Wednesday, April 24, will be observed by the worldwide Armenian Church as the “Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.” Services at St. Vartan Cathedral will take place on Sunday, April 21, beginning at 10 a.m.
In 2015, the centennial year of the Armenian Genocide, the martyrs of 1915 were ceremonially recognized as holy saints. With their canonization, the Genocide martyrs joined other great exemplars of holiness, virtue, and sacrifice, in the “canon” of revered saints from church history.
This year, the Armenian faithful will gather together in large numbers once again—in person with each other, and in the mystical company of our saints.
At St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York, the Divine Liturgy will take place on Sunday, April 21, beginning at 10 a.m. It will be followed by the special “Prayer for the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.” (Click here to download the prayer service.) Fr. Bedros Kadehjian will celebrate the badarak.
Later that day, Diocesan Vicar Fr. Simeon Odabashian will represent Primate Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan at the 2024 Times Square Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, which will go forward on Sunday, April 21, at 1:30 p.m., at West 44th Street and Broadway, in New York City. (Find additional details here.)
Please note that a week later, on Sunday, April 28, Bishop Mesrop will be guest homilist during a Solemn Prayer and Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, at New York’s Episcopal Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, where the Gomidas Choir of the Diocese will also participate. (Click here for details.)
In communities across the Eastern Diocese, the Genocide commemoration is traditionally a time of intense activity. A number of events are noted on this website under Upcoming Events.
Honor the day from your home by watching a special episode of the Diocese’s “Bread and Salt” series, which revisits the April 2015 canonization service, and explains the way we now regard the Holy Martyrs of 1915. Click here to view the video.
For a more in-depth look at the meaning of Christian sainthood and martyrdom, click on the link to “A Great Cloud of Witnesses.”
Keep apprised of inspirational messages, news, and updates here on the Eastern Diocese’s website, on our Facebook page, and on the website of Diocesan digital ministries, Vemkar.us.