Yesterday (on Sunday), I took my Mom to the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Golden, Colorado. Mother Cabrini was the first American saint, born in Italy, and you can learn about her shrine at http://www.den-cabrini-shrine.org/. It was a wonderful place, and although my family is not Catholic (we are Orthodox), we really enjoyed it. The 22-ft statue of Jesus Christ is called the Sacred Heart, and you need to climb a few hundred stairs to get there.

Scientists at Stanford have uncovered one of the ancient and unique writings of Greek mathematician Archimedes (or Archimed in Armenian) from a Christian manuscript. X-rays have revealed some of the writings from the manuscript. Christian prayers had been added to the manuscript, after Archimedes' writings were scrubbed off, 800 years ago. The website of the project is http://www.archimedespalimpsest.org/, the AP article is available at http://www.livescience.com/history/ap_060805_arch_text.html.

Vandalism can be recovered after 800 years by not vandalizing the vandalizm itself.

This is particularly interesting for Armenian manuscript art, since it is known that every single Armenian pagan (pre-Christian) writing has been destroyed. It is not impossible that some of the ancient Armenian bibles could have been written on scrubbed off pagan manuscripts.

This is the same idea that some foreigners in Azerbaijan used by photographing the scrubbed off Armenian writings in the village of Nizh, Azerbaijan. I did not mention this in my Hetq article, but now you know it. Although the Armenian writings had been scrubbed off, the special photography was able to capture the Armenian trace.

The vandalized Armenian inscription of Nizh church is not totally lost. Special photography still shows the traces of the ancient Armenian letters.

I received two letters from both Colorado senators regarding my concerns of firing Amb. Evans. A serious and well-spoken follow up call had both senators get back to me right away. I didn't forget to mention where I work :

July 31, 2006

[…]

Dear Simon:

Thank you for writing to share your concerns on the recall of John
Marshall Evans, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. I appreciate you taking
the
time to write.

It has been over ninety years since the deliberate genocide of more
than a
million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire. For eight years Armenians
were
murdered, tortured, or forced into exile from their homeland. These
atrocities have been labeled as one of the most horrible tragedies of
the
20th century, and I believe it is important that the United States
recognize these appalling acts as genocide.

As you know, John Marshall Evans, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, was
recalled
in early March. Although I do not personally agree with the
Administration's policy to refrain from using the term genocide, it is
important to understand that Ambassadors are assigned to communicate
the
Administration's position on foreign policy.

I understand your concerns regarding this issue, and have co-sponsored
Senate Resolution 320, which calls on the President to ensure that U.S.
foreign policy reflects appropriate understanding of the Armenian
genocide, and characterizes it as such. The legislation has been
referred
to the Foreign Relations Committee, and if passed, I hope to see the
Administration modify their position and recognize the events of the
early
20th century as genocide.

Thank you for writing to share your thoughts on this important matter.
I
look forward to hearing from you again. If you would like more
information on issues important tot Colorado and the nation, please log
on
to my website at http://allard.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
Wayne Allard
United States Senator

Dear Simon:

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on the dismissal of John Marshall Evans, the United States Ambassador to Armenia. I appreciate hearing from you.

I can certainly understand your frustration over the possibility that Ambassador Evans was recalled for speaking out about the Armenian genocide – a tragedy that I have long believed must be fully recognized by the U.S. However, all foreign ambassadors serve at the pleasure of the President, and I look to him to provide an adequate explanation of the reasons behind Evans' dismissal.

As you may know, I was proud to co-sponsor S. Res. 320, a resolution calling on the President to ensure that the foreign policy approach of the U.S. reflects sensitivity to and understanding of the plight of the Armenian people who were persecuted, tortured, killed, and deported by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. You should also know that I joined many of my colleagues in signing a letter urging the President to recognize the mass slaughter of Armenians as genocide in his recent commemorative statement on the 91st anniversary of the persecution.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has delayed a confirmation vote on the Armenian Ambassador-Designate Richard Hoagland, asking that Hoagland answer questions about the guidance he has received from the State Department on reaffirming the Armenian genocide. I look to my colleagues on this committee to see that Hoagland explains his approach properly, and I would hope that that approach reflects a deep sensitivity to the tragedy of the 1915 Armenian genocide.

I will continue to keep your thoughts – as well as the memory of the victims of the Armenian genocide – in mind as the Senate continues to deal with this issue.

Again, thanks for writing.

Sincerely,
Ken Salazar
United States Senator

http://www.hayasapictures.com/clip.asp?clip=shakar

GOP Senator Opposes Ambassador Nominee

Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte…6080201402.html

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER
The Associated Press
Wednesday, August 2, 2006; 6:09 PM

WASHINGTON — A Republican senator is planning to vote against President Bush's nominee for ambassador to Armenia because the nominee has refused to refer to the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.

"I continue to be troubled by our policy that refuses to recognize what was a historical reality," Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

The Bush administration does not question that Turkish troops killed or drove from their homes 1.5 million Armenians starting in 1915. But it has omitted the word "genocide" to describe it.

Turkey strongly objects to the use of the term, and U.S. policymakers are wary of antagonizing an important strategic NATO ally.

On Tuesday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which Coleman serves, postponed a vote on Richard E. Hoagland's nomination until next month.

"As someone of the Jewish faith, I bring a heightened sensitivity to the reality of genocide and mass murder, and the importance of recognizing it for what it is," Coleman said.

"I was brought up believing you never forget the Holocaust, never forget what happened. And I could not imagine how our ambassador to Israel could have any effectiveness if he couldn't recognize the Holocaust."

While other senators have raised concerns about Hoagland's nomination, Coleman is the first to say publicly that he will vote against it, according to the Armenian National Committee of America.

Qara Kelisa (Black Church) is surrounded by Iranian Christians' tents, in Chaldran, 510 miles (850 kilometers) northwest of the Irania capital Tehran, Saturday, July 29, 2006. Annually around 4,000 Iranian Christians, mostly Armenians, gather in a three-day ceremony marking the death anniversary of Saint Thaddaeus. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranian Christians pray and light candles in a ceremony at the Qara Kelisa (Black Church) in Chaldran, 510 miles (850 kilometers) northwest of the capital Tehran, Saturday, July 29, 2006. Annually arround 4,000 Iranian Christians, mostly Armenians, gather in a three-day ceremony marking the death anniversary of Saint Thaddaeus. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Here is a great quote by Prof. Dennis Papazian from Michigan (from a group e-mail sent on July 26, 2006):

Being Armenian does not give you a license to insult Armenians.

The quote is valid for every culture.

Iran bans Da Vinci Code, by the request of the Armenian church, although neither the book nor the movie is banned in Armenia. Apparently, the Armenian church has more power in Iran, than in Armenia.

Iran bans Da Vinci Code

Tehran
July 27, 2006
CNN (http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/26/iran.davinci.reut/)

Iran has banned the best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code after protests from the country's Christian clergy, the culture ministry said yesterday, but the Persian translation is already in its eighth edition.

Iranian publishing thresholds have relaxed considerably in recent years and Tehran booksellers have noted an increased appetite for new age and spiritual titles.

"Based on the request of three Christian clerics, yesterday we decided to ban its republication," said an official at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance who declined to be named.

Most of Iran's Christians belong to the Armenian church and number some 100,000. Although a small minority in a country of 69 million Muslims, the Armenians have two seats reserved for them in the 290-seat parliament.

The tiny Assyrian Christian community also has its own parliamentarian.

Many Christians have condemned Dan Brown's page-turner, saying the plot is offensive for arguing Jesus Christ married Mary Magdalene and that their descendants are alive today.

The Da Vinci Code has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and has been turned into a Hollywood film starring Tom Hanks. Although the film has not had a box office release in Iran, the pirated DVD is widely available.

Copies of the book were still on sale in Iran and will not be taken off bookshelves, but a ninth edition will not be printed, the official said.

REUTERS

More by Blogian: Da Vinci's Armenian Code

While Iran is the only neighbor of Armenia where Armenian churches don't "disappear," an Urartian (ancient Armenian) inscription is gone in the Azerbaijani populated region of Iran. Don’t want to blame the Azeris right away, but experience has shown the opposite.

Ancient Urartian inscription disappears in Iran

Wednesday, July 26, 2006 – ©2005 IranMania.com
http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=358184

LONDON, July 26 (IranMania) – An inscription of Urartian king Ishpuini (circa 830–810 BC) has disappeared from Baraghaneh Mountain, near Bukan in West Azarbaijan Province, the Persian service of CHN reported.

A team of experts from the Language and Dialect Research Center of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization studying in the region recently discovered that the inscription was not in its place.

The director of the Cultural Heritage Guards of the province said that he had not been informed about the incident.

“The research center dispatched a group in order to film the position of the inscription,” research center director Rasul Bashshash said.

“The inscription had been discovered by a team of mountain climbers in 1997, but the Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization was only informed about it in 2005,” he explained.

The inscription had been written in cuneiform.

Ishpuini was the son of Sarduri I (circa 840–830 BC). Only a few inscriptions about his reign remain in the ancient Urartian capital Tushpa (Turushpa), modern Van in Turkey.

Urartu was an ancient country of Southwest Asia centered in the mountainous region southeast of the Black Sea and southwest of the Caspian Sea.

Today the region is divided among Armenia, eastern Turkey, and northwestern Iran.

Mentioned in Assyrian sources from the early 13th century BC, Urartu enjoyed considerable political power in the Middle East in the 9th and 8th centuries BC. The Urartians were succeeded in the area in the 6th century BC by the Armenians.

Finally Armen, the editor of Spurk Armenian publication of Lebanon, e-mailed me. I have lot's of families and friends in both Lebanon and Israel, but Armen is the only person I stay in touch via e-mail.

He says Spurk's office is mostly closed since there is no internet available there after the Israeli attacks. The Armenian quarters are safe so far, Armen says. No injuries or deaths among ethnic Armenian citizens of Lebanon as of July 24, 2006. Most Armenian citizens (of Armenia) have evacuated to the motherland, and some Lebananese Armenian families are doing the same.

Armen has to stay with his old parents and take care of them. He has no plans to evacuate yet. Good luck to all civilians everywhere in avoiding the killing bombs. Make love, not war.