualify for the $5,000-value prize, $10 Tatev Revival Project fundraiser tickets must be purchased on-line at Tatev.am.

“This is a chance for all Armenians and non-Armenians all over the world to intervene and save this 9th century crown jewel in Armenian history” said Zarmine Zeitountsian, Fundraising Coordinator of the Tatev Revival Project. “We hope that through the fundraiser, donors will take a moment to learn about this historic undertaking, take a chance on winning a round-trip vacation, and tell others about our long-term plans in Southern Armenia.”   »»»»»