Former Caretaker of Madras Armenian Church Complains It’s Being Neglec

[Yervant1]

Former Caretaker of Madras Armenian Church Complains It’s Being Neglected

 

 

 

http://hetq.am/static/news/b/2013/01/22181.jpg23:24, January 10, 2013

 

Dear Friends,

It was indeed a happy moment for me to be at our church for Christmas on Jan 6.

We said a prayer and lit some candles and I also rang the bells. A special prayer was also said for the Armenians in Syria, in the hope that peace returns. I also placed some flowers on the grave of the father of Armenian journalism, Rev Haruthiun Shmavonian grave.

The maintenance of the church is still poor despite church members’ instructions to the caretaker on December 12 to better the upkeep. I decided that I would clean some of the pictures myself. I pray that the present caretaker takes more interest to keep our church clean and neat. He also informed me that the church roof leaks severely when it rains and also discovered that rodents have started burrowing their way into the property and many hairline cracks are visible in the pillars. Let’s hope that all this will be rectified at the earliest. The Armenian church in Madras is of historical importance for Armenians throughout the world. http://hetq.am/static/content/world/india/DSC00671.jpg http://hetq.am/static/content/world/india/DSC00680.jpg

then went to the cemetery which is four kilometers from our church to put flowers on the grave of the former caretaker Mr. George Gregory and his wife Joan. I was shocked to see the condition of the cemetery. The quarters where the Gardner family lives has caved in due to the heavy rains last November. They are now somehow managing with a small tent on the property. This needs immediate attention and I hope something will be done soon. The garden needs to be maintained properly. The main gate has fallen off and needs to be fixed. http://hetq.am/static/content/world/india/DSC00689.jpg http://hetq.am/static/content/world/india/DSC00692.jpg

http://hetq.am/static/content/world/india/DSC00657.jpgIt pains me that when I was caretaker for the church from 1994-2004 we put our hearts and soul to maintain our beautiful church and cemetery, and too see them now being neglected is heart breaking. For a brief period in 2008, they were maintained very well. But now they are neglected once again. Though the Kolkata church was kind enough to carry out extensive repairs a few years ago, this work needs to be reviewed periodically. God bless the Indian Armenians and Mayr Hayastan..

I also urge our respectful pastor in India Rev. Fr.Khoren Hovanissian to intervene in this matter along with the honorable committee members.

Michael Stephen

Bangalore, India.

Former Caretaker -Armenian Church of Madras, India

[MosJan]

in some 100 years all of the churches that we are building in USA will be somewhat the same way