The film of 2003 explores the history, landmarks and way of life of the Armenian community in Lviv throughout the centuries of coexistence with Ukrainians and members of other ethnic groups in the city.
On the video: the visit to Lviv by the Catholicos (Head of the Armenian Church) and Supreme Hierarch of the Armenian Church, Garegin II and the opening and consecration of the Armenian Cathedral of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, along with other distinguished guests, as well as other distinguished guests, including the first President of Ukraine, Leonid Kravchuk, and the French singer Charles Aznavour; landmarks designed by figures of Armenian origin: the Dominican Cathedral, No. 10 on Rynok Square (Jan de Witte), the Statue of Liberty on the façade of the Museum of Ethnography and Artistic Crafts (Tadeusz Baroncz), the bell tower of the Dominican Cathedral, the building of the Museum of Ethnography and Applied Arts (Julian Zacharewicz); buildings on Rynok Square where residents of Armenian descent lived: The Black Townhouse (the Nikorovich family, one of the wealthiest in Lviv), No. 10 (the poet Shimon Shimonovich, Jan de Witte, Karol Mikuli), No. 29 (the Armenian historian Zymorovich); portraits of Armenians from the exhibition at the Lviv Historical Museum; the Lviv Pharmacy Museum ‘Under the Black Eagle’ with a statue of an Armenian woman in the courtyard; Pope John Paul II’s visit to the section of the Armenian church that had been handed over; the cathedral’s icons and church services; the blessing of the grapes on the church’s feast day — the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God; matah — a ‘love feast’ — one of the Armenian traditions of charity; the Sunday school run by the Armenian community, where the language, culture and history of Armenia are taught; the ‘Akhyur’ football team; some commentary is available in russian.
Comments: Iryna Hayuk, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences and specialist in Armenian studies; Carlo Sarkisyan, Chair of the Council for National Minorities and Chair of the Armenian community in Lviv; Father Tadeus Gevorgyan, rector of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Lviv; Karapet Bagratuni, honorary chairman of the ‘Akhyur’ Armenian Cultural Society in Lviv; and Andriy Shkrabyuk, chief cantor of the Armenian church choir.
The film was produced by: Inna Balayan, Karine Mkrtchyan and Koba Alania.