PASADENA, Calif. — Tekeyan Cultural Association’s Pasadena-Glendale Chapter organized a book presentation that took place on Sunday, July 14, at Tekeyan’s Beshgeturian Center Hall in Altadena. Asdghig Khanjian was master of ceremonies. There were about 80 people in attendance.
The book, titled The Armenian and Armenia in the Holy Bible was authored by Dr. Hovhannes Ahmaranian and presented by Kevork Keushkerian. There was also a cultural program composed of poetic recitations by Norayr Dadourian and renditions of Armenian patriotic songs by Khatchig Nahabedian.
Dr. Hovhannes Ahmaranian was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He has earned a B.A. in Theology and an M.A. in Philosophy from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also has earned a Ph.D. in Middle Eastern History from the National Academy of Armenia. He is fluent in Armenian, Arabic, French, Italian, and English. He has published 29 books: 15 in Armenian, 6 in English, 6 in Arabic, and 2 in French.
Ahmaranian has an extensive experience in education and teaching. He taught Combat Arabic and History of Iraq at the US Marines Corps at Camp Pendleton in California from 2004-05. He taught at the Kevorkian Academy in Echmiadzin from 2006-07. He was the Provost/Dean of the Armenian Evangelical Academy in Yerevan, Armenia from 2010-11.
His book, The Armenian and Armenia in the Holy Bible, is a picturesque publication composed of 180 pages and divided into 19 chapters. In his preface to the book, Rev. Serop Mgrtichian, pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Cilicia Church in Pasadena, wrote: “In his meticulous research, Dr. Ahmaranian shows the existence of the Armenian in the Bible, starting from the Creation to the presence of the horses in Armenia. Armenians have been biblical people.”
In his introduction to the book, Ahmaranian reveals that neither Armenian nor Armenia are mentioned in the Holy Bible, rather Urartu and Ararat, which are synonymous to Armenia.