Joanna Baghsarian crusades for Armenian women

by Tom Vartabedian

Published: Friday November 05, 2010

Joanna Baghsarian.

Providence - Leave it to someone of Greek descent to lobby hard and long for Armenian women.

But Joanna (Gallas) Baghsarian wouldn't have it any other way.

Born to Greek parents and Armenian in marriage, Baghsarian has been making the rounds in response to Aram Vehapar's pontifical blessing in this the Year of the Armenian Woman.

As the year winds down, not so with Baghsarian. She has promoted her role at every interval, past, present and future. She comes by her instincts naturally as the wife and Yeretskin to Rev. Archpriest Gomidas Baghsarian, pastor of St. Vartanantz Armenian Church.

Prior to that, she served the Armenian Prelacy in New York City as director of Christian Education --- a role she continued when Der Gomidas pastored St. Gregory Church in North Andover, MA.

Her 2006 book "Agape," a collection of inspirational short stories, motivated the Armenian community, written during her husband's 16th year of ministry. Agape is the Greek word for love.

"I'm here to heighten the awareness that women, as mothers, grandmothers and educators, have as an important role in the Christian character development of their children," she says. "We have a story to tell, a heritage to pass on, and an attitude toward life to communicate."

On this day, she addressed a luncheon at St. Gregory Church. For Yeretskin Joanna, it was a trip back to her beloved parish where she flexed her wings as a pastor's wife.

She speaks of Eve and Mary from biblical times, then moves forward to Armenian history, recanting the lives of Queen Ashkhen and Princess Khosrovitookht, wife and sister of King Drtad. With the conversion to Christianity, special mention is given to the teachings of Sts. Gayane and Hripsime.

"These remarkable Armenian women will be remembered for taking immediate action at critical times in Armenian history," she brought out. "The Armenian mother is the weaver of princess handiwork called ‘family.' Teach your children the Armenian prayers and read them the stories."

Yeretskin Joanna tends to be a visionary when it comes to educating schoolchildren and doing what's best for the Armenian community. She can be a relentless worker for the cause of her church, not that she's forgotten her Greek heritage any.

If anything, she balances both sides to find life's common denominator which all bodes well with the people she touches.

"The world is in crisis," she maintains. "All one needs to do is turn on the TV news or pick up the newspaper. Sunday School is no exception. We must return to the basis. The church and home are the only institutions our young people can turn to for life-changing answers."

Yeretskin is quick to admit that women are the backbone of the Armenian Church. She says many go unnoticed and unrecognized, yet they continue to work quietly, faithfully and selflessly in the life and mission of the church.

"Many acts of kindness receive no recognition or earthy reward," she says. "Only eternity will fully reveal what they have done here."

Yeretskin implored other women to take a positive role in the Armenian Church.

"We have a story to tell, a heritage to pass onto our young and an attitude to communicate," she concluded. "Armenian women must internalize the supreme values and authentic traditions of our church and nation."

Yeretskin Joanna was born and raised in Reading, PA and is a third generation Greek-American. A graduate of St. Basil's Teachers' College (now Hellenic College in Brookline, MA), she also studied at the Arsakion Teachers' College in Athens, Greece. She is the mother of two children and three grandchildren.