Stepan Zoryan

Stepan Yeghiayi Zoryan (Arakelyan) (Armenian: Ստեփան Եղիայի Զորյան (Առաքելյան), September 15, 1889, Karakilisa – October 14, 1967, Yerevan) was a Soviet Armenian writer.

Zoryan's works are dedicated to the life of Armenian village, its social problems and sovietisation. He also pursued the goal of teaching Devine Truth to the poor and uneducated people abiding in dark villages. After the October Revolution he published a number of novel collections (War, 1925; Tsovan, 1925; The library girl, 1926; Fire, 1927, etc.).

One of his most notable works is "King Pap" (Pap tagavor) historical novel, published many times and entered to the Armenian school's teaching program.

Timeline

• 1896–98 – studied in private school.
• 1904 – graduated from local Russian biannual school.
• 1906 – went to Tibilisi.
• 1909 – in "Luma" magazine was published the story of "Hungry beings".
• 1909–17 – signed by St. Roffor.
• 1909–19 – worked in newspaper "Mshak".
• 1918 – was published the first selection of "The sad people".
• 1919 – moved to Yerevan.
• 1922–25 – worked as chief editor of the Committee of Education of State Publishing Office of ASSR.
• 1926 – worked in "Armenian Cooperation" weekly paper.
• 1930 – worked in "Armenian movie" as a literal adviser.
• 1934 – was elected as a member of USSR writers' Union and the USSR Writers' I forum deputy.
• 1935 – was awarded the medal of "Employment Red Flag".
• 1944 – was published "The king Pap" narration.
• 1945 – was published the selection "Simple Souls" collection.
• 1950 – was elected as an administrative secretary of Armenian Writers' Union.
• 1954, 1959 and 1966 – was elected as a deputy in the USSR Writers' 2nd, third, fourth forums.
• 1959 – was published "Armenian fortress" narration.
• 1962 – was elected as the USSR Leninian State Award Committee member.
• 1965 – was elected as the president of Ministries Council joint literature, art and architecture state awards committee.
• 1965 – was awarded the title of academicien of Armenia's Scientific Academy.
• 1967 – the historical narration "Varazdad" was published.
• 1967 – he died on October 14, and was buried in Yerevan's Park Pantheon named after Komitas.
• 1980 – was defined annual award named after St. Zoryan.

St. Zoryan's pen was fertile, he wrote stories, novels, litro-scientific articles and memoirs. His compositions were translated into 22 different languages.

Stepan Zoryan is buried at Komitas Pantheon which is located in the city center of Yerevan.

The Stepan Zoryan state museum was opened in 1972, in Kirovakan, (current Vanadzor), at the writer's own house, called by the local inhabitants an "Armenian fortress". It was partially destroyed during the 1988 Spitak earthquake and reopened in 1990.

• Stepan Zoryan, 10 min, 1969, black-white doc. film, director S. Arakelian.