This week brought the sorrowful news that a longtime friend of the Eastern Diocese had left us.
Edward Balassanian passed away on September 3, 2024, in New York, at the age of 88. He had served as Executive Director of the Eastern Diocese from 1997 through 1998, during the primacy of Archbishop Khajag Barsamian.
It was one of many parts Edward played in a life of distinction and consequence. Born in Iran in 1936, he became an architect of great talent and imagination, earning a doctorate in Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania.
But the creative spirit that lived in Ed’s great heart found many outlets to express itself. Edward shared this spirit with his beloved wife Sonia, a fine artist herself, with whom he organized many projects and exhibits, most memorably a long series of Armenian pavilions at the world-famous Venice Biennale.
In his younger days Edward also trod the stage as a professional actor. To hear his resonant voice, and stand in his imposing physical presence, one could well imagine him playing Macbeth, Othello, and other classic roles, delivering the lines in Armenian translation before rapt audiences in the Persia of his upbringing.
In America, he brought his abilities to the leadership of important diaspora institutions, like the Armenian Assembly, ArmeniaFund USA, and the Armenian Church of America. His tenure as Executive Director of the Eastern Diocese coincided with its centennial celebration in 1998, and among his many contributions to the organization, Edward was the instrumental factor in arranging the composition and publication of the church’s 100-year history in the New World, The Torch Was Passed (1998).
His service to the Armenian Church continued when he and Sonia moved to Armenia in the late 1990s. There he was tapped by His Holiness Karekin I, the late Catholicos of All Armenians, to oversee the construction of Yerevan’s mammoth St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral—the largest such edifice in the worldwide church, which was completed in 2001 to mark of the 1700th anniversary of Armenia’s conversion to Christianity. It was during his Armenia sojourn that Ed also took over the restoration and management of Yerevan’s Cascade complex and its adjacent museum, under the aegis of the Cafesjian Foundation.
The last decade had seen him return to New York, dividing his time among projects in the states, Europe and Armenia, and enjoying life with his family and friends.
Taken for all in all, Edward Balassanian was an unforgettable personality, who devoted himself heart and soul to the advancement of the Armenian heritage, culture, and people he loved. The Eastern Diocese and its staff were fortunate to have “Baron Edward’s” leadership in a formal capacity for several years, and to enjoy his supportive friendship always.
The funeral for Edward Balassanian took place on September 12, at Holy Martyrs Church in Bayside, NY. He is survived by his wife Sonia, their son Arne, and Edward’s brother Zareh, for whose consolation we pray. May God grant rest to the soul of Edward Balassanian, and remember him on the day of His judgment.
Below, read a biographical note on Edward’s life.
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Edward Balassanian (1936-2024)
Edward Balassanian was born in Iran in 1936. He earned a degree in architecture from the University of Tehran in 1963, followed by a Master’s in Urban Planning in 1968, and a Doctorate in 1975 from the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in urban planning and spatial development.
In 1970, he founded and managed an architectural and urban planning consulting firm in Iran. After moving to the United States with his family in 1980, Balassanian held various leadership positions.
From 1992 to 1995, he served as President of the Board of the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington, DC, and later as Deputy Director of the All-Armenian Fund and Head of the Construction Department in Yerevan.
In 1996, he became Executive Director of ArmeniaFund USA, and in 1997-1998, he led the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, headquartered in New York, as its Executive Director.
Mr. Balassanian also made significant contributions to the performing arts. As a professional actor, he appeared in works by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Prosper Mérimée, Lillian Hellman, J.B. Priestley, and others on the Persian stage. He also gave readings at Armenian national and community events in Iran, America, and England.
In 1995, together with his wife, artist-poet Sonia Balassanian, he founded the Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art in Yerevan, dedicated to showcasing Armenian avant-garde art on the global stage.
From 1995 to 2009, under the direction of Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, the Balassanians’ organized the Armenian pavilions at the Venice Biennale.
Starting in 1998, at the request of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin I, Edward Balassanian oversaw the construction of St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Yerevan, which was completed in 2001 in honor of the 1700th anniversary of Armenia’s adoption of Christianity.
From 2002 to 2009, he took over the restoration and reconstruction management of the Yerevan Cascade complex and the adjacent art museum, a responsibility entrusted to him following a donation from American philanthropist Gerard L. Cafesjian.