His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II honour the memory of the Russian soldiers died in the battle for the liberation of Armenia
After visiting Holy Etchmiadzin, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia currently on a visit to Armenia and the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II proceeded to the monument to the Russian soldiers who fell in the Battle of Oshakan during the Russo-Persian war of 1826-28.
The Primates of the Russian Orthodox and the Armenian Apostolic Church laid wreaths to the monument.
Protodeacon Vladimir Nazarkin, assistant of the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations, said prayers of petition for the repose of the commanders and soldiers who had laid their lives for the faith, the Fatherland, and the fraternal Armenian people.
The hierarchs and clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church sang ‘Memory Eternal’ to the soldiers who fell in the battles for the liberation of Armenia.
Catholicos Karekin II said prayer in the Armenian language for the repose of the souls of the dead soldiers, press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia reports.
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Oshakan is an ancient settlement in Armenia located at the foot of Mount Aragats, the highest in Armenia. The Church of St. Mesrob Mashtots, the founder of the Armenian alphabet, is in the middle of the village. He is buried under the sanctuary.
During the Russo-Persian war, a battle between the unit of general A. Krasovsky and Prince Abbas-Mirza took place here on 17/29 August 1827. On August 15, a Persian army suddenly appeared at the walls of the Etchmiadzin Monastery and besieged it. General Krasovsky attacked the thirty thousand strong army of the enemy and made it to retreat. The victory allowed the Caucasian corps of General I. Paskevich to take Erivan on October 1.
The unique monument of Armenian art of the 19th century was erected near Oshakan in 1833 in memory of the Russian soldiers who died for the liberation of Armenia.