Title : History of Khoshmat
Author : Dr. Mardiros H. Chakoian
Translator : -
Publication date : 1951
Language : Armenian
Format : -
Description : A previously unpublished and exceptionally fascinating memory book that concerns the village of Khoshmat (present-day Çakırkaş) in Palu.
The author, Mardoris H. Chakoyan, began collecting and collating historical materials on his native village of Khoshmat in 1939, and completed his collection in 1952.
Source :
Date of online publication : 2020-10-02
Number of pages : 158
History of Khoshmat - Dr. Mardiros H. Chakoian
Editorial note
Introduction
Vartan Vartanian
PART I
Chapter 1: Palu and the fort
Chapter 2: Monasteries and Sanctuaries
PART II
Chapter 1: Education in Palou
Chapter 2: United Association of Armenians in Palou
• Havav
• Nerkhi
Chapter 3
• Villages of Palou
• Statistics of Palou Armenian-inhabited villages
• The Great Earthquake of Palou
PART III
Chapter 1
• Khoshmat
• The Holy Mother of God Church
• The Church of Khoshmat
• Priests
Chapter 2 : Sanctuaries
• Abdul-Mseh (Donag)
• Holy Cross
• Holy Cathedral
• St. Giragos
• St. Mangig
Chapter 3
• Springs
• Field Springs
• Humanlike Stones
Chapter 4
• Tbrotsasirats Association and the School of Khoshmat
• Teachers (1880-96)
• The First Graduates of the School of Khoshmat
• The Last Graduates of Khoshmat’s High School (1913-1914)
• Khoshmat Through My Eyes
Chapter 5: The Intellectuals of Khoshmat
• Arakel Babajanian
• Bedros effendi Fermanian
• Hampartsoum Oulousian
• Vahan Oulousian
• Vartan Dirad
• Garabed Klanian
• Sarkis B. Klanian
• Toros Klanian
• Bedros Papazian
• Boghos H. Chakoian
• Haroutiun Vartanian
• Manoug Dzaghigian
• Kapriel Frangian
• Dikran Ghazaros Bedigian
• Hagop Ghazaros Bedigian
• Mikayel Khodjoian
• Boghos Deradourian
• Hampartsoum Harutounian (Bournousouzian)
• Bethlehem Markarian (Shaghougian)
• Mgrdich Malian
• Boghos Papazian
• Karekin Garabedian
• Father Manoug Khodjoian
• Hovhannes Klanian
Chapter 6 : The Important Initiatives of the Tbrotsasirats Association of Khoshmat
Chapter 7 : Ladies Auxiliary Society of Khoshmat
Chapter 8 : Architects
• Aznavour Efendi Khodjoian
• Toros Khalifa Malian (Ghazarian) Kara Toros
• Mardiros Ghazarian
• Simon Khalifa Bedigian or Melkonian
• Arakel Milidosian
• Garabed Milidosian
• Sahag Oulousian
• Haji Krikor Milidosian
• Donabed Khabloian (Arghntsonts)
• Markar Shaghougian
• Kokona Vartan
Chapter 9 : Various types of crafts
• Joinery
• Masonry
• Carpeting
• Pottery
Chapter 10 : Manufacturing
• Oil presses of Khoshmat
• Hand Millstone
• Fruits
• Vegetables
PART IV
Chapter 1 : Traditions and Customs
• New Year
• Christmas
• Paregentan
• Easter
• Wedding
• Life of the Bride
• Songs
• Popular Medicine
• Wishes and blessings
• Curses
• Things portending misfortune
• Dream interpretation
• Riddles
• Sayings (Fables)
• Provincial Proverbs (Talks)
• Commonly used phrases
• Games (for boys)
• Words of wisdom from the elderly people
Chapter 2 : Historic Characters and Famous Events
• Father Khachadour Shiroian
• Father Reteos Simonian
• Mardiros Shahen Chakoian
• Sarkis effendi Dzaghigian’s royal medal
• Boghos Harutounian
• Nazar Nazarian
• The Power of the Pitchfork and Khachig Chakoian
• How Sarkis Vartanian Drowned
• Fragment of Soukias Depoian’s Life
• How We Left Khoshmat and The Intercession of St. Mangig in 1896
• Farewell of Seven Young Men
• Fragments of Simon Simonian’s Life
• Abduction of Paro (A Group of Pilgrims)
• Tax Collectors
• Incident with Bedros Simonian
• Interesting Memoirs of Krikor Der Khachadourian (Koko)
• Mardiros Shaghougian (Kaloian) - One of His Episodes
• Fragment of Sarkis Shahin Chakoian’s Life
• Hagop Tatigian (Ali Baba)
• Haroutiun Deradourian and the Incident with the Box of Eggs
• The herdsman of Khoshmat, by Sarkis Shahrigian
• An Interesting Incident in the Life of the Herdsman
PART V
Chapter 1 : Notorious Beys of Palou
• Keor Abdullah bey
• Khoshmatlian Dynasty and Beys
Chapter 2
• Khoshmat Resistance – 1897
• The Bloody Fight
• Trial of the Beys
• The End of the Beys
• The Meliks of Khoshmat
Chapter 3 : The Order to Begin the Massacre
• The Role of Garabed Klanian and Misak Shaghougian (Kaloian)
• Khachadour Shiroian’s memoirs (From Canada)
• Mgrdich Taraian (from Marseille): Taken from his Bloody Memoirs
• Apkar Simonian
• Baghdasar Deradourian (from Marseille): Memoirs
Chapter 4
• Soldiers of Khoshmat
• Khoshmat Volunteers
• A Fragment of Volunteer’s Life
• A Fragment of Benjamin Shaghougian’s Life (A Volunteer)
• Other Soldiers Native of Khoshmat
Chapter 5 : Photos of Khoshmat Armenians
Chapter 6 : People of Khoshmat in Constantinople (Taken from the notes of the late Toros Klanian)
Chapter 7 : People of Khoshmat in Diaspora
• People of Khoshmat in France
• People of Khoshmat in Soviet Armenia
• People of Khoshmat in Syria
• People of Khoshmat in Canada
• People of Khoshmat in America
Father Reteos Simonian
In 1882 Der Reteos, who had just been ordained in Constantinople, visited his motherland to perform his religious duties there. Der Reteos was busy educating his disciples.
In 1895, during the bloody massacre, 300 people from Khoshmat followed Der Reteos and took refuge in a Kurdish-inhabited village, Kharaman. There a Kurdish woman, Zelosh, gave a shelter to the priest. (It should be noted that this kind and brave Kurdish woman was Armenian. Her name used to be Zarmine. In her childhood she was abducted by the Kurds and was forcibly brought to Kharaman. Despite her age, Zelosh could fluently speak Armenian. She would often come to Khoshmat and there conduct a conversation with women in Armenian, Having lost her father in her childhood, Zarmine didn’t remember her name and motherland.)
Hearing about the arrival of Armenians at Kharaman, the Kurds who had just finished killing Armenians in Palu rushed to kill them in this village as well. After besieging the village, they ordered the Armenians to leave their hiding places immediately, threatening that otherwise they would set the village on fire. When the Kurds heard that the priest of Khoshmat was hiding in the house of Zelosh, they decided to kill him on the spot, in front of his disciples.
Fearless Zelosh stepped out of her house and announced: “Before killing the priest, you will need to kill me. This is my final decision." Ignoring the girl and entering her house by the back door, the Kurds put handcuffs on Der Reteos and took him out of the house. In desperation Zelosh rushed to Der Reteos and whispered in his ear: "Pretend to adopt Islam.” Then she turned to the crowd and asked them all to give the priest a chance to change his religion.
Delighted with this dramatic opportunity, the mullah of Kharaman approached the priest. He silenced the loud crowd and offered the priest the chance to adopt the one true religion—Islam—in order to save his life and the lives of his compatriots who had settled in the village.
Confused by this strange offer, Der Reteos hesitated for a while but then announced to mullah Tahir: "I’m ready to die for my beloved Jesus Christ the same way He was martyred for us. Our patience has run out! You, the followers of Mohammed! You’re propagandizing your religion by force. Here is my head. Behead me, if that’s what you want to do."
Zelosh immediately ran to the priest and started crying bitterly. She said: "Der Reteos, please, come to your senses! Think about your people and these innocent children.” Then she whispered in his ear: "Der Reteos, God will forgive forced conversion."
Considering this highly dangerous situation, the priest adopted Islam. Zarmine covered the head of the priest with a white piece of fabric.
This was the end of that nightmare. Der Reteos had saved his compatriots, who were ordered to go back to their houses. After the conversion, Reteos wandered in the Kurdish-inhabited villages as a Mullah despite the fact that deep in his heart he was a true Christian.
All these forced and violent acts evoked a deeply ingrained protest in the heart of Reteos. He always carried a loaded gun, a dagger and a shield with him. Der Reteos also always carried two colorful bags; there was a cross and the Bible in the black bag and there were all the things necessary for the Mullah in the red one. Reteos would enter Armenian villages as a priest but he would immediately change his clothes to become a Mullah every time he paid a visit to the Kurds.
By leading this dual role, Der Reteos didn’t have to worry about his life. And in this way, he was able to exhort the Turks and the Kurds to be kinder to the Armenians, to stop robbing and killing them. Der Reteos led this bifacial life till the adoption of the Ottoman Constitution. The priest immediately took off his white headdress; he kneeled in front of the Holy Mother of God and after repenting his sins, he was anointed a spiritual leader for the second time.
According to Mr. Baghdasar Deradurian, in 1915 Der Reteos along with his followers went to Calvary, to the same accursed Kharaman, where, unfortunately, they were martyred by the Turkish and Kurdish mob.
May they rest in peace!
An Armenian poem
Title: In memory of Der Reteos Fr. Simonian
By the author
Ապրեցար կեանք մը, համակ զգայուն,
Կեանք մը փոթորկոտ, մահուան մը հանգոյն.
Իբր քահանայ պաշտօնիդ յատուկ,
Օրհնեցիր ծերեր, չափահաս, մանուկ:
Գիւղիս համակ լուրջ, երիտասարդութեան,
Ուսուցիր բողոքել ընդ դէմ դառնութեան,
Պատուական, վսեմ արժէքը զէնքին,
Կրցիր ներմուծել յարմար ատենին:
Ռուշտի, Իպրայիմ պէյերու գազան,
Ջարդ տուիր ճառով, զէնքով սրբազան.
Առաջնորդ եղար կռւոյն Խօշմաթի,
Փրկելով պատիւ գիւղիս հայրենի:
Եկան սեւ օրեր, ամպամած, մթին,
Ծածկեցին դաշտ, սար, լեռներու կողքին,
Ինկան նահատակ հայեր բիւրաւոր,
Թաղուեցան անվերջ, ոմանք վիրաւոր:
Ամեհի թուրքեր երբ պաշարեցին,
Փոխել հաւատքդ քեզ ստիպեցին,
Ակամայ հանգոյն համակերպեցար,
Ներքին խռովքով թէեւ յուզուեցար:
Ի սէր հայութեան Յիսուսդ ուրացար,
Առ երես գաղտնի զԱյն պաշտեցիր յար:
Սիմոն Պետրոսն ալ խորոզի կանչին,
Չուրացա՞ւ Տէրը ի մէջ գաւիթին:
Յազկերտի առջեւ Մամիկոն Վարդան,
Առ երես պաշտեց արեւ ու մեհեան,
Հայ սպարապետ ու նախարարներ
Չերկրպագեցի՞ն կրակի բոցեր:
Տղմուտի սակայն ափից երկայնքին,
Սըփռեցին պարսից դիակներ անգին,
Տիզբոն սարսռաց, Միհըրներսէ գոռա¯ց…
Բայց հաւատքը հայու միշտ անխախտ մնաց:
Վրէժը կուրծքիդ, ինկար շնչասպառ,
Վայրագ խուժանին զոհը անսպառ,
Թողելով կտակ սերունդ Խօշմաթի,
Լուծելով վրէժ յանուն հայ ցեղի:
Հանգչին ոսկորներդ, Տէր հայր Ռէթէոս,
Որ պարծանքն եղար գիւղիս, դու հերոս.
Յարգանքով յիշուի անունն քո յաւէտ,