In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian shares a painting by an unknown artist which depicts a scene from Easter. In the Armenian Church there are five great feast days (Daghavars). They are Christmas, Easter, Vartavar, Assumption of Saint Mary, and Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The week preceding each Daghavar is a week of fasting, except for Easter which has its own seven week fast (lent). The day after Easter is called merelotz, which is a solemn day for remembrance.
Garabed Gospel Passed Down for 800 Years
The Garabed Gospel is one of the most important manuscripts in the Armenian Museum of America's collection. The scribe Garabed completed this extraordinary work in 1207 during the reign of Cilician King Levon I. The Gospel was passed down for 800 years before finding its current resting place at the AMA. It was donated to our collection by Julie Der Garabedian.
Thorn from the Holy Crown
Relics are considered sacred under three circumstances, some of which may be described as "holy by association." First are physical parts of a saint such as piece of hair or bone. Second are objects that a saint has touched, and the third is something that "touched" an item that a saint has touched. We are fortunate to have such a relic in our collection, which is said to contain a thorn from the crown that was worn by Jesus leading up to his crucifixion.
House Shrines
When a village does not have the means to build a church often times people create unofficial places of worship within their own homes. Sometimes a mini shrine as a place for worship is created with objects like religious imagery, incense containers, stones or items that were taken home from a pilgrimage are put on display. In this video, Collections Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian highlights objects that were found in an interesting sacred place from the home of Aghavny Demirjian.
Highlights from the Collection of Rev. Vartan Hartunian
Neither to Laugh nor to Weep is a book by Rev. Abraham H. Hartunian who was a Protestant pastor from Marash. Rev. Hartunian miraculously survived the Genocide and lived to tell about the ruthless campaign by the Ottoman Turks to eradicate the Armenians. We have many of his personal items including his pocket bible, photos, and keepsakes. His son, the late Rev. Vartan Hartunian, was one of the founders of the Museum and was the pastor of the First Armenian Church in Belmont, MA. It was in the basement of this church that the Armenian Museum first housed its collection before moving to its current location in Watertown. Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian highlights the history of these meaningful pieces in our collection.
Armenian Prayer Scrolls
From the 15th to 19th centuries, prayer scrolls (hmayils) were a favorite item to carry or keep in the home and pass down from generation to generation. Historically, prayer scrolls were used by Armenians and Ethiopians. Scrolls can be quite long and they are either handwritten or printed. Many are illuminated and beautifully decorated with miniatures and calligraphy depicting scriptures, prayers, and spiritual wards. In this video, Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian highlights several examples in our collection along with a few theories about their uses.
The Functional Art of Georges Bezidjian
Georges Bezidjian was a collector, artist, and jeweler from Aleppo. Georges was inspired by pieces he collected. For instance, he designed a box with crosses for clasps much like an antique women’s belt. He also crafted a gold cross for Catholicos Vasken I with a beautiful emerald that signified it was for the highest member of clergy. In this video, Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian displays several pieces that were given to the Museum.
The Magnificently Preserved Last Supper
As we gather around our tables for Easter, we are reminded of the Last Super in which Jesus bestowed grace upon his disciples and the world. The extraordinary etched table-top piece that Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian discusses in this video was made in 1735 and weighs over 80 lbs. Thanks to Dr. Paul and Vicki Bedoukian we have this on display in our gallery today. Through taking a closer look, we have found many intricate details, characteristics, symbols and secrets behind the design of this table that you will find fascinating!
Normally we share items that are not in our collection that you might not otherwise have the chance to see but for this “Treasures from Our Collection” video, we wanted to share this beautiful item just in time for Easter.
Helmets of Salvation
A saghavart or crown is a type of headgear that is traditionally worn by most Armenian priests. This beautifully crafted crown is designed with twelve arched pieces that are joined to form a peak which is topped by a cross. The saghavart was not always worn by priests but rather by bishops until the times of the Crusades. In this video, Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian highlights a piece from 1822 that was generously donated by Paul and Vicki Bedoukian.
Altar Curtain
The Armenian Museum has many interesting and sometimes confusing objects. This week we are featuring one of those pieces: an altar curtain. Used to cover the altar during lent, altar curtains have significant religious symbolism and serve as a status symbol for the church. This piece, however, is of unconfirmed origin and has a great deal of interesting imagery. Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian discusses the importance and potential source of this incredible piece.
Liturgical Vestments
Liturgical vestments are viewed as opulent and precious. While you might think of how other clothing is made, did you ever consider where or how these sacred pieces are created? It’s a little-known fact that the tradition for Armenian priests is that upon their ordination their families produce their garments. Watch as Curator Gary Lind-Sinanian discusses the creative process behind the liturgical vestments we hold so dear.