Teresa Levonian Cole
Father Hamazasp Kechichian at the Armenian monastery on San
Lazzaro degli Armeni in Venice. In the middle of the Venetian lagoon, near the
Lido, lies a remarkable island that escapes the radar of checklist tourists. It
is an oasis of calm and spacious gardens, fragrant with pine, roses and the
residual trail of incense. In the silence, you hear birdsong, the thrice daily
tolling of bells and the plangent echo of Armenian chants. For an hour or so
each day, you will also hear a guide showing a small group the treasures and
achievements of this place, which have been admired by luminaries including Pope
Pius VII, Lord Byron,











































