Odette Bazil offers Diaspora Armenians to replace gravestones with Khatchkars

PanARMENIAN.Net - Although repeated protests have been lodged by the Armenian authorities, petitions have been taken by various groups or sent by numerous committees and individuals to most UNESCO offices worldwide complaining about the systematic destruction of our Khatchkars, but the issue remains ignored and every effort to preserve or renovate our Khatchkars appears fruitless, Ms Odette Bazil, one of the leading UK-based Armenian activists says in an opinion titled “Re-Building Our Khatchkars.”

“Maybe we, Armenians in the Diaspora, can create and build our own Khatchkars in all the cemeteries of the world where Armenians have to be buried, by erecting a Khatchkar instead of a Headstone upon which all the details to be engraved on the headstone can be transferred, making it a unique display which will remain forever for future generations to see,” she says.

“In every cemetery where an Armenian has to be buried, the headstone carries the name, date of birth and death of that person and invariably a Cross is always included, making that grave a recognizable Christian grave.”

“Why don’t we, all Armenians in the Diaspora, replace our headstones with a Khatchkar?” she asks.

“I am confident that each community can sponsor and support financially its resident Khatchkar Maker invited from Armenia and instead of commissioning a Headstone, we can erect a Khatchkar engraved with our own choice of design. The Armenian Clergy being involved with each Armenian burial, will be therefore the appropriate Authority to organize that commission,” Ms. Bazil says.

“I see sometimes strange engravings and objects displayed on various headstones: there is even one where a stethoscope has been engraved, in memory of the doctor buried underneath. Therefore Khatchkars – which are a work of Christian Art - will always be allowed, by the Councils managing the cemeteries, to be installed on Armenian graves. Let the Azeris and the Turks and the Kurds destroy our Khatchkars. We will build them again and again - and in countries where the destroyers will have no access for impunity and demolition.”