The topic of Armenian identity is a popular one. Everyone has a strong opinion about it. Yet, it is this very popularity that obfuscates the debate with the multitude of interpretations that are often unfounded and even factually wrong. One such article by a certain Tamar Kevonian titled “Who is an Armenian?” was recently published on the web page of the English edition of Asbarez.com ¹ . In a nutshell, the reader of this article comes away with the impression that just about anyone in this world may consider himself or herself Armenian, if he or she wishes to be one, or if he or she has ever wished Armenia well (silently or out loud? – I am still confused about that). However, this article not only makes pretentious claims with a hostile tone towards the Armenian Apostolic Church, but these claims are based on false statements regarding our reality and Armenian history.
First of all, she states that the legend taught to Armenian children today does not include the fact that St. Gregory was the son of Anak, the assassin of King Trdat’s father. This is false. The many readers of Tamar’s article refute her statement in their own comments under her article. Besides, it is interesting to know how did Tamar, who knows history at best at the level of an amateur, found out such a dearly held secret, yet other Armenians have been kept in the dark about this historical detail?
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