"Life Under the Sign of the Cross" (continued) - Tirayr MARTIKYAN

The article by Tirayr Martikyan continues the memoir notes of the author — a longtime archbishop and head of the Diocese of Romania and Bulgaria of the Armenian Apostolic Church — covering the period of his service as head of the Baku (Azerbaijani) Diocese in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Introduction and Context
The publication continues the memoirs begun in previous issues of the journal "Aniv" (No. 39, 40) and represents a personal testimony about the spiritual, administrative, and everyday life of the Armenian clergy in Soviet Azerbaijan. The narrative is told in the first person and is built around key episodes: a pastoral mission to Romania and Bulgaria, election as head of the Diocese of Azerbaijan, as well as vivid everyday and religious observations by the author.

Key storylines

• A trial before traveling abroad: at the instruction of the Catholicos (Веhапара), the author had to obtain his mother's approval, for which he delivered a sermon at the Altar of the Descent in the Etchmiadzin Cathedral, which received high praise.
• A three-month pastoral mission in 1958 to the Armenian communities of Romania and Bulgaria, which strengthened the author's authority and led to his nomination as a candidate for the post of head of the Baku Diocese.
• The procedure of the 1958 diocesan elections, competition among several bishop-candidates, and the author's election by a significant majority of votes.
• Five years of service in Baku: the diocese's jurisdiction also encompassed Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, which required regular trips to Tashkent, Ashgabat, and Samarkand.

Thematic sketches

A special place in the text is occupied by everyday and interconfessional observations:

• the attitude of the local population (Azerbaijanis, Russians, representatives of other confessions) toward the young Armenian clergyman — ranging from ironic nicknames to sincere respect;
• the phenomenon of the veneration of Christian holy sites by the Muslim population: visits to the Armenian church by Azerbaijani women who turned to the Mother of God and "Isa pekamber" (the Prophet Jesus);
• everyday difficulties with changing housing and the subsequent move into an annex to the former diocesan residence;
• colorful figures among the local clergy, in particular the image of the old Karabakh priest Ter Vahan, who combined sincere faith with eccentric habits;
• the change in the tradition of commemorating the deceased on May 2 at the Baku Armenian cemetery — from secular musical gatherings to organized memorial services with the participation of priests from Tbilisi and Yerevan.

Conclusion
The author concludes the section with a description of a ceremonial farewell to the Baku Diocese in May 1960 before departing for Romania and Bulgaria, emphasizing the symbolic significance of his own path: from a man administratively exiled to Baku to a recognized spiritual leader — becoming the first graduate of the Etchmiadzin Seminary sent by the Catholicos to serve outside the USSR. The key conclusion of the text is that the author's personal biography reflects the broader historical experience of the Armenian Apostolic Church during the Soviet period — the preservation of religious identity and spiritual authority under conditions of ideological pressure and interethnic coexistence.