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Daily Breeze
March 22 2014
Pasadena festival to celebrate Armenian culture Sunday
By Brenda Gazzar, SGVN
PASADENA - This year's fifth annual Armenian Identity Festival Sunday
at Victory Park is celebrating the 500th anniversary of the first
printed Armenian book.
The free festival, presented by the Armenian Community Coalition of
Pasadena and the Armenian Identity Harvest, is a colorful display and
celebration of Armenian culture, including its literature,
architecture, dance, music and cuisine.
Last year's event attracted as many as 3,000 attendees from around the
region, said Khatchik "Chris" Chahinian, chairman of the Armenian
Community Coalition of Pasadena.
"Five years ago, we started celebrating Armenian culture, Armenian
heritage" in Pasadena, Chahinian said. "We're keeping the tradition to
make this event a community event ... Diversity is good for our
community."
The Armenian prayer book "Ourpatakirk," or the "Book of Friday,"
became the first Armenian book when it was published by Hagop
Meghabard in 1512 in Venice, Italy, said Armenian-American author John
Ahmaranian of Pasadena.
Several years before Gutenberg's death in 1468, Meghabard invented the
Armenian type mold, "which made printing from movable metallic type
practical for the first time," Ahmaranian said.
"After many massacres, after many upheavals in our history, we still
have 40,000 handwritten Armenian manuscripts (that) were transformed
into books at the beginning of the 16th century until now," Ahmaranian
said.
Armenian book themes range from biblical and religious interpretation
to science and poetry, he said.
One monastery that contained 10,000 manuscripts was burned by the
Mongols in Armenia around the 12th century, he said. There used to be
850 Armenian monasteries in the Ottoman Empire that also contained
manuscripts, none of which still exist today, he said.
While the first published Armenian book will not be on display at
Sunday's festival, several other old books from various time periods
will, Chahinian said.
The free event, which includes live music, booths and children's
activities including a petting zoo, will take place from 11 a.m. to 7
p.m. Sunday at Victory Park.
For more information, contact the Armenian Community Coalition of
Pasadena at 626-399-1799 and 818-306-0413.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20120717/pasadena-festival-to-celebrate-armenian-culture-sunday
March 22 2014
Pasadena festival to celebrate Armenian culture Sunday
By Brenda Gazzar, SGVN
PASADENA - This year's fifth annual Armenian Identity Festival Sunday
at Victory Park is celebrating the 500th anniversary of the first
printed Armenian book.
The free festival, presented by the Armenian Community Coalition of
Pasadena and the Armenian Identity Harvest, is a colorful display and
celebration of Armenian culture, including its literature,
architecture, dance, music and cuisine.
Last year's event attracted as many as 3,000 attendees from around the
region, said Khatchik "Chris" Chahinian, chairman of the Armenian
Community Coalition of Pasadena.
"Five years ago, we started celebrating Armenian culture, Armenian
heritage" in Pasadena, Chahinian said. "We're keeping the tradition to
make this event a community event ... Diversity is good for our
community."
The Armenian prayer book "Ourpatakirk," or the "Book of Friday,"
became the first Armenian book when it was published by Hagop
Meghabard in 1512 in Venice, Italy, said Armenian-American author John
Ahmaranian of Pasadena.
Several years before Gutenberg's death in 1468, Meghabard invented the
Armenian type mold, "which made printing from movable metallic type
practical for the first time," Ahmaranian said.
"After many massacres, after many upheavals in our history, we still
have 40,000 handwritten Armenian manuscripts (that) were transformed
into books at the beginning of the 16th century until now," Ahmaranian
said.
Armenian book themes range from biblical and religious interpretation
to science and poetry, he said.
One monastery that contained 10,000 manuscripts was burned by the
Mongols in Armenia around the 12th century, he said. There used to be
850 Armenian monasteries in the Ottoman Empire that also contained
manuscripts, none of which still exist today, he said.
While the first published Armenian book will not be on display at
Sunday's festival, several other old books from various time periods
will, Chahinian said.
The free event, which includes live music, booths and children's
activities including a petting zoo, will take place from 11 a.m. to 7
p.m. Sunday at Victory Park.
For more information, contact the Armenian Community Coalition of
Pasadena at 626-399-1799 and 818-306-0413.
http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20120717/pasadena-festival-to-celebrate-armenian-culture-sunday