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NOR KYUGH: LIFE GOES ON IN THE HEART OF ARMENIAN ALEPPO
hetq
14:47, September 6, 2012
Today, residents of the New Village district of Aleppo are feeling
a bit more up-beat.
They are hopeful that peace will return and that they can get back
to work. Most are known as people who aren't afraid to spend what
they earn to enjoy the good life.
- Is there work?
Only a few are working. And those working have only had two or three
hours of electricity for the past ten days.
- Is there work? It's a familiar word but for the life of me, I can't
remember what it means.
The guys who had gathered round started to laugh. They were a young
bunch who tried to mask their fears with laughter. And their concerns
were many, especially the lack of electricity.
If Aleppo can be considered a major Armenian community, then Nor Kyugh
(New Village) can be considered the heart of Armenian Aleppo. There
are two Armenian Apostolic churches here - St. Kevork and St. Gregory
the Illuminator. There's also the Holy Trinity (Zvartnots) Armenian
Catholic Church and the Hay Hisousyan Fathers' Monastery. The Armenian
Evangelical "Nahatagats" Church is close by.
In passing, I should note that there were no church services at St.
Kevork's the Sunday before last due to the fighting.
The Karen Jeppe Armenian National College, with over 1,000 students,
and the Sahagian and Zavarian high schools, are in New Village.
There's also the Armenian Catholic Zvartnots School. Last year, the
Marash National Mesrobian School shut its doors. The Arevelk Printing
House of the Diocese is also located here. The only Armenian newspaper
Gandzasar, the official weekly organ of the Peria Armenian Diocese,
is printed at Arevelk.
The Marash Compatriotic Union and the Kermanik Vaspourakan Center are
also in New Village. So is the Zeytoun Compatriotic Union center. Two
Armenian theatres also operate here. The Armenian Relief Cross of
Syria is also located here. This year, the National Shelter relocated
to New Village.
Numerous residential buildings belonging to the community are to be
found in New Village. Many needy Armenian families rent apartments
in the buildings at below market rates.
These days, fierce fighting has broken out close to Nor Kyugh. You
can gear the gunshots and artillery rounds in the distance.
This afternoon, you could hear the explosions of missiles fired by
the Syrian military fighters.
"We've gotten used to it all", said one of the Armenians in the group.
"Remember that first bomb explosion? We all ran home like frightened
mice looking for a hole to jump in."
From: Baghdasarian
hetq
14:47, September 6, 2012
Today, residents of the New Village district of Aleppo are feeling
a bit more up-beat.
They are hopeful that peace will return and that they can get back
to work. Most are known as people who aren't afraid to spend what
they earn to enjoy the good life.
- Is there work?
Only a few are working. And those working have only had two or three
hours of electricity for the past ten days.
- Is there work? It's a familiar word but for the life of me, I can't
remember what it means.
The guys who had gathered round started to laugh. They were a young
bunch who tried to mask their fears with laughter. And their concerns
were many, especially the lack of electricity.
If Aleppo can be considered a major Armenian community, then Nor Kyugh
(New Village) can be considered the heart of Armenian Aleppo. There
are two Armenian Apostolic churches here - St. Kevork and St. Gregory
the Illuminator. There's also the Holy Trinity (Zvartnots) Armenian
Catholic Church and the Hay Hisousyan Fathers' Monastery. The Armenian
Evangelical "Nahatagats" Church is close by.
In passing, I should note that there were no church services at St.
Kevork's the Sunday before last due to the fighting.
The Karen Jeppe Armenian National College, with over 1,000 students,
and the Sahagian and Zavarian high schools, are in New Village.
There's also the Armenian Catholic Zvartnots School. Last year, the
Marash National Mesrobian School shut its doors. The Arevelk Printing
House of the Diocese is also located here. The only Armenian newspaper
Gandzasar, the official weekly organ of the Peria Armenian Diocese,
is printed at Arevelk.
The Marash Compatriotic Union and the Kermanik Vaspourakan Center are
also in New Village. So is the Zeytoun Compatriotic Union center. Two
Armenian theatres also operate here. The Armenian Relief Cross of
Syria is also located here. This year, the National Shelter relocated
to New Village.
Numerous residential buildings belonging to the community are to be
found in New Village. Many needy Armenian families rent apartments
in the buildings at below market rates.
These days, fierce fighting has broken out close to Nor Kyugh. You
can gear the gunshots and artillery rounds in the distance.
This afternoon, you could hear the explosions of missiles fired by
the Syrian military fighters.
"We've gotten used to it all", said one of the Armenians in the group.
"Remember that first bomb explosion? We all ran home like frightened
mice looking for a hole to jump in."
From: Baghdasarian