The Zohrab Information Center is committed to the promotion of the Armenian language, in all its forms and time periods.

This month, we resume an educational program begun last year entitled Գրաբար եւ Գինի (“Krapar and Kini” / Classical Armenian & Wine). The goal of this initiative is to build and spread knowledge of the old or classical form of the Armenian language known as Գրաբար (Grabar / Krapar), while providing exposure to the vast array of literary treasures written in this form of the language from the fifth to nineteenth centuries, many of which are untranslated or even unpublished (i.e., only in manuscripts). Until today, Krapar remains the liturgical language of the Armenian Apostolic Church and therefore the Armenian faithful have a special reason to understand it.

For now, we will resume meeting on a monthly basis, with each session oriented around a different text and led by a scholar or advanced student of the language. The only prerequisite is knowledge of the Armenian alphabet. We invite you to come join us — with a glass of wine in one hand and a Krapar text in the other — as we learn together in a relaxed and congenial setting.

Meetings will be held monthly by Zoom. The next session will take place Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00PM (ET), led by St. Nersess Seminary student Garen Hamamjian. Email zohrabcenter@armeniandiocese.org to be added to the mailing list & for meeting details (Zoom link, ID, password).

Image credit: The Walters Art Museum, Ms 543, fol. 7v, “Marriage Feast at Cana”