April 24 - Feast of the Holy Resurrection of Jesus Christ and Memorial Day of the Victims of the Armenian Genocide

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services Apr 25, 2011 6:15 AM

On April 24, the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church celebrated the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ and commemorated the memory of one and a half million martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, accompanied by the Members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin, visited the National Memorial to the Armenian Genocide, located on Tsitsernakaberd Hill in Yerevan. The clergyman, led by the Pontiff of All Armenians, and with the presence of Mr. Serzh Sargsian, President of the Republic of Armenia and state officials, offered the Repose of Souls Service.

Following the visit to the Genocide Memorial, His Holiness returned to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to preside over celebrations of the Glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Present for the Easter Divine Liturgy were Mr. Serzh Sargsian, President of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Hovik Abrahamian, Speaker of the Republic of Armenia National Assembly, Mr. Tigran Sargsian, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Gagik Haroutiunian,  President of the Constitutional Court , as well as representatives of the National Assembly and major branches of Government as well members of the Supreme Spiritual Council, ambassadors and leaders of diplomatic missions accredited to Armenia, representatives of international organizations, academia and the arts.

The Pontifical Canopy Bearers were Mr. Stepan Ovanesov, Benefactor from London, England; Mr. Karen Nazarian, Director of the Armenian Round Table Interchurch Foundation; and Mr. Manvel Ter-Arakelian.

Assisting His Holiness during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy were His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian, General Secretary of the Bible Society in Armenia and His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatrian, Grant Sacristan of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. During the celebration of the Divine Liturgy the Pontiff of All Armenians extended his Pontifical message to all the Armenian people worldwide. His Holiness reflected on the feast and on the mystery of the Glorious Resurrection in the life of the Armenian nation, also proclaiming the "good news" of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord: "Through Christ’s resurrection, the chains of death have been broken; heavenly blessings and eternal gifts have been dispersed over the world. Inspiration, encouragement and confidence have been established within the souls of men; that the Risen Christ is with mankind with His boundless love, care and mercy, and His power to free them from evil, temptation and distress. Truly, where the Risen Lord is, there death is vanquished and life pours forth. Where the Risen Lord is, there is the victory of life and the joy and blessedness of eternity".

In his message the Armenian Pontiff stated that the power of Christ’s triumphant resurrection of our people rose from the Golgotha of the Genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century. One and one half million Armenians were tragically tortured and crucified like our Lord, but they never renounced Christ.

Reflecting on the visit to the hilltop of Tsitsernakaberd on the commemoration day of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, His Holiness stated in part, "With the sacred mystery of Christ’s resurrection and our people’s hopes of reborn life, we visited our martyrs this morning at the hilltop of Tsitsernakaberd with the president of the Republic of Armenia, state officials, ambassadors and diplomats of foreign countries, and prayed for peace and rest for their souls, bearing the appreciation within our soul for all those nations, states and churches who have recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide; and appreciation for all those humane individuals, who often at great risk to their own lives, saved countless sons and daughters of our people from the jaws of death. Alongside all of our people, who today in all corners of the world are solemnly paying their respects to the memory of our innocent victims, we renewed our oath to tirelessly struggle for the universal recognition and condemnation of the Genocide of the Armenians and all genocidal acts committed against humanity".

The Pontiff of All Armenians also stated, "Before the inextinguishable memory of our martyrs, dear faithful, we are indebted to be greater determined in our responsibilities, service and mission. We are indebted to turn their aspirations and visions into reality. Our fathers dreamed of a homeland with free borders, where the Armenian people were secure and prosperous, where Armenian life was united and progressing, founded on cherished national values. Indeed, today when we have a free homeland, let us invest the stamina and energy to embody the yearning of our ancestors – the strengthening of our young, twenty year old state, the prosperous life of our people, the creation of a bright and luminous future, the defense of our right to live free, and for the victory of our righteous cause. In the international arena, our struggle for justice and our efforts for the good and creative life in Armenia and the Diaspora, however, will not be triumphant if justice and truth are not strong in our lives and in each of our souls. Justice and truth will bear good fruit when love and care for one another, the determination to deny sin and evil, and the vigilance toward moral values are all boundless and guiding in our lives.

The weakening of justice shakes the foundations of our divinely-created world and disturbs the natural and peaceful progress of life. Alongside the accomplishments, heroic deeds and breakthroughs on the long traversed path of mental and spiritual development of mankind, we still see ignored rights, need, enmity, economic crisis and war. The God-granted right of people to live in liberty is still being argued in the international arena. We witness this reality in the conflicts of various countries and within our national sphere in the protracted work to gain international recognition for the independence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. The right of nations to live free is not merely a matter of dignity for human society, but also a guarantor of a world at peace", stated the Armenian Pontiff stated in part.

Stating that the glorious feast of the Resurrection of Christ is an invitation to all Christians throughout the world, the Armenian Pontiff encouraged Armenian descendants to remain steadfast in the graces gifted by the Risen Lord and unceasingly care for our nation, our Homeland and our Holy Church. He advised that we should take heed to strengthen Armenian families dispersed throughout the world in their faith, so that they increase and multiply in order to replenish the losses of our people.

On this sacred day, the Armenian Pontiff appealed to the Risen Lord to grant men the will and wisdom to overcome the temptations and difficulties of life, to find solutions to fundamental problems facing the world, and to protect our Homeland and our people throughout the world within His blessings, love and graces.

With the glad tidings of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Pontiff of All Armenians extended his greetings to the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of the Holy Apostolic Church, to the clergyman and the spiritual heads of our Sister Churches.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a reception was hosted in the Alex and Marie Manoogian Museum, during which the Catholicos of All Armenians affirmed the life-giving news of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here; He is Risen."
Luke 24: 5-6

Beloved and pious faithful in the Homeland and the Diaspora,

This good news of the resurrection of Christ, which resounded from the mouths of angels near the empty tomb of the Lord, and enveloped the first Christians with joy and ecstasy, soars today across the entire world, this holy sanctuary of the Descent of the Only Begotten, and all of our luminous churches. Today, all of Christendom, in multilingual prayers, glorifies the Son of God Who was crucified and rose from the dead for mankind, and praises the unequaled grace granted by Him – to become the inheritor of the kingdom of heaven and to have everlasting life in the joyous state of seeing God.

Through Christ’s resurrection, the chains of death have been broken; heavenly blessings and eternal gifts have been dispersed over the world. Inspiration, encouragement and confidence have been established within the souls of men; that the Risen Christ is with mankind with His boundless love, care and mercy, and His power to free them from evil, temptation and distress. Truly, where the Risen Lord is, there death is vanquished and life pours forth. Where the Risen Lord is, there is the victory of life and the joy and blessedness of eternity.

The belief that Christ is Risen and with Him, man and the universe are also resurrected, has illuminated the paths of nations and states, has transformed history, according to the saving Will of God and His eternal word, "Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live." John 11:25. The history of our people testifies as well to the unsinkable power of Christ’s triumphant resurrection. It is with this strength that our people rose from the Golgotha of the Genocide committed by Ottoman Turkey at the beginning of the 20th century. One and one half million Armenians were tragically tortured and crucified like our Lord, but they never renounced Christ. Christ is Risen! The Armenian nation is resurrected – resurrected with its native statehood and in national and spiritual renaissance in all corners of the world. Resurrected with faith in a peaceful and righteous, humanitarian world, the hope of which is granted to us by the Savior, our Lord, "All things are possible for one who believes." Mark 9:23(22), since "What is impossible with men is possible with God." Luke 19:27.

Dear and pious faithful, the holy and glorious feast of the resurrection of our Lord has coincided this year with the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. With the sacred mystery of Christ’s resurrection and our people’s hopes of reborn life, we visited our martyrs this morning at the hilltop of Tsitsernakaberd with the president of the Republic of Armenia, state officials, ambassadors and diplomats of foreign countries, and prayed for peace and rest for their souls, bearing the appreciation within our soul for all those nations, states and churches who have recognized and condemned the Armenian Genocide; and appreciation for all those humane individuals, who often at great risk to their own lives, saved countless sons and daughters of our people from the jaws of death. Alongside all of our people, who today in all corners of the world are solemnly paying their respects to the memory of our innocent victims, we renewed our oath to tirelessly struggle for the universal recognition and condemnation of the Genocide of the Armenians and all genocidal acts committed against humanity. At this moment, with the celebration of this Easter Divine Liturgy in our Mother Cathedral established by Christ, our souls are encouraged and filled with faith that the graces of our Risen Savior will reside in the hearts of men, will illuminate their souls, and make miracles happen in life, so that humanitarian efforts and ways of improving the world are strengthened.

Before the inextinguishable memory of our martyrs, dear faithful, we are indebted to be greater determined in our responsibilities, service and mission. We are indebted to turn their aspirations and visions into reality. Our fathers dreamed of a homeland with free borders, where the Armenian people were secure and prosperous, where Armenian life was united and progressing, founded on cherished national values. Indeed, today when we have a free homeland, let us invest the stamina and energy to embody the yearning of our ancestors – the strengthening of our young, twenty year old state, the prosperous life of our people, the creation of a bright and luminous future, the defense of our right to live free, and for the victory of our righteous cause. In the international arena, our struggle for justice and our efforts for the good and creative life in Armenia and the Diaspora, however, will not be triumphant if justice and truth are not strong in our lives and in each of our souls. Justice and truth will bear good fruit when love and care for one another, the determination to deny sin and evil, and the vigilance toward moral values are all boundless and guiding in our lives.

The weakening of justice shakes the foundations of our divinely-created world and disturbs the natural and peaceful progress of life. Alongside the accomplishments, heroic deeds and breakthroughs on the long traversed path of mental and spiritual development of mankind, we still see ignored rights, need, enmity, economic crisis and war. The God-granted right of people to live in liberty is still being argued in the international arena. We witness this reality in the conflicts of various countries and within our national sphere in the protracted work to gain international recognition for the independence of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh. The right of nations to live free is not merely a matter of dignity for human society, but also a guarantor of a world at peace. We believe that in this new century, the renouncement of violence and human rights violations will triumph; and in their place, the establishment of the values of philanthropy will be fruitful, making possible the implementation of justice and peace. "For the Lord is righteous, he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face." Psalms 11:7(10:8)

The glorious feast of the Resurrection of Christ is an invitation to us all, dear and pious faithful, and to all Christians throughout the world, to live and work with a resurrected spirit, to establish "on earth peace, goodwill toward men." Luke 2:14. Let us remain steadfast in the graces gifted by the Risen Lord and unceasingly care for our nation, our Homeland and our Holy Church. Let us take heed to strengthen Armenian families dispersed throughout the world in their faith, that they increase and multiply in order to replenish the losses of our people, and that our sons and daughters, with love for their native land and Mother Church, become the strength and power of our new free life – our new renaissance.

With the glad tiding of the Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and with fraternal love, we greet the incumbents of the hierarchal sees of our Holy Apostolic Church – His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His Beatitude Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob Mutafian, Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople; and the grace-endowed spiritual heads of our Sister Churches.

With an appeal for heavenly graces, we greet His Excellency Serzh Sargsian, President of the Republic of Armenia and the First Lady, who are present for this Divine Liturgy. We convey our greetings to His Excellency Bako Sahakian, President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh, and all state officials of the Armenians. We ask for the assistance of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit for them all, so that their service to the homeland and people be abundant with new accomplishments and achievements.

With a wish for all good things, we greet the leaders and representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Armenia, and ask for God’s blessing for their lives and their work aimed at the friendship between our peoples and for the sake of a peaceful and prosperous world.

We convey our pontifical love and blessings to the oath-bound clergy of our Church and all our faithful children in Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora.

Beloved and pious faithful, on this cherished Easter day, when we solemnly commemorate our countless martyrs, let us pray also for the souls of all victims of genocides. Let us pray for the victims of the recent earthquake in Japan. Let us pray for the thousands of souls, who in all corners of the earth bear the heavy burdens of the destructions caused by natural disasters and wars. Let us appeal in unison for our Risen Lord to keep the world tranquil in his unending mercy, and grant men the will and wisdom to overcome the temptations and difficulties of life to find solutions to fundamental problems facing the world. Let us pray and ask also for our heavenly Lord to keep and protect our Homeland and our people throughout the world within His blessings, love and graces, today and always. Amen.

Christ is Risen from the dead.
Blessed is the Resurrection of Christ.