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April 24, 2015 – The official ceremony of commemoration of the Armenian genocide victims took place in Yerevan. It was dated to the centenary of the massacre of Christian population in the Ottoman Empire.

The event took place at the Tsitsernakaberd memorial and was attended by Armenian President S. Sargsyan, Russian President V. Putin, French Prime Minister F. Hollande, Serbian President T. Nikolic, Cyprus President N. Anastasiadis, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, heads and numerous representatives of Christian churches and public organizations who had come to Yerevan to share with the Armenian people the grief over the commemorated tragic events.

The Russian Orthodox Church was represented by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St Petersburg and Ladoga, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, who was accompanied by Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations.

After the speeches made by the heads of states, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos Karekin II lifted up a prayer to the Armenian new martyrs who had been canonized the day before. He said that from now on there will be prayers for the slain innocent martyrs and intercessions to them symbolizing the spiritual triumph of the Christian faith.

In the evening of April 24, the ROC delegation was received His Holiness Karekin II at his residence in Echmiadzin. Metropolitan Varsonofy conveyed to the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church warm greetings from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and a commemorative pectoral icon. His Holiness, on his part, noted with gratitude the participation of the Russian Orthodox in the commemorative events, stressing the traditionally high level of contacts between the two Churches.

In conclusion of the meeting, the Primate of the Armenian Apostolic Church greeted Metropolitan Varsonofy on the occasion of his patron saint’s day commemorating St. Varsonofy the Bishop of Tver.

DECR Communications Service