On Saturday, 24 April 2021, on the occasion of the 106th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Holy and Immortal Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Catholicosate of Antelias, presided over by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Makar Ashkaryan, with the singing performed by the Catholicosate’s “Shnorhali” Choir.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the Intercessory Service for the Holy Martyrs took place, presided over by His Holiness the Catholicos, immediately followed by His Holiness’s Pontifical message.
Following the Catholicos’s address, the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party’s message was delivered by Vanik Dagesyan, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party’s message was delivered by Vache Doneryan, member of the Lebanon Regional Board, and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s message was delivered by Hagop Havatyan. As part of the artistic program, soprano Shoghik Torosyan, a member of the Catholicosate’s “Shnorhali” Choir, performed a song dedicated to the martyrs.
At the end, His Holiness the Catholicos, the aforementioned parties, as well as unions and bodies, laid wreaths before the altar of the Holy Martyrs in honor of the more than one and a half million sanctified martyrs.
Wreaths were laid in the name of the three traditional Armenian parties: for the ADL, by Avetis Dakesyan, member of the Central Board and Chairman of the Lebanon Regional Board; for the ARF, by deputy Hagop Bagratuni; and for the SDHP, by Paul Yagoubian, member of the Executive Body.
It should be noted that present at the Holy Liturgy dedicated to the sanctified martyrs of the Armenian Genocide were a delegation representing the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Lebanon, ministers and deputies, as well as representatives of high-ranking state officials, organizations, unions and institutions.
The program concluded with the “Cilicia” march.
