Commemoration Services of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide in the Tsitsernakabered Memorial Complex and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
24.04.2016
On April 24, in Armenia and Armenian communities of the Diaspora, commemoration services for the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide were held. On 23 April 2015, when the Canonization of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide was held in the Mother See, April 24th was proclaimed as “Remembrance Day of the Holy Martyrs who were Martyred for their Faith and Homeland during the Armenian Genocide”
On the morning of April 24, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; accompanied by members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, where under the presidency of His Holiness and with the attendance of the RA President Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, a prayer service was held, through which they asked for the intercession of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
Following the service, a Divine Liturgy was offered in the Mother See. The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Gevork Saroyan, Dean of the spiritual and higher education institutions of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
During the liturgy, Bishop Gevork reflected on the mystery of the day.
“This morning, April 24, marks one of the saddest periods in the historical calendar of the thousand-year existence of the Armenian nation.”
… Early in the morning, this day begins with the peoples' stream to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex, all of them are going without exception, regardless of gender or age. There is a wondrous silence in everyone’s souls, people are mentally enacting a monologue, everyone remembers the stories of their parents and grandparents. Remembers and walks ahead, overcoming the heights of Tsitsernakaberd. It seems that overcoming summit has become an integral part of the Armenians destiny and most important is to always walk steadily forward, forward to the realization of a dream.
They say that time heals all wounds, it is true, even the most painful losses heal over years, but there are wounds that time is simply powerless to heal: only sincere regret and apology can heal them.
The tragedy of the genocide that took place 100 years ago, is such a wound on the body of the Armenians, that we inherited it through the memory of our genes, today it is an undeniable part of our identity.
Every Armenian knows what happened in 1915 to the one and a half million people in Western Armenia and different regions of the Ottoman Empire, they know that other hundreds of thousands were exiled, and from the fate of the black wind were driven worldwide’ and some were forced under pressure to deny their faith and nationality. Today, the whole world knows about this…”, stated the celebrant.
Bishop Gevork, reflected on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, when regardless of nationality and religion, many governments, humanitarian organizations and noble souls joined their voice of protest for the just cause of the people.
“The Canonization of the Holy Martyrs was the expression of the Pan-Armenian will, which has become an imperative: it came to give us new inspiration and strength, to make the voice of justice heard in the voice and crowning our path to victory.
Today we commemorate the strength of their faith and their inflexible will, when ignoring every kind of torture and persecution, they chose death instead of life. They could be free of the Turkish sword, if they’d agree to renounce their religion and nationality, and history shows that in that way some saved their life, or rather existence.
The Holy Martyrs’ example of faith helps us to reinterpret our identity under a new light, it teaches us that freedom is the greatest value for the Armenian nation… Death or freedom. Henceforth the April witnesses are among the Vartanants for us, as they lost their lives prompted by the same spirit. The Tsitsernakaberd monument facing Ararat, will no longer bare a sense of loss in us but must educate the will of victory, to continue the struggle…
Dear sisters and brothers,
The divisive idea that the Armenians were massacred is absolutely unacceptable for us, as the massacred nation is unable to be reborn. Only the people who are ready for martyrdom could find strength to overcome the unspeakable pain and sense of loss. We should be proud of the new Armenian witnesses, as they sacrificed their lives because of their strong belief. Their courage of faith has further strengthened our spirit today”, stressed Bishop Gevork, calling to continue the struggle for recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide with a spirit of unity, which, according to the celebrant, has developed from the ethnic into a universal, has become a battle for the sake of mankind.
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, at the Genocide Memorial on the grounds of the Mother See, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; an order of intercession was offered.
The ceremony was attended by Diocesan Primates, Brotherhood members, benefactors Mr. Gabriel Chenberjyan, founder of the "Pyunik" Charitable Foundation and Mr. Hratch Toufayan, sponsor of the Vagharshapat Armenian Church Youth Center; and countless faithful.
