NEWS

May 17, 2025 … it was quite an exceptional time!

Saturday’s meeting began with a Holy Mass at Łazienkowska Street with the participation of a special guest, a singer from Armenia, Mr. Aram Gabaghchourian from Yerevan. His vocal participation in the liturgy will remain an unforgettable experience. After the Holy Mass Aram Gabaghchourian enchanted us with a performance of three pieces by Komitas. We immortalized the meeting with a commemorative group photo.

Despite the poor, wet weather the Museum Night began at 6:00 p.m. At that time, a walk along the Armenian trail from the Church of St. Anne began too. More guests were already arriving at the Foundation’s headquarters from 6:00 p.m. A large group of young people from the Armenian Youth Organization in Poland also showed up who led Armenian dance lessons. They were a huge success so the young people repeated these lessons with commitment. At first, in the open air and at the end after 10 p.m. in a huge circle the guests led by cleric Narek danced around our central showcase in the Foundation’s headquarters. The sounds of Armenian melodies and dances were met with great applause and brought much joy to the participants.
Apart from the new visitors whom we guided around our two exhibitions with all the strength of our modest Team and the dances there was another extremely

Prelekcja konserwatorki szat liturgicznych p. Ewy Soszko-Dziwisińskiej

interesting event. We were visited by one of the two fabric conservators who take care of our exceptionally rich and priceless collection of liturgical vestments. Her story about their origin, or more precisely about the origin and creation of the fabrics from which they were sewn was fascinating. The gathered listeners asked many detailed questions, including how threads and embroidery made of gold and silver which appear very often in these fabrics are created. The story of how patterned velvets were hand-woven over three hundred years ago was equally wonderful.

Theoretically, we were supposed to end this Night before midnight, but it did not work out. The last guests left well after midnight. Summing up, an exceptional Saturday full of interesting events and the satisfaction and appreciation of the visitors give us great satisfaction and “drive” for further action!

mot, photo Władysław Deńca

Dear Readers!

The 110th anniversary of Medz Yeghern is upon us. The violence unleashed in the Ottoman Empire on April 24, 1915, when 2,345 members of the Armenian elite were arrested and murdered in Istanbul in beastly way. It lasted for years and claimed 1.5 million victims. More than a century has passed since this heinous crime and Armenians still have to fight for truth and justice. And they badly need allies in this. The Republic of Poland, 20 years ago – in the form of a resolution of the Sejm – officially called the Armenian massacre in the Ottoman Empire genocide emphasizing that its condemnation “is a moral duty of all humanity.” Marshal Marek Jurek tells us about the background of the work on this historic resolution and its accompanying repercussions. In this issue, we also recall the figure of Bohdan Gębarski who over half a century ago fought to propagate knowledge on the international forum about the Turkish genocide committed against the Armenian nation in 1915.This earned him the gratitude of the Armenians symbolized by the khachkar on his grave donated by the Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I. We also encourage you to familiarize yourself with the history of Turkish-Armenian relations dating back to the Middle Ages, which were marked by the cruelty of the Seljuk invaders from the very beginning. However, as Witold Repetowicz reminds us in his article mutual relations also had their brighter moments. This year, the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide coincides closely with Easter celebrated a few days earlier. May this special time help us look at the painful history of the Armenian nation with the belief that the cross is the beginning of the Resurrection.

Editor’s Office
www.awedis.ormianie.pl

110th Anniversary of the Genocide – Commemorations in Warsaw

This year’s 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was commemorated by the Armenian minority community in Warsaw
with the respect due to this anniversary. Events prepared by various minority organizations lasted for three days. The commemorations of the victims of the Genocide of 1915 began with a concert organized on Wednesday, April 23 in the Evangelical-Augsburg Church of the Holy Trinity in Warsaw by the Armenian-Polish Social Committee.

Concert in the Evangelical Church of the Holy Trinity in Warsaw

The concert was preceded by speeches by, among others, the representative of the clergy of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Poland – Bishop Markos, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Poland HE Alexander Arzoumanian, the President of the Armenian-Polish Social Committee – Hracjia Bojadzhyan, the organizer of the concert. In the concert program the audience heard pieces by Komitas, M. Masztoc, A. Babadżanyan, H.M. Górecki and contemporary Armenian music performed by the Silesian Chamber Orchestra led by Grigor Arakelian, a conductor from Armenia and the choir “Resonans con tutti” from Zabrze prepared by Arlena and Waldemar Gałązka. The concert and especially the wonderful composition by the conductor Grigor Arakelian to the words of Mesrop Masztoc enjoyed particular recognition from the listeners.

Scientific conference at the University of Warsaw

Another day of the anniversary of the events that were so painful for the Armenian nation 110 years ago, April 24, was commemorated with the conference “Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day” which was prepared by the Armenian Youth Organization in Poland bringing together young Armenians studying in Warsaw universities. During this conference there were thematic panels organized in which both experts and people deeply involved in commemorating the tragic history were taking part. The speeches were very interesting touching on the subject of Genocide, its perception in the world in the scientific and media space. The fact of the 20th anniversary of the resolution of the Polish Sejm, by which Poland joined the countries recognizing the barbarity of 1915 as genocide was also recalled.

Ecumenical prayer at the Armenian Square

After the conference everyone went to the Armenian Square at Powsińska Street in Warsaw where HE the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Poland, Alexander Arzoumanian took the floor emphasizing the importance of historical memory and dialogue among nations. Then a prayer was said for the victims, led by: the pastor of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Poland, Fr. Minas Hachwerdian and the pastor of the Armenian Catholic Church in Poland, Fr. Professor Józef Naumowicz. In the following part of the ceremony delegations from several institutions, parliamentary groups and social organizations laid wreaths, flowers and lit candles arranged in the shape of a cross.

April 25 is another, already the third day of the celebrations of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. These celebrations were held under the honorary patronage of the Metropolitan of Warsaw, Archbishop Adrian Galbas, the Ordinary of Catholics of the Armenian rite in Poland. Due to his participation in the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis His Excellency was unable to take part in that day’s events in person.

Discussion panel “Armenian Genocide in the eyes of the world” at the House of the Archbishops of Warsaw

Panel dyskusyjny „Ludobójstwo Ormian w oczach świata” w Domu Arcybiskupów Warszawskich, fot. Instytut Inicjatyw Kulturalnych NUR

At 4:30 p.m. on Miodowa Street in the seat of the Metropolitan Curia a discussion panel “Armenian Genocide in the eyes of the world” took place referring to the 20th anniversary of the resolution of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland condemning the Genocide prepared by the Association of Armenians in Poland from Gliwice named after Archbishop Józef Teodorowicz . The event was honored by the presence of His Excellency Bishop Rafał Markowski. The panel included Rev. Prof. Józef Naumowicz, former Marshal of the Sejm and co-initiator of the aforementioned resolution of the Sejm – Marek Jurek, scientist and publicist, expert on the Middle East – Dr. Witold Repetowicz and co-founder and former president of the Foundation for the Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians – Jan Abgarowicz. The event was hosted by editor Krzysztof Ziemiec. At the end of the conference, a prayer for the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide was led by Rev. Prof. Joseph Naumowicz.

Opening of the exhibition “Armenians – Baku – 1905” in Armenian Lane (Ormiański Zaułek) at Freta street in Warsaw

The next act of the celebrations of the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that day was the opening of the exhibition

Na otwarciu wystawy głos zabrał kanclerz Kurii Warszawy, ks. prałat dr Janusz Bodzon

“Armenians – Baku – 1905” at 6:30 p.m. prepared by the Foundation for Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians. The events of 1915 were not the beginning of the extermination of the Armenian nation. Tragic acts had been taking place since the end of the 19th century. One of the manifestations of this barbarity was the several-day massacre in 1905 in Baku – carried out by Muslim Caucasian Tatars, later called Azeris, on the Armenian community of the city. A family of Polish Armenians, Stanisław and Zofia Łukasiewicz left the territories of Austria-Hungary at the end of the 19th century and settled in Baku, then the “oil Eldorado”. The several days of riots and the murders of the Armenian population were deeply etched in the memory of this family. After several years when they left Baku they took with them the collected photographs documenting these events. Several years ago, the great-granddaughter of the Łukasiewicz family donated them to the Foundation Archives. Using this gift the Foundation for the Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians prepared an outdoor exhibition on the 120th anniversary of the massacre, “Armenians – Baku – 1905”.

Armenian Catholic Mass in St. Jacek’s Church in Warsaw

The exhibition is on display until May 4 in front of the Dominican Church at 8/10 Freta Street. After the ceremonial opening of the exhibition, we participated in the Armenian Catholic liturgy celebrated by Rev. Prof. Józef Naumowicz. We pray

Występ sopranistki Hasmik Baghdasaryan-Dolukhanyan podczas koncertu w kościele św. Jacka w Warszawie, fot. Skarbnica Polskich Ormian

ed for the

peace of the souls of 1.5 million innocent Armenians murdered in this first genocide of the 20th century. In his homily, the

Armenian Catholic pastor in Poland recalled the historic Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica in 2015 on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and also recalled the figure of Blessed Archbishop Ignacy Maloyan, Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Mardin, a martyr for the faith, the decree on his canonization was one of the last decisions of Pope Francis. The priest also recalled the canonization of all the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide by the sister Armenian Apostolic Church.

After the Holy Mass, the next event of the day was an Armenian music concert prepared by the NUR Cultural Initiatives Institute Foundation. The performers were three Armenian artists – a special guest from Armenia, the wonderful singer Mrs. Hasmik Baghdasaryan-Dolukhanyan (soprano), who as well enriched the liturgy with her wonderful singing, Nelli Martirosyan playing the duduk, and violinist Kristine Harutyunyan.

Archbishop Adrian Galbas appointed the new ordinary of the faithful of the Armenian Catholic Church in Poland
The Holy Father Francis has appointed Archbishop Adrian Galbas the new ordinary of the faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches in Poland including the faithful of the Armenian Catholic Church – the Apostolic Nunciature in Poland announced at noon.Archbishop Adrian Galbas will assume the function of Ordinary for the faithful of the Eastern Catholic Churches living in Poland which do not have their own administrative structures.

In addition to the Roman Catholics which have an extensive administrative structure in Poland (archdioceses and dioceses) the faithful belonging to the Eastern Catholic Churches also live in our country. These are Churches originating from Eastern traditions but remaining in unity with the Pope. Among them we can mention Armenian Catholics, Greek Catholics, Maronites and Copts. These churches differ from the Latin Church in liturgical tradition, canonical discipline (they are subject to a separate Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches) and the specificity of theological terminology. They should not be confused with the Orthodox Churches because they recognize the authority of the Pope, while maintaining their Eastern liturgical and canonical tradition. HE Archbishop Adrian Galbas will also fulfill a very important function for the Foundation for the Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians – he becomes its principal. The Foundation was established in 2006 by the then Ordinary of the Faithful of the Eastern Rites, the Metropolitan of Warsaw, the late Cardinal Józef Glemp. The next superior until this year was His Excellency Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, whom the Foundation would like to thank for his many years of care.
More information: https://archwwa.pl/aktualnosci/abp-galbas-mianowany-nowym-ordynariuszem-wiernych-obrzadkow-wschodnich-w-polsce-2/

photo Jakub Szymczuk

In a note from the Editor we read:

Dear readers,

On the first page of this issue of “Awedis”, shortly after the anniversary of the surrender and the great exodus of the Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh, we return to the problem of magnificent Armenian monuments, the fate of which under Azerbaijani rule remains – to put it mildly – uncertain. And all thanks to the exhibition “Nagorno-Karabakh: endangered Armenian heritage” opened in Warsaw. The exhibition is another voice in defense of heritage that is not only Armenian or Christian, but definitely global.

It so happens that this time our pages are full of exhibitions. But this does not mean that it is monothematic. Only – as you will see for yourself in a moment – downright cosmopolitan. After all, Armenian traces can be found on the coast of France, in the heart of Argentina, in the east of Ukraine, and in nearby Płońsk…

We invite you on this fascinating journey with “Awedis”. Enjoy your reading!

To download “Awedis” No. 60 visit www.awedis.ormianie.pl

CORRECTION: In the printed version of issue 60 of “Awedis”, in the “Important addresses and telephone numbers” section, we provided outdated data of the Representative of the Armenian Minority in the Joint Commission of the Government and National and Ethnic Minorities. It should be: Hraczja Bojadżjan;
e-mail: sekretariat.ormianie@gmail.com. We sincerely apologize for this oversight.

                                                                                                Editorial Staff

Monday, September 30, in Płońsk was dedicated to the memory of Jan Jędrzejewicz (1835-1887) – a doctor, meteorologist and outstanding astronomer, resident of Płońsk. On this day, the 12th edition of the Scientific Award named after Jan Jędrzejewicz for the best Polish-language book devoted to the history of science and technology was determined. The subject event was organized jointly with the Polish Academy of Sciences. In addition to the speeches of the winners for 2023 (the award funded by the Płońsk City Council was awarded to Przemysław Dominas for the book “Central Trans-Andean Railway Callao – Lima – La Oroya, the work of the Polish engineer Ernest Malinowski”), there was a lecture on the use of artificial intelligence in astronomical research. The mayor of Płońsk, Andrzej Pietrasik and numerous school students laid flowers and lit candles on the grave of Jan Jędrzejewicz. Shortly afterwards, a charming mural by Tytus Brzozowski was unveiled (on two buildings, ul. Grunwaldzka 28 and 35) commemorating Jan Jędrzejewicz. The students presented a performance referring to astronomy, the hero of the city and the tragic fate of its Jewish inhabitants. The Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory in Płońsk showed one of the eight films available there, including two in 3D format, followed by Adam Derdzikowski (in the photo) from the Płońsk Astronomy Lovers’ Club. Jan W. Jędrzejewicz, coordinator of the Planetarium and co-organizer of all celebrations that day, presented sunspots through a telescope placed under the observatory dome.Jan Jędrzejewicz will be mentioned at a temporary exhibition organized by the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation, which will present various figures from the Jędrzejewicz-Jędrzejewicz family. The planned opening date of the exhibition is November 24, 2024. We invite you now!

Monika Agopsowicz

The exhibition dedicated to the Moszoro family, was carefully prepared by the Institute of National Remembrance as a part of the Archive Full of Memory project under the leadership of the director Marzena Kruk. The interesting exhibits are complemented by a wonderful arrangement by Jarosław Kłaput, as always. This unique event in Warsaw was attended by three generations of the Moszoros family, mainly from Argentina, led by brothers Antoni, Bartłomiej and priest living in Poland. Stefan Moszoro-Dąbrowski. Welcomes and words about the exhibition were delivered by the president of the Institute of National Remembrance – Dr. Karol Nawrocki, the host of the place – the director of the Independence Museum – Dr. Tadeusz Skoczek, the Ambassador of the Republic of Argentina in Poland – Alicia Irene Falkowski and the main curator of the exhibition Marzena Kruk, who finally thanked everyone involved in the creation of the exhibition , also the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation for providing access to materials from the APO resources. We also listened to an extremely moving statement by the representative of the Family, Bartłomiej Moszoro – Honorary Consul of Poland in Argentina, who repeated his statement in Spanish for the large family who came from Argentina.There was also an artistic part – we could listen to musical pieces that referred to the family’s Lviv roots, to the Argentinian sounds of Astor Piazzolla’s tango. Then there was a collective opening of the door leading to the exhibition itself, which consisted of a lot of family souvenirs, including those donated by the family to the Institute of National Remembrance. An interesting exhibition, showing the extraordinary, sometimes tragic fate of the family, the cultivation of Polishness and traditions worth the highest recognition – it is worth visiting this exhibition, we recommend it! Yesterday’s ceremony continues today at the headquarters of the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation. Representatives of the Moszoro family visited the Treasury of Polish Armenians and became acquainted with the museum exhibition with great interest. They asked about details related to history, migration and the preservation of the Armenian language by Polish Armenians. The temporary exhibition full of private souvenirs aroused great interest. It was even closer to our guests because members of their family followed similar trails to that of our hero Zachariasz Gregorowicz.

text and photos: mot

Board exhibition: *MOUNTAIN KARABAKH: endangered Armenian heritage*. It is co-organized by the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation with the French organization L’Œuvre d’Orient. This exhibition, dedicated to the endangered Armenian cultural heritage in the areas of Nagorno-Karabakh – the historical part of Greater Armenia, has been opened!

Opening of the exhibition at the Priest Jan Twardowski square in Warsaw on October 4, 2024 was performed by HE Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Archbishop-Metropolitan of Warsaw and Ordinary of Armenian Catholics in Poland who was accompanied by the auxiliary bishop, HE prof. Michał Janocha. The exhibition will be presented until October 18, 2024. Special speeches were given among others,by: HE Alexander Arzoumanian – ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in Poland, prof. Bishop Michał Janocha – auxiliary bishop of Warsaw, representatives of the French organization L’Œuvre d’Orient in the persons of its president – Mr. Jean-Yves Tolot and Fr. Jean-Marie Humeau – member of the council of the Ordinariate of France, faithful of the Eastern rites, Mikołaj Murkociński, representative of L’Œuvre d’Orient in Poland and Maria Ohanowicz-Tarasiuk – president of the Foundation for the Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians, thanking the representatives of the French organization for making the exhibition available.
Among the distinguished guests were present too: Priest Dr. Janusz Bodzon, Chancellor of the Warsaw Metropolitan Curia, friends and supporters of the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation. After the opening of the exhibition, the gathered people entered the hospitable threshold of the History Meeting House in Warsaw, where lectures on the history and tragic contemporary fate of Nagorno-Karabakh (Arcakh) were delivered by HE Jerzy Marek Nowakowski, ambassador-nominator of the Republic of Poland in Armenia, and the priest prof. Józef Naumowicz, pastor of Armenian Catholics in Poland. After the Armenian refreshment, the guests from L’Œuvre d’Orient visited the headquarters of the Foundation for the Culture and Heritage of Polish Armenians, where they became acquainted with the collections of the Treasury of Polish Armenians.
We would like to express our special thanks to Mr. Mikołaj Murkociński, who came up with the idea of moving this exceptionally beautiful exhibition from Paris, where it was previously presented to Warsaw. He was actively involved as well in its organization here among others by translating the French texts into Polish.
A detailed report on this event will be published in the issue of the Armenian magazine “Awedis”. The exhibition presents historic objects: buildings, churches, monasteries and khachkars. It illustrates the religious and cultural heritage of the Armenian people over almost two millennia, now being destroyed by Azerbaijani aggression.

Photos: Armen Artwich and Władysław Deńca

Dear Readers!
The constant fight for memory and truth became the leitmotif of this issue of “Awedis”. We open it with information about two exhibitions: the exhibition “Christian heritage in the multicultural identity of Azerbaijan” – which distorts history and the present – as Witold Repetowicz writes in our pages – and the exhibition “Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsak) – heritage in danger” showing the ongoing process of erasing Armenian traces). In the face of constant manipulation, the voice of Armenians must be loud on this matter and clearly show where the truth and where is falsehood.
We also need to remember with a loud voice that Armenians fell victim to two genocides: the merciless anti-Armenian campaign in the Ottoman Empire organized 109 years ago and – what is less talked about – the Volhynia-Galician crime planned and carried out by the UPA during World War II. On the following pages, we present reports from the commemoration of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide taking place at khachkars throughout Poland and a unique ceremony at the cemetery in Oborniki Śląskie, where in one of the graves earth from the grave of two girls – sisters Janina Rozalia and Stanisława Pudło – murder victims was placed. in Kuty in the spring of 1944. It is preceded by shocking testimony from those days.
A difficult history and present, marked by pain and loss, and at the same time so much life in the Armenian community! In our pages, we show the always hospitable Armenian House, where the Year of Arshile Gorky is celebrated on a grand scale – an outstanding, although unfortunately less known in Poland, Armenian painter, whose life was also marked by the dark time of genocide.
Leaving you with this sometimes difficult, but – we hope – interesting reading, we wish you a peaceful holiday time.

To download “Awedis” No. 59 visit www.awedis.ormianie.pl

Editorial staff

Like every Saturday, the Treasury of Polish Armenians opened its doors to visitors, but June 15 was a special day because Mr. Tomasz Kuba Kozłowski from the History Meeting House invited two groups of long-time lovers of historical walks to the headquarters of the Polish Armenian Culture and Heritage Foundation – the Warsaw Initiative Kresowa History Meeting House. The main topic of the meeting with history this time were Polish Armenians. The special guest of the meeting at the Armenian Treasury, invited by the Foundation, was the parish priest of the Armenian Northern Parish in Gdańsk, parish priest and guardian of the Sanctuary of the miraculous image of Our Lady of Grace from Stanisławów, Father Cezary Annusewicz. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Grace from Stanisławów is located in the church of St. Peter and Paul, at the Żabi Kruk ( Frog Kruk) street in Gdańsk. After an extensive introduction by Mr. Kuba Kozłowski, the guests were first shown around the museum exhibition – The Treasury of Polish Armenians. Then in the second room, sitting down, they had the opportunity to listen to the story of Fr. Cezary Annusewicz about the fate of the miraculous painting from Stanisławów and the history of the church at the Frog Kruk. However this was not the end of the attractions, because they also had the opportunity to watch archival short films and photographs from the coronation with papal crowns of this miraculous image, which took place 87 years ago, on May 30, 1937 in Stanisławów. Father C. Annusewicz gave our guests commemorative books and medallions, which, thanks to the efforts of the last parish priest in Stanisławów, the late. priest Kazimierz Filipiak, were saved and after World War II they were brought to the church in Gdańsk. The guests also saw our temporary exhibition “Suitcase of memories – Zachariasz Gregorowicz (1884-1961)”. There was no end to questions about various details. Those interested received maps with a walk along the Armenian trail in the Old and New Town, plans of the Old Powązki Cemetery with Armenian burials marked, and bookmarks with the Armenian alphabet. This Saturday was extremely intense, because the first guests arrived well before… 11:00, and we said goodbye to the last ones at approx. 18:00. I hope that everyone left satisfied and full of impressions, many people promised to pay the visit again with their loved ones.

mot, fot.Monika Agopsowicz; Władysław Deńca