South Bay Armenian-Greek Family Hosts Khatchkar Blessing
By Hagop “Jack” Dulgarian
“Now you all are going to experience true Orthodox Christianity,” head of the family Kevork “Duke” Dulgerian playfully remarked to the majority Greek-American audience before his Khatchkar blessing.
It was the beautiful culmination of 11 years in the making as his prized Khatchkar was blessed by Fr. Haroutioun Tachejian of St. James Armenian Apostolic Church, along with Fr. Michael Courrey and Fr. Peter Dogias of St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church. Dulgarian hosted a very small gathering, along with his family, including wife of over 35 years, Maria, sons Hagop (31, Anastasia), and Harut (27, Kassiani), plus father-in-law, Demos Karas (Evdokia, of blessed memory), a former shepherd and World War II survivor from Mt. Helikon, Greece.
Dulgarian is the 1st cousin of George Mason, the founding publisher of the California Courier.
The Khatchkar was brought to the South Bay of Los Angeles through a decade long collaboration between the Armenian and Greek Churches. Lebanese-Greek Priest Fr. Michael Correy personally drew the conceptual design through Duke’s recommendations. Meanwhile, Fr. Haroutioun Tachejian collaborated to ensure its authenticity to Armenian cultural and canonical Christian standards, culminating in its production and shipment from the motherland.
The Khatchkar stands only about four feet tall due to local city regulations on artwork, yet remains a major landmark in the neighborhood as many non-Armenian and non-Christian neighbors often ask Duke about its symbolism. It prominently features the eternal Armenian Cross in its center, encircled by pomegranate and olive tree branches, symbolizing Duke and Maria’s Armenian and Greek roots, now intertwined in love and marriage.
From top to bottom, Mount Ararat is depicted from a “western perspective”, symbolizing the Dulgarian family’s heritage to Van and Kharpert (Harput). A World War II Era C-47 with pontoons is flying directly over Mount Ararat, symbolizing Duke’s father, Dikran “Dick” Dulgarian, who flew the last of only three planes to be made for the U.S. Army Air Corps (the other two crashed and were destroyed) while also representing his father as the first generation from the motherland to the U.S. “1915” and “Mt.25:14-30” flank the C-47 on each end in memory of all Armenian martyrs and the “Parable of the Talents”, according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, representing the Armenian and Dulgarian Family core belief in hard work.
Surrounding the lower section of the Khatchkar is the ancient Greek key, representing God’s eternal pro
Duke dedicated the Khatchkar to his parents Dick and Lita Katherine, “Who each fell asleep in the Lord over a decade ago, but are always with us in eternal memory.”
