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CROSS OF UNITY?: ARMENIA'S PROSECUTOR GENERAL CHASTISED FOR "HOLY" ACTIVITY
By Gayane Lazarian
http://armenianow.com/society/features/40509/avghan_hovsepyan_holy_cross_monument_aparan
Features | 23.10.12 | 14:19
On the road to Aparan, some 60 kilometers north-east of the Armenian
capital, a 33-meter-high -crucifix was installed on Saturday next
to the Armenian Alphabet stone letter-monuments. The author of the
idea, Armenia's Prosecutor General has earned sharp public criticism
being chastised for his "enthusiasm in public activities" and lack
of thereof in his "immediate duties of fighting corruption".
Enlarge Photo
The monument consists of 1,711 big and small metallic crosses with
cylindrical pipe-shaped stems - marking Armenia's 1,711 years as a
Christian nation. Every year - as Christian Armenia grows one year
older - a cross will be added to it.
The Holy Cross monument is the brainchild of Prosecutor General
Avghan Hovsepyan, chairman of Nig-Aparan patriotic union. Right next
to the cross another religious monument "Tabernacle of Hope" has been
erected, which besides being a shrine is also designed to become a
premise for secular events and festivities to follow religious rites.
During the opening ceremony the prosecutor general said: "It is the
tradition among our people to do matagh [blessing and slaying a sheep
as sacrifice either during baptism or as gratitude to God for escaping
great misfortune] outside the church, under the church walls, by the
church doors, as well as weddings, feasts... we have condensed all
that and brought here; I hope every year a pilgrimage day will be
celebrated at this site."
The two monuments are nested in the triangle of Ararat, Aragats and
Ara mountains. The selection of the pipe-like shape of the crosses
composing the big cross-monument is not accidental - it is designed
to perform like a church pipe organ on which the winds of different
strength can play sacred music. It also has accent lighting which at
night creates an illusion of a lighted cross hanging from the sky.
The prosecutor general's idea has been sharply criticized by the
opposition, as well as in social networks and the press.
During the parliament session when former foreign minister, Prosperous
Armenia MP Vartan Oskanian was stripped of diplomatic immunity for
alleged money laundering and misappropriation, radical opposition
Armenian National Congress MP Aram Manukyan voiced distrust towards
the prosecutor general and mocked: "Thieves and outlaws build churches
and erect crosses to get redemption for their sins. Mr. Prosecutor,
please, erect a cross!"
Lragir.am wrote in reference to the monument, that if Hovsepyan had
been as enthusiastic about fulfilling his immediate duties as he is
about public activities, several grand corruption schemes robbing
the country would have been disclosed by now: "Rather than erecting
a 33-meter-high cross, the prosecutor general should have disclosed
at least 3 major kickbacks."
On Facebook 7lur.am said in a post that Armenia is, perhaps, the only
country in the world whose prosecutor general is known for his public
rather than anti-corruption activities.
"In a country drenched in corruption Aghvan Hovsepyan first arranged
a ring-dance of unity around Mount Aragats, then a tree-planting
of unity, then built a park of stone-letters, and now has erected a
cross in that park. Meanwhile, clouds are getting darker above his
head because of Oskanian's case," wrote 7lur.am.
By Gayane Lazarian
http://armenianow.com/society/features/40509/avghan_hovsepyan_holy_cross_monument_aparan
Features | 23.10.12 | 14:19
On the road to Aparan, some 60 kilometers north-east of the Armenian
capital, a 33-meter-high -crucifix was installed on Saturday next
to the Armenian Alphabet stone letter-monuments. The author of the
idea, Armenia's Prosecutor General has earned sharp public criticism
being chastised for his "enthusiasm in public activities" and lack
of thereof in his "immediate duties of fighting corruption".
Enlarge Photo
The monument consists of 1,711 big and small metallic crosses with
cylindrical pipe-shaped stems - marking Armenia's 1,711 years as a
Christian nation. Every year - as Christian Armenia grows one year
older - a cross will be added to it.
The Holy Cross monument is the brainchild of Prosecutor General
Avghan Hovsepyan, chairman of Nig-Aparan patriotic union. Right next
to the cross another religious monument "Tabernacle of Hope" has been
erected, which besides being a shrine is also designed to become a
premise for secular events and festivities to follow religious rites.
During the opening ceremony the prosecutor general said: "It is the
tradition among our people to do matagh [blessing and slaying a sheep
as sacrifice either during baptism or as gratitude to God for escaping
great misfortune] outside the church, under the church walls, by the
church doors, as well as weddings, feasts... we have condensed all
that and brought here; I hope every year a pilgrimage day will be
celebrated at this site."
The two monuments are nested in the triangle of Ararat, Aragats and
Ara mountains. The selection of the pipe-like shape of the crosses
composing the big cross-monument is not accidental - it is designed
to perform like a church pipe organ on which the winds of different
strength can play sacred music. It also has accent lighting which at
night creates an illusion of a lighted cross hanging from the sky.
The prosecutor general's idea has been sharply criticized by the
opposition, as well as in social networks and the press.
During the parliament session when former foreign minister, Prosperous
Armenia MP Vartan Oskanian was stripped of diplomatic immunity for
alleged money laundering and misappropriation, radical opposition
Armenian National Congress MP Aram Manukyan voiced distrust towards
the prosecutor general and mocked: "Thieves and outlaws build churches
and erect crosses to get redemption for their sins. Mr. Prosecutor,
please, erect a cross!"
Lragir.am wrote in reference to the monument, that if Hovsepyan had
been as enthusiastic about fulfilling his immediate duties as he is
about public activities, several grand corruption schemes robbing
the country would have been disclosed by now: "Rather than erecting
a 33-meter-high cross, the prosecutor general should have disclosed
at least 3 major kickbacks."
On Facebook 7lur.am said in a post that Armenia is, perhaps, the only
country in the world whose prosecutor general is known for his public
rather than anti-corruption activities.
"In a country drenched in corruption Aghvan Hovsepyan first arranged
a ring-dance of unity around Mount Aragats, then a tree-planting
of unity, then built a park of stone-letters, and now has erected a
cross in that park. Meanwhile, clouds are getting darker above his
head because of Oskanian's case," wrote 7lur.am.