“Inauguro” is a Latin word that means to consecrate, to anoint. Therefore, the inauguration ceremony stems from the necessity to anoint kings. By the way, that is the reason why augurs, who are entitled to anoint, are also needed. The oath, if any, was not so important. The supreme clergyman puts the crown on the given person’s head in the name of God; there is no particular need for taking an oath. Besides, it takes place under different circumstances. For example, Bonaparte first became First Consul after a coup d’état, then three years later, he was elected Consul for Life in an uncompetitive election (reproduced his power so to say). However, it was not enough for him, and two years later, Pope Pius VII carried out an “inauguration,” anointed him emperor, putting a crown both on Napoleon’s and on Josephine’s heads. Really, only God knows how legitimate an emperor he was. Instead, it is known that after becoming emperor, Bonaparte started an aggressive war against the whole of Europe.
In a nutshell, “inauguration” isn’t literally an oath or a swearing-in. However, in democratic countries – or countries that have such aspirations – the head of state assumes his office taking an oath. Usually it is accompanied by some archaic elements stemming from the former, “royal” consecrations. In Armenia, in particular, with the Catholicos and the Bible. While one should take into account that the majority of our country’s population are atheists practicing some Christian rites. Raffi Hovhannisyan probably doesn’t take that factor into account, taking too seriously those archaic elements of the president’s inauguration. However, it is just a rite, a tradition, which doesn’t have any meaning; we don’t go into why we paint eggs at the festival of Resurrection.
I don’t understand at all what “the inauguration ceremony of new Armenia” means. Who anoints whom, who swears to whom, and what political or even moral significance it has, I cannot comprehend. For me personally, new Armenia has existed since September 21, 1991. Whether it is a poor country or a rich one, whether it is a democratic country or an authoritarian one, although these are important question, but they are not essential for me. Hats off to our compatriots who have come here in the past 22 years to work in new Armenia, along with us! Certainly, Raffi Hovhannisyan is among them. Let us wish good luck to those who have left Armenia for more convenient places in this period. Follow your former fatherland’s life from afar! Try not to lecture us!
ARAM ABRAHAMYAN
