One of the major problems of transliterating a name into another alphabet and languages is the varieties of spelling that can ensue. The village in question is now called "Pirkinik" in modern Turkey. I have found a variety of spellings including: Perknig, Perknik, Pirkinik, Pirkinek, Pirkenik, Perkenek, Perkenik, Perkinik, Prknik, Prknig, Brgnik, Berkinik. On postcards written by the Tchiboukkearians (the family name of the poet, Daniel, Varoujan) and included in The Tchiboukkearians of Perknig , the spelling was "Perknig". The spelling given to me by members of the Azarian/Hagopian family when I first started the research around 2000 was Prkng.

From the early 1700s until 1915 Pirkinik was an Armenian Catholic village. Most Armenians were Armenian Apostolic (sometimes referred to as the Georgian Church). However the village of Perkinik prided itself in being 100% Roman Catholic. This means that they accepted the full authority of the Pope in Rome. The Armenian Catholic Church was officially recognized by Pope Benedict XIV in 1742.

My husband's grandmother, Lucy Arevian/Hagopian Azarian, and her siblings, Batist, Hovsep, Nazareth, and Avidis Arevian/Hogopian were born Pirkinik. Lucy was born there circa 1875. The family moved to Constantinople before 1895. In the early 1920s Lucy moved with her husband and children to New Jersey.

In May 2008 my husband, Tom, and I visited Turkey for a week. We spent two days in the Sivas area. One morning our guides and translator, Kagan, Yervant and Metin, drove us to the village of Pirkinik.

Robert Hewson in Armenia, A Historicl Atlas and others say that Pirkinik is an hour outside of Sivas. That may have been true in the days before automobiles when one had to travel by foot or ox cart. By car, the trip from the center of Sivas to Pirkinik took less than ten minutes.

We drove the length of the village on its south side. On the north side of the street were older buildings and on the south were several modern high rise apartments and a modern school. At the end of the village we got out and explored a bit on foot.

We did not venture too far from the main road. Many of the buildings were in very poor shape — patched and jerry rigged with wood, cinder blocks and corrugated tin — and leaning at all sorts of precarious angles. We could see three types of basic construction in the older buildings: cut stone, uncut stone, and timber framing (with rubble filling & stucco finish). Most of the buildings orignially probably had red tile roofs — although many now had corrugated tin roofs. Many of the buildings had balconies (or the remains of balconies). We could not see any modern buildings in the cluster of older buildings except on the periphery of the village.

The people of the village may have made rugs in addition to farming. John Minassian in Many Hills Yet To Climb states that Oriental carpets were woven by young Armenain girls in the hundreds of Armenian villages that surounded Sivas.

This is the largest and most imposing build we saw — being one of two buildings of cut stone. Its shape and the domed roofs suggests that it was once the public bath.* The ground level must have been lower at one time as the doorways are impossibly low for an adult to enter. The interior appears to be completely filled with rubble and dirt. We could not find any inscription. The light green object in front of the building is a fountain.

* See the bath in Sivas at Sivas

See also History of Pirkinik Chapter 4

Another view of the same building.

This building was one of the two buildings of cut stone that we saw (the other being the bath). It is clearly an old Armenian building as evidenced by the inscription in Armenian on the key stone. See image below.

The height of the arch suggests that the building was once much taller. See also History of Pirkinik Chapter 4

Another view of the same building.

I believe that this is just a fragment of the original building. The stone work around the arch ends rather abruptly at the top. It is highly likely that the original building was much taller.

Since most of the buildings in the village were of uncut stone or timber framing it is highly likely that this was a building of some importance. With the wide arched doorway it is tempting to think it was part of one of the two known churches. This type of doorway was common on Armenian churches.

The inscription on the key stone is in Armenian. We could not make out what is written, except the year — 1909 — which is barley visible on the lower right.

See also History of Pirkinik Chapter 4

This is typical of the state of the village today. The uncut stone walls are most likely old; as are the red tile roofs. The cinder blocks and corrugated tin can be presumed to post date 1915. The house on the extreme right is whitewashed. It is likely that at least some of the Armenian houses in Pirkinik were stone covered with stucco that was whitewashed or painted in some way.

This building looks to be of timber framing. Notice the remnant of a balcony.

The gate is a ghost of the typical entryway into pre 1915 properties. See the houses in Sivas at Sivas

The house on the left shows the uncut stone construction and the one on the right shows a balcony.

Our guides told us that this old mill wheel was turned by oxen.

This image gives some idea of the terrain around Pirkinik. The house in the distance is of modern construction.

Based on window size, the balcony and the type of construction, I believe that this building dates from the days when Pirkinik was an Armenian village. The cemetery in the background on the left is Moslem. This building is one of the first of the old buildings as one approaches Pirkinik from Sivas.

• The Arevian/Hagopian Family.

  The name is listed in the Constantinople church records as both Hagopian and Arevian. Some of the family left Perkinik and went to Constantinople in the 1880s. The family dispersed even further after 1920 going to the US, Egypt and France. See Arevian/Hagopian now or at the bottom of the page. See also Hagop Arevian

• The Azarians, a family of wealthy merchants and bankers, who later lived in Constantinople.

  This family included Stephanos Peteros Azarian the Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church from 1881-1899. He was born in 1826 in Constantinople. See Other Azarians now or at the bottom of the page.

• Tchibourkkearian — The Armenian poet, Taniel Varoujan (Varoujean): whose family name was Tchibourkkearian

  Tchiboukkearian, Daniel de Pirkinik (Armenie) admis avec distinction" Pamphlets on Biology: Kofoid collection, Volume 1048, Science, 1907 Universite De Gand, Annee Academique 1907-1908, FACULTE DE DROIT, [Faculity of Law] Grade de licencie en science commercials Premiere Epreuve

  [Tchiboukkearian, Daniel of Pirkinik (Armenia) admitted with distinction], University of Ghent, Belgium, 1907

  Veronica Tchiboukkerian, the daughter of the poet, Taniel Varoujan, was born in Perkenik in 1910. She published a collection of family postcards called The Tchiboukkearians of Perknig. The Armenian Reporter.

  The name was also spelt Chebookkerian in the History of the Village of Perkenik by Father Ephrem Boghossian written in the 1950 or 60s. It is also spelt Chpugkyarian on the Internet.

  There is a fair amount on the Internet about Taniel (Daniel) Varoujan.

• Desirmenjian

  Anna Desirmenjian, wife of Nazareth Arevian/Hagopian

• Hagian (Hajian)
  1. Bishop Giovanni Hagian (AKA John Hajian) was born in Perkenik in 1802. He was the Bishop of Cesarea di Cappadocia and a first Vatican Council father.

  2. Isacco Hajian, Archbishop of Sebastia, born in Perkinik in 1837.

  See more below under Bishop Hajian's List

• Kazanjian —

  "Margaret said that her grandmother's maiden name was Kazanjian. Her grandmother left the village prior to 1915. There she worked in a rug factory. Her father upon receiving a tip from a Turk that a future genocide may occur left the village with his family in 1912. Margaret lives in Toronto." Robert Haroutunian, March 2007.

• Balian Family

  per Therese Topalian, July 2008

• Topalian Family

  per Theresa Toplian, July 2008

  Zakar Topalian, born November 1, 1890 in Perkinik, Sivas, Armenia, medium build, short, brown eyes and hair, Fitchburg, Worcester, Massachusetts, registered for the WWI Draft Registration in 1917. Additional information: alien, single, soldier Turkish. There are things I cannot make out as the image is fuzzy. It is interesting that he specifically listed Perkinik and Sivas. Most men only listed the county of birth.

  Joe Topalian is the translator from Armenian to English of The History of the Village of Perkenik (Pakradunik) by Fr. Ephrem Boghossian C. M. Vd (Mechitharist of Vienna, Austria)

• Der Astrazadurian also spelt Asdvadzadurian

  Michele Derastrazadurian, Cilicia delgi Armeni, Ciliciae Armenorum, Michaele Derastrazadurian, nato in Pirkinik, Archidiocesi de Sebaste, nel 1788, promosso da Cesarea in partibus 25 Gennaio 1844 col nome di Gregorio Pietro VIII"

  Annuario pontificio, By Catholic Church, Curia Romana, 1861

  [Celecia in Armenia, Melkon Derastrazadurian, born in Pirkinik, Archdiocese of Sivas in 1788 promoted at Cesarea in partibus 25 January 1844 with the name Gregory Peter VIII, Annuario pontificio, By Catholic Church, Curia Romana, 1861]

  Note:

  In Partibus Infidelium (often shortened to in partibus, or abbreviated as i.p.i.), is a Latin phrase meaning "in the lands of unbelievers"

  Wikipedia

  He died in 1866 according to various lists of the Armenian Catholic Patriarchs of Cilicia.

• Korkorouni

  Leon Korkorouni — Mgr Korkorouni

  Archeveque Armenien Catholique de Malatia (Melitene). [Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Malatia]

  "Mgr Korkorouni etait ne a Pirkinik pres Sivas, le 20 juin 1822; il avait fair se etudes au Seminaire patriarcal de Bzomar (Liban), ou il avait ete appele au sacerdoce. C'est le avril 1861 qu'il avait ete preconice archeveque de Melitene. Sa mort a eu liue le 15 aout"

  Annales de la propagation de la foi, Volumes 69-70, 1897

  [Bishop Korkouni was born in Pirkinik near Sivas, June 20, 1822; he studied .... Bzomar (Lebanon), where he was called to the priesthood. Since April 1861 he had been archbishop of .... Melitene. He died ... August 15.]

• Gharipecan

  Died 18 June 1915 in Tokat (a.k.a. Eudocia) (Turkey)

  ISEVUHI GHARIPEVAN, professed religious, Armenian Sisters of the Immaculate Conception born: 06 November 1879 in Brgnik, Sivas (Turkey)

  Martyrs of Armenia

• Madoian

  Fr. Sahag Madoian (vdpt.) Sivas (Sebastia) Sivas (Sebastia), Brgink, Apostolic, Martyr, Born 1872 in Brgnik; studied in Zmmar; ordained as vardapet in 1896. Losses of the Armenian Church During the Genocide, Priests

• Shahnamian

  Fr. Sahag Shahnamian (vdpt.) Sivas (Sebastia) Sivas (Sebastia), Brgink, Apostolic, Martyr, Born 1884 in Brgnik; studied in Zmmar; ordained 1907. Losses of the Armenian Church During the Genocide, Priests

• Asdvadzadurian

  Fr. Mikayel Der-Asdvadzadurian (vdpt.), Sivas (Sebastia), Sivas (Sebastia), Brgink, Apostolic, Martyr, Born 1873 in Brgnik; studied in Zmmar; ordained 1896. Losses of the Armenian Church During the Genocide, Priests

The backs of these two post cards say the same thing:

"VILLAGE LIFE IN ARMENIA

This typical picture of agricultural life in Armenian was painted in the neighborhood of the village of Lagh-Keny, which is situated a short distance from Ismidt, and important town of about 15,000 inhabitants in Asia Minor. The surrounding country is flat and very fertile, the chief products grown being corn, maize, potatoes, tobacco, and vegetables. Man of the methods in vogue and implements in use are of a delightfully primitive character."

• Ismidt is currently called Izmit. It is located about 110 Km southwest of Istanbul on Gulf of Izmit in the Sea of Marmara at the edge of Anatolia. It was the site of a major earthquake in 1999.

• Corn in Europe equals wheat in the USA.

• Maize in Europe equals corn in the USA.

• The method of sowing and threshing the corn (wheat) would have been similar in Pirkinik.

Sowing Corn

Threshing Corn

Pirkinik as seen on Google Earth

1. is the location of the bath pictured above.

2. is the location of the building, with the Armenian writing on it, pictured above.

If you can read French please excuse my transcriptions and translations. My French is sketchy at best. I have first transcribed the French from the book in question. Some of the type quality of the books and articles is poor. In addition, I do not have a French version of spell check. Consequently there are liable to be typos. Then I have translated into English. I have used the assistance of Google translation (which, I have to say, is one of the most helpful things on the Internet.)

1821

Voyages en Orient, de l'annee 1821 a l'annee 1829 Constantinople, Grece By Victor Fontanier

"Sivas est peuple de quarante mille habitans, en comptant huit mille maisons portees sur les registes; sur ce nombre, il y a environ trois mille. Ameniens.

"Les catholiques habitent dans un village nomme Perkinik, et situe a une lieue de distance. Il y a un couvent qui sert de residence a trois moines envoyes par le patriarche du mont Liban. Ces catholiques s'occupent d'agriculture, et sont en general assez miserables. Les Armeniens font le commerce de la noix de galle que l'on tire de Mossul, du tabac de Malathia, et surtout de cuivre provenant de mines situees a six lieues, dans les montagnes de Sud. J'ai ve des eschantillons de ce cuivre, c'etait du cuivre pyriteux et du corbonate bleu. Il parait que les mines d'ou on l'extrait doivent etre abondantes, d'apres la quantite qui entra dans le commerce. C'etait autrefois a Tocate qu'on le transportait, et cette ville avait acquis une grande reputation pour la maniere de la travailler. Depuis que les communications sont devenues plus faciles, on l'envoie a Cahissarie de la a Tarsous, et il na'a pas peu cantribue a la prosperite nouvelle de ce dernier pays. J'ai reconnu aussi que les Armeniaens achetaient a Sivas une grande qualite de medailles, et je croirais assez que les orfevres du pays occupent a en fabriquer; j'en ai achete plusieus.

[Sivas has forty thousand inhabitants, counting eight thousand houses listed on the registers; of these, there are about three thousand Ameniens.

Catholics live in a village called Perkinik, located a mile away. There is a monastery that serves as a residence for three monks sent by the Patriarch of Mount Lebanon. These Catholics are engaged in agriculture, and usually are quite miserable. The Armenians are traders "la noix de galle" that are derived from Mosul, tobacco from Malathia, and especially copper from mines located six miles in the mountains to the South. I've "eschantillons" of this copper, and copper pyrite and corbonate blue. It appears that the mines must be abundant, based on the quantity that enters the trade. It was formerly transported to Tocat, and this city had gained a great reputation for the "way of working". Since communication has become easier, it sends an envoy to Cahissarie and from there to Tarsus, and this accounts "not a little" to the new prosperity of that country. I also recognized that the Armenians of Sivas have a great quality of medals, and I believe that the goldsmiths of the area are busy manufacturing; I bought "plusieus"."]

Dizionario di erudizione storico-ecclesiastica da S. Pietro sino ai nostri giorni, 1842

"In Pirkinik evvi usa chiesa pubblica cattolica, e compresa anche Sivas, vi sono circa settanta od ottanta famiglie assistite da tre, o quattro sacerdoti del patriarca di Cilicia."

page 138

[in Pirkinik (evvi) a public catholic church, which also includes Sivas, there are about 70 or 80 families "assisted" by three or four priests from the patriarch of Cilicia.]

1845

The Missionary Herald, Volume 41, 1845, By American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions

Armenian Catholics "fifteen at Sivas, three hundred and fifty at Pirkinik, — a village near Sivas,"......

1884

Les Missions Catholiques, Volume 16 By Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Catholic Church. Pontificium Opus a S. Petro, 1884

"Je fus retenu a Sivas au-dela de mes previsions, parce qu'on avait prepare une grand'messe de Dumont et un examen public. Comment se refuse a preside une telle solennite? Je profitai de cette prolongation de sejour pour visiter le village de Perkenik. C'est une oasis exclusivement catholique, chose rare et Presque unique dans ces contrees schismatiques. La population est rude, mais ferme dans sa foi. Plusieurs pretres et eveques, le patriarche lui-meme sortent de Perkenik. Les homes sont muletiers et sillonnent l'Asie Mineure dans tous les sens. Leur eglise es grande et tien tenue. Un pretre y dirige l'ecole avec success. Il a bonte de m'accueillir de la maniere la plus cordiale. C'est ici que l'on peut juger du resultat que nois obtiendrions pour la glorie de Dieu, si nous parvenions a former des groupes catholiques puissant.

Independants et libres, sans melange d'infideles, les rudes habitants de Perkenik sont fiers de lour village. Il faut ententre avec quell accent d'un doux orgueil ils repondent: "Je suis de Perkenik", -orsqu'on les aborde sur les grands chemins. Je suis de Perkenik, c'est-a-dire je suis catholique et je voudrais bien voir que quelqu'un fut assez ose pour y trouver a redire. Comme la situation changeait en Armenie avec des colonies semblables a celle-ci!

Ce village fut a l'aise jadis. Il s'appauvrit chaque jour. Les prestations et les corvees entravent la travail lire et remunerateur. Tel pere de famille est tenu a une corvee de vingt jours por la construction d'un dedfice public ou le soin des routes. Celui qui a des mulets et des voitures se voit force de les mettre a la disposition de entrepreneur. Cependant il faut vivre durant ces jour, vivre et faire vivre sa famille! Et puis les redevances en nature sont ecrasantes. Le vilayet de Sivas est un des cinq auxquels imcombe l'obligation d'amortir la dette russe imposee par la derniere guerre. On croit qu'il faudre cent ans pour se liberer."

[I was unexpectedly detained in Sivas, because we had to prepare a grand mass "of Dumont" and a public exam (or review). How can one refuse to preside at "une telle solennite"? I took advantage of this extended stay to visit the village of Perkenik. It is an exclusively Catholic oasis, very rare and almost unique in these schismatic countries. The people are crude, but firm in their faith. Several priests and bishops, the Patriarch himself, are from Perkenik. Men are muleteers and traverse Asia Minor in all directions. Their church is large and well maintained. A priest leads the school with success. He met me in the most cordial manner. Here we can see what results are obtained for the glorie of God, if we form powerful Catholic groups.

Independent and free, without mixture of infidels, the peasant inhabitants of Perkenik are proud of their village. With a sweet accent of pride they say: "I am Perkenik." (word) as you approach them on the highways, I'am Perkenik, that is to say I am Catholic and I would like to see someone find fault with that. The situation changed in Armenia with colonies similar to that one!

This village was once comfortable. It gets poorer every day. The "benefits" and chores outweigh the work and reward. For example a father of a family is given twenty days work building an edifice or working on the public roads. Whoever has mule and carts was forced to make them available the contractor. But he must live during the days (that his mules were not available to him), live and provide for his family! And then the royalties in kind are overwhelming. The vilayet Sivas is one of five whose income is required to reduce the Russian debt imposed by the last war. It is believed to be a hundred years to be out from under it.

No exact date is given for the episode described. However, the precious paragraph refers to 1711 and 1713.

Coup d'oeil sur l'Armenie: a propos d'une mission de la Compagnie de Jesus By Damas (Andre, le r.p. de, 1888

"Un autre Jesuite, le P. Gregoire, polonais, expulse d'Erivan, s'etait au village de Perkenik, pres de Sivas. Les familles catholiques y etaient peu nombreuses. Le Pere s'ingenia de son mieux. Il associa a son apostolat un armenien catholique appartenant aux Freres-unis. Ce jeune homme ouvrit une ecole, espousa la fille du cure schismatique, convertit son beau-pere, et l'amena a faire son abjuration etre les mains du Jesuite polonais. La conversion du pasteur entraina celle du troupeau. Aujourd'hui, le village n'abrite pas un seul armenien schismatique. Il est ferme dans la loi catholique, c'est un de nos centres importants."

page 178

[Another Jesuit, Father Gregoire, Polish, expelled from Erivan, took refuge in Perkenik village, near Sivas. The Catholic families were few. The Priest tried his best. This work of the Armenian Catholics was associated with the mission of "Freres-Unis". This young man opened a school, married the daughter of "cure of the schismatic" (pastor of the non Catholic church), converted his father-in-law, his wife, and solemnly renounced himself of the Polish Jesuits. The conversion of Pastor (the father-in-law MLB) lead the rest of the congregation (the herd). Today the village has no "schismatic Armenians" (Armenian Apostolics MLB). It is firmly in Catholic law and is one of our major centers.]

Les Missions catholiques, Volume 30 By Society for the Propagation of the Faith, Catholic Church. Pontificium Opus a S. Petro Apostolo

A Pirkinik, l'eglise est in ruine; la terrasse menace de s'effondrer. L'interieur de l'edifice sacre est dans un etat amentable; l'humidite a deja deteriore tous les tableaux. Ce village, compose de 400 familles, toutes catholigues, n'a pas encore pour les garcons une ecole tant soit peu convenable. Les pauvres enfants sont obligue de se reunir dans une chamber etroite, obscure, sans pave, malsaine; c'est pourquoi la frequentation d'un tel local devient odieuse aux enfants, et il est tres difficile de trouver un professeur qui consent a y passer quelques heures."

[At Pirkinik, the church is in ruins, the terrace is threatening to collapse. Inside the sacred edifice is an "amentable" state. The moisture has already deteriorated all the "tableaux" (frescos?). The village comprises 400 families, all catholigues, the boys school is unsuitable. Poor children are obliged to meet in a narrow chamber, dark, without paving, unhealthy, so attendance at of the local child has becomes obnoxious, and it is very difficult to find a professor who agrees to spend a few hours.]

1915

The The Bastard of Istanbul, A Novel by Elif Shafak

"Even in Sivas, in the small Catholic Armenian village of Pirkinik when they went to seek shelter with Grandpa and Grandma, only to be expelled one night by soldiers breaking into the house; even when he found himself walking amid thousands of drained, famished, beaten Armenians guarded by soldiers on horseback, even when he trudged through a long, thick carpet of mud, vomit, blood, and excrement.........."

page 239 and 240

"In the parish of Sivas, the only village to have been spared is Pirkinik, where the archbishop, Monseigneur Ketchedjian, has escaped to. He, and one cleric that accompanied him, are the only survivors."

"The favour that had been obtained through the Austrian and American Embassies in Constantinople for Catholics and Protestants to be exempted from deportation, is in some cases being faithfully observed, but in others not at all. I was in Sivas when the rich village of Perkenik was entirely and most ruthlessly deported. It was an entirely Catholic village of perhaps one thousand homes. They had beautiful horses and great flocks of sheep. The flocks and horses were sent into the city, and the people were literally driven out with whips. When a complaint was made to the officers that this should not be done, because they were Catholics and had been especially faithful to the Government at all times, the reply was given that politics had changed, and that Italy had entered the war since this order had come from Constantinople."

Notes: There are a lot more books on line in Turkish, which, unfortunately, I cannot read. There are also a lot of books that require payment to read online or to buy.

Bishop Hajian's List

1. Der Hovhannes Margosian, died 1697.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

2. Der Michael, martyred in 1707.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

3. Der Kaspar, jail mate of Martyr Der Michael, died in 1742-44.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spellingas of Jan 2010.

4. Der Hagop Areviants, died in 1766.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

5. Der Kaspar Borchanian, died in 1766.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

6. Der Asdvadzadur, forefather of Der Asdvadzadooriants.

   Asdvadzadur of Armenia Catholicos

   Asdvadzadur was the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church between 1715 and 1725. As Catholicos, he secured an alliance with Christian Peter the Great of Russia for aid against the expansionist Muslim powers of the Ottoman Empire and Persia prior to the Russo-Persian War. He is buried at St. Hripsime Church, Echmiadzin.

   Wikipedia and more

7. Der Michael, grandson of the Martyr, died in 1782.

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

8. Der Ghougas, grandson of the martyr, died in 1802

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

9. Der Hovhannes Demirjian

   Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

10. Der Asdvadzadur Der Asdvadzadurian (see above)

11. Der Krikor Krtian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

12. Der Arakel Ananian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

13. Der Hagop Gharibian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

14. Fr. Hovhannes Bedigian, Monk in Armenian Order of St. Anthony.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

15. Der Hovsep Markarian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

16. Der Boghos Krtian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

17. Der Bedros Danielian. See Chapter 18, History of the Village of Perkinik

18. Der Parsegh Reissian, served in Vatican's Propaganda.

    ???Acta Apostolicae Sedis: commentarium officiale,Volume 54; Volume 1 - Page 887 Catholic Church. Pope, Vatican City - Law - 1962 Reissian ... (could not view on line)

19. Fr. Pilibbos, Antonian monk.

    Not enough info

20. Gregory Peter VIII Asdvadzadurian, Catholicos-Patriarch of the House of Cilicia.

    See Families above

21. Gregory Vartabed Bedigian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

22. Fr. Thomas Maksetian (born 1776), Mechitharist of Venice.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

23. Hovsep Vartabed Borchanian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

24. Hovhannes Vartabed Hajian (Hagian), Archbishop of Caesarea, (Cappadocia)

    His day = 1886, per note in Chapter 18, Distinguished Personalities of Perkenik

    Bishop Giovanni Hagian (AKA John Hajian) born Perkenik 1802, Bishop of Cesarea di Cappadocia

    The Churchman's year book, with kalender for the year of grace 1871, by William Stevens Perry Caesarea, John Hagian.

    Bishop Giovanni Hagian born 1802, Perkenik, Ordained Bishop 2 June 1850 age 48.4, Bishop of Cesarea di Cappadocia, (Armenian) Turkey, First Vatican Council: Council Father

25. Michael Vartabed Shegian.

    Nothing on the Internet with this spelling as of Jan 2010.

26. Der Hovagim Der Boghossian.

27. Der Krikor Der Asdvadzadurian.

28. Der Asdvadzadur Der Asdvadzadurian.

29. Ghevont Vartabed Khorkhoruni, Bishop of Malatia.

30. Der David Krtian.

31. Der Bedros Balabanian.

32. Sahag Vartabed Hajian, Archbishop of Sebastia.

    Archbishop Isacco Hagian, born 6 May 1837 Perkinik, appointed Bishop of Sebaste degli Armeni, 8 Apr 1892 age 54.9, appointed archbishop of Sebaste degi Armeni, 30 May 1893 age 56.1.

33. Der Dimoteos (Timothy) Baghdigian.

34. Der Serope Kazanjian.

35. Der Bedros Ayjian

1. Mardiros Vartabed Mgrian, from Aleppo, remained in our village for 30 years.

2. Very Rev. Der Bedros Balabanian (my paternal uncle), Arajnort from 1890-1900.

3. Sahag Vartabed Madoyan, Perkeniktsi, Arajnort 1900-1908.

4. Very Rev. Michael Der Asdvadzadurian, Perkeniktsi, 1900-1908.

5. Very Rev. Bedros Ayjian, 1902-1904, Armenian teacher.

6. Hagop Eminents (Eminian).

7. Serope Vartabed Kazanjian, Evdokatsi.

8. Very Rev. Poladian.

9. Nerses Vartabed Baghdigian, Perkeniktsi.

10. Krikor Vartabed Pehlivanian, Sebastatsi, 1905-1915, teacher of religion.

11. Shahnamian Vartabeds

12. Very Rev. Ashikian

MECHITHARISTS, a congregation of Armenian monks in communion with the Church of Rome. The founder, Mechithar, was born at Sebaste in Armenia, 1676. He entered a monastery, but under the influence of Western missionaries he became possessed with the idea of propagating Western ideas and culture in Armenia, and of converting the Armenian Church from its monophysitism and uniting it to the Latin Church. Mechithar set out for Rome in 1695 to make his ecclesiastical studies there, but he was compelled by illness to abandon the journey and return to Armenia. In 1696 he was ordained priest and for four years worked among his people. In 1700 he went to Constantinople and began to gather disciples around him. Mechithar formally joined the Latin Church, and in 1701, with sixteen companions, he formed a definitely religious institute of which he became the superior. Their Uniat propaganda encountered the opposition of the Armenians and they were compelled to move to the Morea, at that time Venetian territory, and there built a monastery, 1706. On the outbreak of hostilities between the Turks and Venetians they migrated to Venice, and the island of St Lazzaro was bestowed on them, 1717. This has since been the headquarters of the congregation, and here Mechithar died in 1749, leaving his institute firmly established. The rule followed at first was that attributed to St Anthony; but when they settled in the West modifications from the Benedictine rule were introduced, and the Mechitharists are numbered among the lesser orders affiliated to the Benedictines. They have ever been faithful to their founder's programme. Their work has been fourfold: (i) they have brought out editions of important patristic works, some Armenian, others translated into Armenian from Greek and Syriac originals no longer extant; (2) they print and circulate Armenian literature among the Armenians, and thereby exercise a powerful educational influence; (3) they carry on schools both in Europe and Asia, in which Uniat Armenian boys receive a good secondary education; (4) they work as Uniat missioners in Armenia. The congregation is divided into two branches, the head houses being at St Lazzaro and Vienna. They have fifteen establishments in various places in Asia Minor and Europe. There are some 150 monks, all Armenians; they use the Armenian language and rite in the liturgy.

See Vita del servo di Dio Mechitar (Venice, 1901); E. Bore, Saint-Lazare (1835); Max Heimbucher, Orden is. Kongregationen (1907) I. 37; and the articles in Wetzer u. Welte, Kirchenlexicon (ed. 2) and Herzog, Realencyklopadie (ed. 3), also articles by Sargisean, a Mechitharist, in Rivista storica benedettina (1906), "La Congregazione Mechitarista." (E. C. B.)

See also Mekhitarist Fathers and Mekhitar.org

Vartabed

A Vartabed was a doctor of theology.

The History of the Village of Perkenik (Pakradunik) Fr. Ephrem Boghossian C. M. Vd (Mechitharist of Vienna, Austria) Translation by Joe Topalian

Chapter 18, Distinguished Personalities of Perkenik Note: In this translation of the History of Perkinik, Daniel Varoujan's family name is spelt Chebookkerian, not Tchiboukkearian.

I have noticed that several people have created web pages using my information and my images without acknowledgement to this web site or me. Shame on you!!! Why repeat what I and other have worked hard for without making a connection and acknowledgment? Some of the information copied in this way is the work of Joe Topalian who has spent many years lovingly translating a 1950s/60s Armenian manuscript about Perkinik. The following web pages are guilty. Armenian Catholic Village Perkenik Armenian on Web Maggie Land Blanck, January 2010
Lucy Arevian/Hagopian	Sivas
Other Arevian/Hagopians	Other Azarians
Armenian Ancestors	The Genocide

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