Rafayel Yeranosyan - “Pahlevan” at AGBU Performing Art Center in Pasadena, CA, March 14 2025, (818) 265-0506 
The Armenian American Museum Young Leaders Council in Glendale, CA. December 13th - 15th at 7:00 PM. Call: (818) 926-8108 Hovsep Kirakosyan
Friday, January 29, 2021
Hovsep Kirakosyan 1988-2016: Hovsep was born in Apaga (near Echmiadzin), a village predominantly populated by descendants of Western Armenian refugees from Sasun. Hovsep dreamed about a military career since childhood and entered a military academy despite the objections of his parents. Before leaving for the front lines in the midst of the Azeri attack, Hovsep instructed his wife of five years, Mariam, to hide with their two children, Erick and Gegham, in the basement of their house in Mataghis. Mariam, along with her children; was able to escape to Stepanakert in a friend’s car, which was continuously fired upon by the Azeris. Hovsep was a commander of a unit of 25 soldiers; he was the only one in the unit to die on the night of April 1. The Captain’s friends told the family that Hovsep had left the trenches and went head-to-head against the Azeris and even after being wounded, he urged his unit to continue fighting. Unfortunately, the 28-year old hero’s wounds were mortal and he died soon after being carried back into the trenches by his soldiers.
