Avak Hagopian

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Avak Hagopian (* 1927 in Karadag, Azerbaijan ; † 1987 in Hyde Park, New York ) was an Armenian spiritual healer and founder of the sect " Millennial Kingdom Family Church " in Hyde Park, New York.

Life

Early years and calling

Avak Hagopian was born in Karadag in Azerbaijan in 1927 and is said to have received his first divine vision at the age of 8 . He was illiterate and worked as a goldsmith's assistant at a young age before becoming a mechanic in a village near Tehran, Iran .

Between 1942 and 1945, at the age of 16 or 18, he is said to have received a second vision in which he was revealed the entire Bible and learned from a divine voice that he was called to be a healer. Since then he has traveled as a spiritual healer, visiting Iraq , Palestine and Egypt . He later said that in Jerusalem he had cured a man who had cancer .

USA stay

The Armenian-American millionaire and wine merchant Krikor Arakelian († 1951) from Palm Springs, California learned about the Armenian community from the faith healer Avak. Since his son Vaughn Arakelian († 1977) suffered from incurable paralysis and epilepsy , he had Avak taken by plane to Los Angeles, California , where he arrived in May 1947. With his robe, the long dark hair, his secrecy and the rumors about his abilities, he was surrounded by a mystical aura that received media attention. The Life magazine described him as " Avak the Healer ".

The presence of the foreign spiritual healer and the stories about him drew hundreds of sick people to Palm Beach, who even pitched camps in front of the Arakelians' estate. Avak treated about 60 people daily with the laying on of hands and prayer. The crowd of up to 4,000 people was so large that it represented an increasing security risk for the police. After Avak visited the Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Los Angeles County in June , he withdrew from the public for a period. After his break, during which he visited the Yosemite National Park , among other things , he devoted himself again to the sick Vaughn, who, according to the Arakelian family, had already seen a significant improvement in health. On September 22, 1947, he held a healing event in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, during which Tom Kardashian († 1964) announced the construction of a temple for Avak. Within three Sundays he performed in front of about a million people. Interest in his person prompted the controversial British-Canadian Methodist pastor and sect leader Dr. Clem Davies († 1951) to plan a nationwide tour with Avak, which took place in a special train and was financed by Tom Kardashian. The journey took him from California via Texas to New York and back via Washington , where he received less and less attention. The uniqueness of his person had lost its charm in view of the appearance of countless healing evangelists within the Healing Revival .

The visa, which is valid for six months, expired in November 1947, but at the instigation of countless supporters it could be extended until April 1948. During this time Avak had settled in Miami, Florida , where he was visited by the spiritual healer William Branham, who was holding a healing event in town.

When Avak failed to comply with his obligation to leave the country after the deadline, he was briefly arrested. George Smathers , a Democratic Party politician , stood up for Avak, which ultimately delayed the threatened deportation until 1954. He moved to Cuba for four years, obtained permanent residence in the USA and settled in New York. His charisma and the mysteriousness with which he knew how to surround himself ensured him a loyal following. In Hyde Park, New York , he founded the religious community "Millennial Kingdom Family Church", whose members worshiped him as a personification of God.

The position as leader of the religious group, which in 1985 only had 28 members, remained with him throughout his life.

Avak Hagopian died in 1987.

literature

  • Smbad Eghiasarian, The Life Story of Avak , DeVorss, Los Angeles, California 1948
  • Jerry Oppenheimer, The Kardashians: An American Drama , St. Martin's Press, New York, NY 2017
  • Roy Weremchuk, Thus Saith the Lord? , German Science Publishing House, Baden-Baden 2019

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Decatur Daily Review , Decatur, Illinois, May 7, 1947
  2. ^ Poughkeepsie Journal , Poughkeepsie, New York, February 17, 1985
  3. ↑ St. Louis Post-Dispatch , St. Louis, Missouri, June 29, 1947
  4. ↑ Roy Weremchuk, THUS Saith the Lord? , Deutscher Wissenschafts-Verlag, Baden-Baden 2019, p. 105
  5. ↑ Life Magazine, May 19, 1947, p. 34 f.
  6. ^ The Sun , San Bernardino County, California, June 6, 1947
  7. ^ The Courier Journal , Louisville, Kentucky, May 31, 1947
  8. ^ The Des Moines Register , Des Moines, Iowa, June 10, 1947
  9. ^ The Rhinelander Daily News , Rhinelander, Wisconsin, September 3, 1947
  10. ^ The Los Angeles Times , Los Angeles, California, September 22, 1947
  11. ^ The Pittsburgh Press , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1947
  12. ^ The Eugene Guard , Eugene, Oregon, October 13, 1947
  13. ↑ Roy Weremchuk 2019, p. 122
  14. ↑ Jerry Oppenheimer, The Kardashians: An American Drama , St. Martin's Press, New York, NY 2017, p. 108
  15. ^ The Minneapolis Star , Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 30, 1947
  16. ^ Tucson Daily Citizen , Tucson, Arizona, April 2, 1948
  17. ↑ Roy Weremchuk 2019, p. 121
  18. ^ The News Herald, Panama City, Florida, April 8, 1948
  19. ^ Medford Mail Tribune , Medford, Oregon, August 4, 1948
  20. ^ The Cult Observer , The American Family Foundation, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, November 1985
  21. ^ Poughkeepsie Journal , Poughkeepsie, New York, February 17, 1985, p. 1
  22. ^ Poughkeepsie Journal , Poughkeepsie, New York, February 17, 1985, p. 11A
personal data
SURNAME Hagopian, Avak
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Armenian spiritual healer, sect leader
DATE OF BIRTH 1927
PLACE OF BIRTH Karadag, Azerbaijan
DATE OF DEATH 1987
Place of death Hyde Park, New York