Tag Archive for: Armenia

Sasnashen Project

INTRO TO THIS POST:

This is an archive for four articles which were written in 2018 and 2019 about Sasnashen, the C-130 60528 shoot down, and the challenges for the day. They were originally published on the Western Diocesan website and are presented here in chronological order.  – Fr. Vazken

    • 14 September 2018 – REFLECTIONS ON THE US AIR FORCE C-130 60528 SHOOT DOWN OVER SASNASHEN, ARMENIA
    • 25 July 2019 – DISCOVERING… SASNASHEN VILLAGE IN THE TOWN OF TALIN
    • 3 October 2019 – OPENING SASNASHEN YOUTH CENTER
    • 8 November 2019 – VETERANS DAY MESSAGE FROM SASNASHEN ARMENIA

Read the Story at this link

Additional article by Larry Tart covering the incident with pictures

Good Fish

Next Step #591: Returning from Armenia, the opening of the Sasnashen Youth Center, visits to the sacred and the meaning behind them. Forgiveness in action – hugging the perpetrators of the crime. A new and healthier definition for fanaticism connected to the love of God. Reading English in Armenian (like transliteration…) and a case for foreign obsessions. Why the monasteries? the language? the 36 letters? and an Armodox answer.
Nazeli by Haig Yazedjian
Hugging the Murderer
Sasnashen Article 1
Sasnashen Article 2
Cover: Coke & Beer, Dilijan 2019, Fr. Vazken
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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Closed Box Church

Next Step #581: Back from Armenia and specifically a visit to the village of Sasnashen, site of the US Air Force C-130 Shoot Down, Fr. Vazken debriefs with the listeners in this episode. A preliminary look at the Sasnashen Youth Center Project. Closed boxed churches to keep God away from us: The need for relevance here, there and everywhere. Financial responsibility in the church: PETA would be proud of this model! Living legends continue to inspire with music – McCartney and Anderson. Touching Armenia via the spirit: Saluting the unsung heroes. And much more.
Get Back by the Beatles
Liyah Babayan – Refugee Interview (NPR)
Sasnashen Story (July 2019)
Transfiguration – Fr. Vazken’s Message
For Michael Collins, Andrew and Dad
ANCA – Middle East Christians
Scrambled Eggs (pre-Yesterday)
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Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Sasnashen Youth Center

Walking In His Shoes in… Sasnashen Village in the Town of Talin, Armenia

A place for kids to feel welcome, share and explore options to maximize their potential

Introduction:

Last Summer, at the request of the Prop Wash Gang I was invited to the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska to offer the keynote address at their gathering commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the shoot-down of US Air Force C-130 #60528. Before going any further…  let’s get the obvious questions out of the way: Why a priest of the Armenian Church? at a US Air Force base? to a group of hundreds of servicemen and their families? So let’s back up 60 years…

In 1958 – during the height of the Cold War – a United States Air Force C-130 flying a reconnaissance mission on the Turkish/Armenian border was shot down by the Soviets. The plane crashed in the village of Sasnashen, Armenia and lost its entire crew of 17 servicemen. The Soviets did not admit to the severity of the tragedy until after the fall of the USSR and by 1992 – some 34 years after the incident – the remains of all 17 men were returned to the United States for proper recognition and committal. Since that time commemorations have been taken place, including the placing of a khatchkar (cross stone) and a monument at the crash site with visits by U.S. military and government officials.

Now… on the evening of September 2, 2018, exactly 60 years to the date of the crash I stood before the servicemen and their families. I explained that in 1958 Armenia was completely occupied, that is, the place where the C-130 took-off (Van) was in Armenia occupied by the Turks and that where the plane crashed was occupied by the Soviets. After speaking about Armenian history and our faith as Christian, there in Nebraska, I offered the requiem hymn and prayer of the Armenian Church for the souls of the 17 victims of the shoot-down.

The group honored me by giving me a framed piece of the tail of the fallen plane. Then, spontaneously they took up a collection and asked that I use it to benefit the children of Sasnashen. Here, I had to confess that I did not know where Sasnashen was but I also promised that from this point on I would not travel to Armenia without visiting the village which had brought us and tied us together 60 years after the tragedy.

On October 25, 2018, I made it to the village of Sasnanshen – about 65km out of Yerevan toward the Northwest border of Armenia. The closest town is Talin (about 10 kms away) with a population of about 4,000. Through our Armenian Church I connected with Fr. Tade Tamazyan, the priest of the Talin and a number of villages that surround the Town, one of those villages being Sasnashen (population 750). My deacon Hrayr Nalbandian, drove us up to there and together with the priest we climbed a rocky road to the crash-site where a monument stands in this remote and obscure corner of the world. It is a tall standing memorial with a plaque written in both Armenian and English:

September 2, 1958

We must never forget that freedom is never really free.
It is the most costly thing in the world.
Freedom is never paid in a lump sum.
Installments come due in every generation.
All any of us can do is offer the generations
that follow a chance for freedom.

There, under the open skies and the silence of the village we offered a prayer for the 17 fallen servicemen as well as a prayer for peace.

 

In His Shoes’ Involvement

Since 2003 the In His Shoes ministry has actively initiated programs that effect and benefit some of the most impoverished and violence infected areas of the world, including in areas such as Darfur, Syria and Rwanda. After a recent project with the Starkey Foundation to provide hearing aids for over 2,000 inhabitants in Yerevan, we made a conscious decision to move beyond the limits of Yerevan with our assistance so to stay closer to our charter and so that our contributions can be directed in these often forgotten and overlooked regions.

In Sasnashen, beyond the economic challenges of village life, there are few, if any, opportunities for young people to advance in education, or even to explore and exploit their potential. There are government schools but after school-hours and on weekends the children end up on the rural roads without supervision and/or guidance. Father Tade has access to the schools and offers weekly classes to children in the village schools and is known and recognized youth. We decided to use the Prop Wash

Gang funds to further opportunities for youth in the Sasnashen village by creating a Center for after school-hours, where young people can feel welcome, share and explore options to maximize their potential in life.

With the encouragement and blessing of Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese we quickly began work on organizing this program called “Sasnashen Youth Center.”  The Catholicos of All Armenians, HH Kareken II gave a small house directly across the street from the Talin church with the understanding that it would be used as a gathering place for youth. The collected funds were used to bring the house up to standards for a meeting place. We repaired the plumbing, installed a kitchenette, lavatory and new windows.  We have been monitoring the renovation process via pictures and videos sent to us by Fr. Tade.

On July 18, 2019 I personally made a trip to the area to monitor progress and meet with Fr. Tade and others to discuss the program. I also met with the head of the Aragatsotn Diocesan, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan to assure a proper working relationship between all of our parties. He officially pronounced the name of this project as Sasnashen Youth Center and we are scheduled to open on September 29, 2019. It will be dedicated in the name of the servicemen who perished in the village in 1958. A framed piece of the plane will be presented to the Center at that time.

This is a place where young people can first and foremost feel welcome, safe and loved. It is a gathering place to study, to learn, or merely congregate after school.  We furnished the room and provided computers with internet connections so that we can visit remotely. Fr. Tade plans to bring speakers and mentors with specialties to direct and share time with the kids.

If successful, this can be a pilot project which can be replicated in villages for a low cost and can take advantage of local resources – personnel and physical spaces – which are often overlooked. In this case, those resources were found in the apartment/house which was vacant and unused because of its condition and a priest who has unique access and connection to the young people.

-Fr. Vazken Movsesian

Some links:

Talin in Armenia

Shoot Down of US Air Force C-130 Flight 60528

Fr. Vazken’s Blog on Visiting Sasnashen

 

Review time

Next Step #580: From Sasnashen Armenia, here is a review of the events leading to the In His Shoes project and Fr. Vazken’s visit to the village and area of Talin. More on exorcism – connecting dots to the spirits that move us – demonic possession, et al. Explained: The opposite of the God-job? Replay of Next Step #543 (2018) and Next Step #70 (2009) … including an Ani Bubbles!
En Dizan – Luys Vocal Quintet
Next Step #70
Next Step #543
Cover Photo: Khatchkars at Talin
Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Bishop’s Testimony

Next Step #570: The Apostolic mission of preaching the Gospel of Resurrection continues through ordination. This Sunday, Fr. Daniel Findikyan is consecrated as a bishop of the church in Holy Etchmiadzin. With this episode Fr. Vazken looks at holy orders, the sacrament, and with excerpts from the Hayr Mashdots shares the message for today. Explained: Deacon, Priest, Bishop, Mashdots, Mayr Mashdots, Hayr Mashdots, staff, ring and what all this means.
Hrashapar sung by the students of the Vazkenian Seminary, Lake Sevan, Armenia
Episcopal Ordination stream
Fr. Daniel on the Next Step (May 2018)
Assembly Message
List of Catholicoi of the Armenian Church
Cover: Altar of Descent, Holy Etchmiadzin
Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Defining Emoji Prayer

Next Step #545 – Prayer: Wanted or unwanted we have a stocked (canned) response to tragedy. Moving beyond the words and listening to the sound of God is what Fr. Vazken explores this week. Reflection on rediscovering and connecting to Faith in Armenia: from the dangers of fungi to the inspiration of St. Hripsime. Moving from the pages of our Faith to the reality of our Faith. Take a look in the closet: Finding a silk-screened robe at St. James.
To Silence the Lies of Men” Aret Madilian
I don’t want prayers…”
Psalm 45(46)
Sam & Jennie in Armenia
Discovery of the Cross at Zoravar Church
St. James Armenian Church at 75
Next Step #544
Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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Discovering Sasnashen

Next Step #543: On the feast of the Discovery of the Cross, a chance to discover the village of Sasnashen. Freedom expressed at the crash site monument. Just returning from Armenia, Fr. Vazken gives a quick descriptor to what’s ahead in the ministry. Plans announced for upcoming pilgrimage.
Tsirani Ensemble
Sasnashen Preface
Larry Tart’s Page: www.LarryTart.com
Discovery of the Holy Cross
Fr. Daniel Findikyan’s address on Synagogue Massacre
AC202 – Focus
Discovery of the Cross at Zoravar Church
Cover: A view from Sasnashen; Fr. Vazken 2018
Technical Director: Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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Ascension, Revolution & Equilibrium

Next Step #518: Velvet Revolution in Armenia, Ascension Day on the road to equilibrium. In memory of Gov. George Deukmejian, personal reflections. A New Primate in America: Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikian. (includes a whos-who in the Armenian Church and a primer on nomenclature), Broadcasting from Rancho Mirage.
Miso Soup – Serj Tankian
Velvet Revolution in Armenia
Duxov
Marianna’s IHS post
Hratch Tchilingirian on Eastern Church lecture
Findikian elected Primate of the Eastern Diocese
Governor George Deukmejian
St. Garabed Armenian Church in Rancho Mirage, California
Amazon (Bezos) 14 Rules
Cover: Peace in Yerevan, Fr. Vazken 2017
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
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Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
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Forty Years Here or There

Next Step #490: The Spirit in freedom: Fr. Vazken reflects 40 years after a first impression and a first life. Marxism in action/Freedom with human nature: some observations. Institutions and rebellion: Coming out of the 60’s and 70’s. Karekin Nzhdeh inspiring MLK and sounding the Nathan Hale mantra? Martin Luther and Protestantism at 500.
Sayat Nova “Amen Sazi
500 Years after Martin Luther (Daily Beast)
500 Years after the Reformation (Christianity Today)
Karekin Nzhdeh Biographical Sketch
Starkey Hearing Foundation
Cover Picture: Karekin Nzhdeh statue in Yerevan 2017
Engineered by Ken Nalik
Produced by Suzie Shatarevyan for InHisShoes.org
Subscribe to In His Shoes » Next Step with Fr. Vazken by Email
Look for The Next Step on blubrry.com
Listen via Stitcher Radio on demand!