Commemoration Services of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide
25.04.2018
On April 24, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; accompanied by members of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, where under the presidency of His Holiness , a prayer service was held, through which they asked for the intercession of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
In attendance were the President of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Armen Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Artsakh Mr. Bako Sahakyan, Mr. Ara Babloyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, and acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan.
On the same day, on the occasion of the Commemoration Day, a Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. On this occasion, the Holy Martyr's relic were taken out.
The Celebrant was Rev. Fr. Aren Shahenyan, a member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See. During the liturgy, Father Aren reflected on the wonder of the day, and stated in part: “The Armenian people are one of the nations in the world that have been subjected to genocide and annihilation, living the evil of countless massacres and murder. On these beautiful spring days, dear faithful people, we have once again gathered to commemorate the memory of the Holy Martyrs. It’s the 103rd anniversary of the massacre and murder of the population, but as Christians who are faithful to the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, we believe that our martyrs are risen in Christ, because the Lord said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”, (Matthew 10:28).
… No matter how ferocious the verdicts perpetrated against our nation throughout history, no matter how evil wanted to destroy our nation and our Church, the Armenian people, with the Lord Jesus Christ's resurrected life and having the faith of the Resurrected light, did not go to grave because our life was full of life through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Dear faithful, we are comforted today because our Holy Martyrs were raised to canonization and the crown of heavenly saints, and today they are our intercessors in heaven”.
Fr. Aren stressed that the Armenian people should continue to remember their martyrs and demand that no such evil –Genocide be found in any nation's life.
At the conclusion of the Service, in the courtyard of Mother Cathedral, in front of the Khachkar of Prayer and Oath, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, an intercession service was held.
The Service was attended by the Brotherhood of the Mother See; Benefactors of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Mr. Gabriel Chemberjyan and Mr. Sargis Bedoian; as well as students from the Marseille National School and Paris Union High School.
