On Monday, April 15th at 4:00pm ET, authors Jesse S. Arlen and Matthew J. Sarkisian will discuss their new book, Odes of Saint Nersess the Graceful: Annotated Translation, in conversation with Prof. George Demacopoulos. The Zoom webinar is hosted by the Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University and co-sponsored by NAASR and the Zohrab Information Center.
A collection of hundreds of documents relating to the Armenian Cause including articles, letters, unpublished genocide survivor’s memoirs, exhibition catalogs, booklets, pamphlets, and ephemera has recently been processed and is now available for the interested public to view at the Zohrab Information Center. The materials in this collection relate first and foremost to the genocide of 1915, but also include materials related to the Soviet and post-Soviet Republic of Armenia, especially Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh). The collection was processed by Linda Smith, a graduate student at Simmons University, pursuing a degree in Archives Management, who is concurrently an archival intern at the Zohrab Center.
Photocopies of the first four pages of Yervant “Edward” Alexanian’s memoir Forced into Genocide: Memoirs of an Armenian Soldier in the Ottoman Turkish Army. Photocopies of the original materials were donated by his daughter and the memoir’s editor Adrienne Alexanian. This donation is held in boxes 6 and 7 of this collection.
The materials in the collection span over 100 years, originating from the end of the 19th century through 2022. These items were acquired and donated over the years by various individuals.
Panoramic view of Sivas, the Armenian quarter of Alexanian’s birthplaceAdrienne made notes like this one on several documents, so researchers can quickly gather details on a particular resource and its significance.
The collection’s first series is comprised of memoirs and accounts of survivors of the genocide. Most of these accounts are unpublished and unknown to both scholars and the general public, while some like Yervant Alexanian’s Forced into Genocide or Hagop Vartanian’s My Story were only published in English translation (while this collection at the Zohrab Center includes the handwritten Armenian original).
Alexanian at three different points in his military career. In the top photo, he is a new conscript in the Ottoman Turkish Army; in the middle photo, he is a new graduate of the Harbiye Military Academy; in the bottom photo, he is a second lieutenant.
Scans from the family history and diary of Hagop Vartanian, which was eventually translated and published in English by Dr. Roberta Ervine under the title My Story: Hagop Vartanian (1873–1950), Genocide: A Father’s Struggle from the United States.
These memoirs are handwritten (or, in one case, photocopies of handwritten and primary source documents) or typed on a typewriter/computer, with several survivors having pasted their own family photos within these materials.
A 1989 memoir entitled “My Name is Avak and I Survived The Armenian Holocaust of 1915: How a Young Boy, Avak Takeljian and His Family Became the Victims”.
This series in the collection provides precious new sources for genocide historians and the interested public alike, each one a testament both to the similarities in experiences of Armenian Genocide survivors while also highlighting the unique journeys of the various individuals and families during and after the tragedy.
Among those individuals is Zaven Seraidarian with his six bound volumes of handwritten notes, memories, poetry, drawings, and scrapbooked images.
“Left to Right: Zaven, Mari, Mihran Seraidarian. We are witness to 1915.”“Zaven Seraidarian – I was born in the Putania [Bithynia] region of western Asia Minor, Nicomedia, the town of Geyve, Kaylaplour [Wolf-Hill] or, in translation, the Turkish name Ghurtbalan or Kurtbelen, Turkey.”“Mihran – Zaven Seraidarian, two brothers, scions of a patriarchal family. We are witness to the two and a half million martyrs. Whoever reads this story of a bloody journey – we remain living in this world. Whoever does not read this story of a bloody journey – that is when we two brothers will be dead to this world.”“Springtime Teardrops – The world belongs to the powerful, may God take our vengeance upon our enemies – You must be sacred hearts in the world – H. T., M. M., Z. S.”“To the Armenian who speaks in a foreign language, always respond in Armenian.”
Seraidarian shares a mix of materials, including personal memories and emotions from his experiences of the First World War and the Armenian Genocide, expressed both in the contents of his writing and the various forms they take in the volumes.
He includes photographs of himself, as well as other images, and writes about the legacy of the Armenians of what is today the north-west of Turkey, historically known as Putania (Բիւթանիա) or Bithynia. Seraidarian was from an area by the town of Geyve near the major city of that region, Nicomedia (modern Izmit).
Seraidarian’s writings are repetitive, often dwelling on the horrors he witnessed and experienced, replete with longing for justice for himself and the Armenian people. Our current generation may assess his volumes as manifestations of journaling, or efforts to work through the traumas that so deeply afflicted his life.
The second series covers community and political activism, which includes documentation of worldwide efforts to raise awareness of the genocide, as well as more contemporary struggles involving Soviet Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, and Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh). This is the largest series, including articles, conference reports, and booklets. Materials from government subcommittees and from the House of Representatives and Senate show efforts to recognize April 24 as the National Day of Remembrance of Man’s Inhumanity to Man and hold Turkey accountable for its actions during and after the genocide.
An informational flyer that contains historic information about Armenia in general and the genocide.
The third series contains historical and informational documents. These are materials that provide background information about Armenia and the genocide, both from historical and contemporary points of view, often meant to influence public opinion, raise awareness, or educate younger generations.
A spread from a 1980 booklet entitled “Sauver ce qui peut encore être sauvé…les monuments arméniens de Turquie” (“Save what can still be saved…the Armenian monuments of Turkey”).
The final series contains materials from memorial events and exhibitions that took place in commemoration of the genocide. The booklets and articles in this series provide a comprehensive picture of how Armenians around the world have continued to remember and speak about the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath, as well as educate the general population through sharing stories and art.
A booklet for an art exhibition entitled “Absence Presence: The Artistic Memory of the Holocaust and Genocide”, which was held at the Katherine E. Nash Gallery at the University of Minnesota from January 7-February 25, 1999.
This collection brings together a wide array of mostly unpublished materials related to the Armenian Cause in general and the genocide in particular, including unpublished and previously unknown survivor accounts. This collection also highlights the efforts of Armenians and their allies the world over to remember the tragedy, honor the Armenian people, hold the Turkish government accountable, and share their experiences through the arts and community engagement.
A scan of H.R. 191, a bill passed in the Texas House of Representatives officially recognizing the Armenian Genocide. This resolution passed in 2017.
This collection is now available for visitors who want to research the genocide and learn more about past and present efforts related to genocide remembrance and activism for the Armenian Cause. A searchable finding aid of the collection is available to view here.
The Zohrab Information Center warmly invites you to attend the upcoming events the Center is involved in hosting in April and May.
– April 3rd, Wednesday, 7:00pm: Lecture by Dr. Nareg Seferian on Siunik in Guild Hall. – April 10th, Wednesday, 7:00pm: Book Presentation, photo exhibition, and talk on Armenian Monasteries by Ted & Nune and Dr. Jesse Arlen at AGBU Central Office (55 East 59th Street, 7th Floor). RSVP here. – April 13th, Saturday, 12:00pm:Online Literary Lights event featuring 2 new children’s books (Babo & Lost Words), with NAASR and IALA. Register for the event here. – April 15th, Monday, 4:00pm: Online Book Presentation of Odes of Saint Nersess the Graceful: Annotated Translation by Jesse. S. Arlen and Matthew Sarkisian, with Fordham and NAASR. Register for the Zoom webinar here.
Buy the Odes of Saint Nersess from Abril Books, the Prelacy Bookstore, NAASR bookstore, or on Amazon. – May 4th, Saturday, 1:00pm: Online Literary Lights event featuring Armen Davoudian’s The Palace of Forty Pillars. Registration link forthcoming. – May 19th, Sunday, 1:00pm (after Badarak): Book Presentation and signing of Odes of Saint Nersess the Graceful: Annotated Translation by Jesse. S. Arlen and Matthew Sarkisian at St. Vartan Cathedral.
Last week, the University of Michigan hosted a workshop for graduate students entitled “Language Revitalization and Resurgence: The Case of Modern Armenian.” Zohrab Information Center Special Projects Coordinator Arthur Ipek presented a paper among a panel of linguists ranging from syntax, psycholinguistics, and dialectology.
As a recipient of the Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fund Fellowship for his continuing research in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, Arthur has proposed a novel approach to studying semantics and lexicography—namely, by incorporating insight from the cognitive sciences. In a working paper entitled “The Task of the Lexicographer: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Comparative Lexicography and the Case of Western Armenian,“ Arthur has outlined how insight from psychology and neuroscience can help compare lexical morphology patterns across languages—7 to be exact—and subsequently implement this knowledge into dictionary usage in the case of Western Armenian. It is no surprise that a polyglot like Arthur has been able to undertake this feat.
Arthur Ipek presenting his paper “The Task of the Lexicographer: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Comparative Lexicography and the Case of Western Armenian”
The presentation was followed by professorial commentary by Dr. Benjamin Fortson, a historical linguist at the University, with much experience in the documentation of English’s hefty word-hoard. He emphasized one of the central themes of Arthur’s study, “inclusive coverage,” as an attempt to capture a responsible number of foreignisms that accurately reflect colloquial speech in Armenian. In addition, Arthur has been cautious to advocate for loanwords at whim and refers lexicographers to use systematicity in their decisions, and that these systematic decisions may rely on newer technological innovations such as brain and behavioral methodologies to tease apart the subtleties of senses for a given word.
Additional insightful feedback was provided by Dr. Kevork Bardakjian and Dr. Michael Pifer, former and current chairs of Armenian Language & Literature at the university. They alluded to how a proper account of lexicography can inform proximal domains of study such as bilingualism, translation, and literature, underlining the multidisciplinary approach that Arthur has incorporated to grapple with these issues. In addition, Ms. Sosy Mishoyan, university preceptor in Armenian language, commented on the applicability of the research to classroom settings, specifically with the idea of helping students disentangle the previously discussed sense discrepancies in the lexicons of English and Armenian.
The Zohrab Information Center cordially invites you to a book presentation and signing of Ted and Nune‘s Stone & Candle: Armenian Monasteries (Kehrer Verlag Heidelberg, 2023) to take place on Wednesday, April 10th from 7–9pm at the AGBU Central Office (55 East 59th Street, 7th floor, New York, NY 10022). At the event, Dr. Jesse S. Arlen will speak on “The Function of Monasteries in Medieval Armenian Society.”
Stone and Candle is a long-term photographic project examining ancient Armenian Monasteries.
Luiza Ghazaryan, a Neuroscience undergraduate student at New York University (’26) and an intern at the Zohrab Information Center was featured as an NYU Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholars Program “scholar in service” for her work at the Zohrab Center.
Luiza was recently interviewed based on her work at the Zohrab Center. To read more about her involvement, click here or continue reading below:
How long have you been working with the organization?
My delightful work with the Zohrab Center started in the Summer of 2023 and since then I have been inseparable from the Armenian treasures in the library!
Why are you passionate about this organization and cause?
Located in the heart of New York City and among skyscrapers, the Zohrab Center is dedicated to preserving Armenian cultural knowledge through research and public programming, and holds a vast collection of books, manuscripts, archival materials, and masterpieces by Armenian intellectuals. I am grateful for this opportunity as I get to learn more about my culture and encounter remarkable stories of the 1915 Armenian Genocide survivors and their resilience. I believe that even by only cataloging the donated books in the online system, I become part of the vital mission to maintain Armenian history and contribute to the flourishing of my nation in the diaspora. Moreover, I relish the tranquility I feel when I am around the literature in this small but cosmic library, away from the cacophony of the city.
How should other Scholars get involved?
Follow the announcements on the ZIC website (or @zohrabcenter on Instagram) for new opportunities posted or literary events that you can attend!
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Thank you Luiza for your wonderful and impactful ongoing work at the Zohrab Center and for helping to promote Armenian culture at NYU!
The Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center cordially invites you to a public lecture by Dr. Nareg Seferian, entitled “”The Backbone of the Country” and “A Wedge Driven into the Turkic World”: Historical and Geographical Imaginations in Siunik after the Second Karabakh War.” The lecture will take place on Wednesday, April 3rd at 7:00pm in Guild Hall at the Diocesan Center.
Abstract: The Second Karabakh War of 2020 had far-reaching repurcusions in the South Caucasus. The province of Siunik (Syunik) in southern Armenia turned into a particularly sensitive area as a result. Almost overnight, the inhabitants of the province unexpecedly found themselves facing new borders with Azerbaijan. Spaces that had never been frontiers suddenly had to accommodate armed forces flying three flags while dealing with blocked transportation networks and disrupted economic activity. Those substantial material security challenges found their reflections in ideological discourses and narratives as well.
How do the Armenians of Siunik perceive their new geography? Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the province in the autumn of 2021, this talk presents local perceptions on the changing dynamics of Siunik and Armenia as they navigate through the trauma and shock of the Second Karabakh War, and the developments since.
Nareg Seferian received his PhD from the School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech, in 2023. He served on the faculty of the American University of Armenia from 2013 to 2016 and also taught at Virginia Tech during and after his doctoral studies from 2019 to 2023. His published writings are available at naregseferian.com.
The Zohrab Center cordially invites you to a virtual book release and webinar discussion of Odes of Saint Nersess the Graceful: Annotated Translation (New York, NY: Tarkmaneal Press, 2024) on Monday, April 15th, at 4:00pm ET, with authors Matthew J. Sarkisian and Dr. Jesse S. Arlen. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. George E. Demacopoulos, Professor of Theology and Fr. John Meyendorff & Patterson Family Chair of Orthodox Christian Studies at Fordham University.
To register for the Zoom webinar, click here. To purchase the book on Amazon, click here.
St. Nersess the Graceful (Nersēs Shnorhali, 1102–1173 AD), Catholicos from 1166 until his death in 1173, was one of the great figures of the medieval Armenian Church. His most popular work is the prayer of twenty-four stanzas commonly known as “With Faith I Confess” (Havadov Khosdovanim), which has been translated into more than thirty languages. He was also a prolific author and composer of hymns and other poetic works, many of which remain little known today. This volume presents the Armenian text and an English translation of sixty of St. Nersess’s liturgical odes (tagh), fifty-eight of which have never been previously translated into English. These profound songs of praise were composed to enhance the celebration and reflect on the mystery of the various feasts and commemorations that make up the Christian liturgical year. The translation is accompanied by an introduction and extensive annotation, which brings to light the Biblical, theological, and poetic features of these literary treasures, making them accessible to the general reader in the twenty-first century.
About the Authors Jesse S. Arlen is the director of the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center at the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America in New York and a postdoctoral research fellow at the Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University. He has published a number of studies on medieval Christian spirituality, monasticism, and literature.
Matthew J. Sarkisian is a self-taught translator of Classical Armenian who lives in the Binghamton, New York area. He previously collaborated with Jesse Arlen on an annotated translation of an Armenian prayer scroll (hmayil), published in 2022 by the Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center.
Praise for the Volume
“St. Nersess Shnorhali, Nersess the Graceful, belongs to the rank of those Church Fathers and Doctors who rightfully can be declared “the lyre of the Holy Spirit.” One of the earliest European Armenologists, the Jesuit Fr. Jacques Villote, admiring the sublime touches of heavenly inspiration emanating from Shnorhali’s verses, called his poetic masterpiece — named in Armenian Յիսուս, Որդի (Jesus, Son) from its incipit — “The Divine Elegy.” Nersess Shnorhali is one of the most exceptional figures in the history of the universal Church for more than one reason, but above all for his passionate search for the unity of the Church, and for his deep understanding, in the wake of St. Gregory of Narek, of the fragility, the conventionality, the inadequacy of human language in speaking of Divine mystery. The Odes in this volume, masterfully translated and commented upon by Matthew J. Sarkisian and Jesse S. Arlen, are among the most vibrant, genuine, and touching expressions of Shnorhali’s spirituality.”
— Abp. Levon Zekiyan, Emeritus Professor of Armenian Studies, Ca’ Foscari, Venice, and the Pontifical Oriental Institute, Rome
“St. Nersess Shnorhali’s hymns are known for their literary beauty and spiritual sublimity. Sarkisian and Arlen convey both aspects in their mellifluous translation. The substantial annotation they provide further defines their mastery of the classical text.”
— Abraham Terian, Emeritus Professor of Armenian Patristics and Theology, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
“Thanks to Jesse Arlen and Matthew Sarkisian for this carefully prepared labor of love and learning. They have curated for us a trove of lesser-known, spiritual gems from the vast storehouse of St. Nersess Shnorhali’s writings.”
— Roberta Ervine, Professor of Armenian Christian Studies, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
An Intermediate Classical Armenian course will be offered by Zohrab Center director Dr. Jesse S. Arlen on Tuesday & Thursday evenings, 7:00-9:00pm, from April 2nd to June 20th over Zoom.
This course is the equivalent of a university-level course, covering intermediate grammar and simple readings of primary sources in a variety of genres and periods from the fifth to eighteenth centuries. Students will also have an opportunity to read from medieval manuscripts and be introduced to the basics of Armenian paleography.
Students should have some familiarity already with the basics of Classical Armenian to benefit from this class. Please inquire with the instructor for more details or questions or to express interest (jarlen@fordham.edu)
This course is being offered based on student demand from the successful experience of the Beginning Classical Armenian course presently ongoing.
The Zohrab Information Center cordially invites you to a book presentation and signing on Saturday, March 2nd at 1:30pm at Armenian Church of the Holy Martyrs in Bayside, Queens.
Fr. Dr. Abraham Manuk Malkhasyan, Dr. Armen Khachikyan, and Dr. Michael Malkhasyan will present their newly published book The Current Stage of the Demographic Transition in the Republic of Armenia (Ժողովրդագրական անցման արդի փուլը Հայաստանի հանրապետութիւնում).
The event is co-sponsored by the Zohrab Center and followed by a research presentation: “Public & Security Problems in Armenia,” with research conducted by ԱՐԱՐ հիմնադրամ / ARAR Foundation and presented by Dr. Armen Khachikyan, moderated by Zohrab director Dr. Jesse Arlen.
