Aram Hamparian’s remarks in New York at a banquet to honor Catholicos Aram I
Aram Hamparian’s remarks at the recent dinner in New York marking the 30th Anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness, Vehapar Aram I:
Two words: Faith and Freedom.
Belief and belonging – Spiritual and civilizational
Salvation – at the hand of God
Security – at the table of nations
Aligning our higher calling with our earthly mission.
– Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
– Yegheetsi gamk ko, vorbes hergeens ev hergree.
Faith and freedom: Twin pillars of the Armenian nation.
Our church, the soul of our nation; The nation, the body of our church.
The body of Christ, among the Armenian faithful.
First Corinthians 12:26 teaches us: “Whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.”
We have today our share of suffering – and are called – here on earth – to strive for the:
– Release of Armenian hostages.
– Return of Artsakh refugees.
– End of Azerbaijani occupation.
– Protection of Christian churches.
And now, the defense of our church – in Armenia. Now I never attended seminary, and I’m surely no theologian, but I did serve as a Sunday school teacher at Soorp Khatch – where I taught my students that two of the apostles chosen by Jesus Christ – Thaddeus and Bartholomew – preached in Armenia, and established there an apostolic line of succession that has endured for 2000 years – that exists until this very day.
And yet there is today a false claim of secular authority over our spiritual connection to the disciples – and, through them, to Christ, our savior.
There are today many in jail in Armenia for calling out this offense against apostolic succession, the very sovereignty of our church.
We witnessed a prayer breakfast hosted in Yerevan this past week – not to celebrate global solidarity in an early cradle of Christianity – but rather as cover for the Pashinyan government’s toxic attacks on the Armenian church.
That we cannot abide.
We must – at this crucial moment – set aside our political rhetoric, our diplomatic discourse, and speak in a prophetic voice.
I quote an American prophet, Fredrick Douglas, who said in 1852: “It is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
We must speak in bold strokes.
Act in decisive terms.
In language worthy of our past – in the spirit of Khrimian Hyrig.
In actions worthy of our future – in the service of generations yet unborn.
Justice – as His Holiness Aram Vehapar has so eloquently stated – is both a spiritual value and our sacred duty.
It is in this spirit – knowing full well, the depth of faith that animates the Catholicosate of Cilicia and our entire nation – that I assure you, our church will have the final word.
Not those – foreign or domestic – who are today attacking us.
On this I will quote Matthew 18:7: “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!”
Never has this been more true than today.
Driving here today – across Maryland’s John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway – I was reminded of the final words of our late president’ inaugural address – words with which I will close: “Let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”
