Explore the Armenian Churches of Abu Dhabi

incomparable aroma No Scattered around the room, draw transparent clouds of various shapes on the sun-drenched horizon. Colorful mosaics of various sizes and shapes fit perfectly into the walls, as if the walls were drawn with pencil around them, following the precise trajectory of their outlines. A sweet and familiar melody passed through the “cloud”, passed through the mosaic, and finally entered the depths of my soul. At that moment, I knew I was home.

Finding an Armenian church in Abu Dhabi felt like finding a long sought treasure, a hidden gem that would give me a sense of connection and belonging, love, friendship, community and home. Living outside of Armenia, away from all my family and friends, often meant endless homesickness and longing, and in this case, speaking my native language seemed like a luxury that only calls via Whatsapp could provide. Talking about topics related to the motherland with international friends requires me to summarize thousands of years of history into a short five-minute introduction, and then touch the surface of current news related to the motherland. I miss an insightful discussion about family where everyone involved in the conversation will know all the complexities of the issues at hand and be equally interested in finding solutions because issues matter to all of us on a deep emotional and DNA level . In the context of nostalgia and nostalgia, finding the Armenian Church of St. Nahd Ghazi means finding a home away from home, but it also means finding a home.

After talking with Haile Vache Balkjian, I feel that the ground under my feet has become more solid. “Milena, when you need something, whether it’s small or big, you call us, okay? We’ll always be here for you,” Hayr Vache ended our first phone call when I Realizing that I, my petite young woman, was no longer alone in this big city full of skyscrapers left a lasting smile on my face. Despite the distance between the church and the campus where I lived, Hayr Vache helped me get free transportation to and from church anyway, as he scoured his contacts for people who lived near my current residence. That’s how I met Meghrig, a warm and kind Armenian woman who happened to live very close to NYU Abu Dhabi. When Meghrig and her beautiful family came to pick me up, I was greeted by the lovely and melodious voice of Western Armenian, the language of our hearts, and I enjoyed the long but enjoyable trip to church for the next 30 minutes drive. The word “Hayastan” was used about 50 times in our conversations, as we talked about our origins, the current situation at home, relatives living in Armenia, Armenians living outside Armenia and many other topics, the motherland is always The central theme, everything else is peripheral.

We arrived at the church around noon, which meant that on this Easter Sunday, most of the seats were already taken by fellow Armenians. The first thing that struck me was the surprising number of Armenians living in Abu Dhabi, how they came from all corners of Abu Dhabi to the non-central parts of the capital just to celebrate Easter together. Conducted in Armenian, followed by an event during which each participant received a beautiful family keepsake with the inscription “God bless this home” with the name of the Church of St. Nahad Ghaz written on the bottom.

My next church visit was within the scope of the “Banakum” initiative, an annual event that brings together Armenian children and youth from all corners of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The three-day event officially opened on April 21, followed by a variety of activities, including lectures and discussions on Armenian culture, identity and values, the Armenian Genocide, Armenian patriotic songs, as well as lessons in traditional Armenian dance moves and bracelet making. Children also participated in fun and energetic games designed to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle. They then cleaned up the Armenian Sunday School (located in front of the church) and its surroundings, thus learning to appreciate and love their environment. The “Banakum” campaign concluded on 23 April, the eve of Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. After the memorial ceremony, each attendee was asked to leave a flower at the memorial in honor of the victims of the Armenian genocide.

I was fortunate to participate in the “Banakum” event as a photographer. This role made me cherish this event even more. Every time the shutter clicked, I was able to capture a sincere smile and endless happiness. The eyes of young people, feeling the joy of reconnecting with their origins, speaking their native language, learning about their culture and identity, feeling far away from home, like I felt, or more. I have gained a deeper understanding of the role of the Armenian Church as a powerful bridge connecting different members of the Armenian community who might never have known each other if not for the Church, and now they have turned into a strong and supportive family and it’s all here The food, news, joys, sorrows and joys of the motherland are all shared without reservation. In this family, each member supports each other, supports each other in any way they can, helps each other, and thinks of creative ways to help rebuild Armenia. It never occurred to me that speaking Armenian in the UAE was not the exception but the norm. I never thought that meeting the Armenians in Abu Dhabi wouldn’t be a surprise, but it happens every week and it sets the mood for the rest of the week. I never thought I would be so close to home yet so far away and I can’t be more grateful for the presence of the Armenian Church and people like Meghrig and Hayr Vache in just three weeks, doing it for me I don’t hesitate to call them my second family. They entered my heart as seamlessly as the colorful mosaics entered the walls of the Armenian Church of St. Nahad Ghaz, bringing a warm bright color that I cannot help but associate with the warm colors of Armenia.

Milena Baghdasaryan graduated from United World College Changshu, China. From the age of 11 she has been writing for a local newspaper called Kanch (‘Call’). At the age of 18, she published her first novel on Granish.org and started her blog, Taghandi Hetqerov (“In Pursuit of Talent”), a portal dedicated to interviewing young and talented Armenians from around the world. Baghdasaryan believes that storytelling, travel and learning new languages ​​are essential to helping a person explore the world, connect with others and discover themselves. Milena is currently studying Film and New Media at New York University in Abu Dhabi.