by Elena Sobkova
[REGNUM] Every year on April 24, the Armenian Apostolic Church worldwide holds services in memory of those who perished during the 1915 genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants of the memorial events dedicated to the 111th anniversary of the tragedy.
"Today, we bow our heads in memory of the hundreds of thousands of victims of the Armenian Genocide—one of the most terrible tragedies of the 20th century, " the leader of our country emphasized. " The brutal massacre of defenseless, innocent people who were killed, wounded, and driven from their hometowns and villages shocked the entire civilized world, and its catastrophic consequences clearly demonstrated the consequences of inciting religious hatred, nationalism, and xenophobia."
The tragedy they experienced united the Armenian people, who remained faithful to their traditions, millennia-old culture, language, and spiritual values, Putin added.
"I wish the friendly Armenian people well-being, prosperity, and all the best," the Russian president concluded.
Regnum News Agency reports on how the prayerful commemoration took place in Moscow, at the Armenian Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
"PROTECT CULTURE, LANGUAGE, AND FREEDOM"
A crowd of people—adults, elderly, young, and very young—has gathered in the cathedral's courtyard. Some have already entered the church, but many remain outside—the rite of glorification of the martyrs will begin in a few minutes.
Upon entering the cathedral, women kiss the door, while silent men make the sign of the cross. Young men enter in groups, as do young women in white headscarves.
Before the service begins, parishioners try to light the candles standing in the middle of the flowing wax, and again feel themselves with the sign.
Many hold symbols of remembrance of the genocide: burgundy roses and red carnations.
The head of the Armenian Apostolic Church community in our country, Bishop Ezras (Nersisyan) of Russia and New Nakhichevan, reads a special prayer—the rite of glorification of martyrs.
The prayers are followed by a women's choir lamenting those who were driven from their homes to become victims of brutal reprisals.
The Armenians who found themselves in territory under the control of the Ottoman army in 1915 became the target of extermination sanctioned by the Young Turks, a group that controlled the Sultan's government.
Most historians agree that approximately 1.5 million Armenians perished between 1915 and 1923, but the peak of the tragedy occurred in 1915, when entire villages and city blocks were destroyed. The death toll includes not only those murdered but also those who died during the deportations—from hunger, hypothermia, and disease.
More than 30 countries, including Russia, have officially recognized these events as genocide.
President Putin's message to the audience was read by Igor Shchegolev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District. He emphasized that Russia's position on the recognition of the genocide has always been unchanged. In May 2015, the centennial of the tragedy, this position was reflected in a joint declaration by Russia, the United Kingdom, and France condemning the violence against the Armenian people as a crime against humanity and civilization.
"The international community must join forces to ensure such barbarity never happens again. The persecution and repression of those years became a dividing line. For many generations, the tragedy they endured united people who demonstrated a steadfast commitment to tradition, wisdom, and courage. I am confident that the sons and daughters of Armenia will continue to cherish national property, our millennia-old culture, language, freedom, and spiritual values," Plenipotentiary Representative Shchegolev conveyed the president's words, addressing the parishioners of the Transfiguration Cathedral.
SACRED VOW AND PLEDGE OF FIDELITY
In his sermon, Archbishop Ezras drew a parallel between how the peoples of Russia and Armenia preserve the memory of tragic events.
The laws on commemorating the victims of the genocide of the Soviet people, which President Putin recently signed, confirm " the sentiment of all of Russia, which considers it its duty to preserve the memory of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, who saved the world from misanthropy and the cultivation of genocide, when ancient countries containing sacred sites of our faith are destroyed before the eyes of the civilized world."
Without condemning the genocide and restoring historical justice, it is impossible to create a strong state, added the head of the Christian Armenian community in our country.
Bishop Ezras also read a message from Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, which stated: “Recognition of the genocide is a sacred vow and a pledge of loyalty of every Armenian.”
Immediately following the service, a wreath-laying ceremony took place at the Armenian Genocide Memorial. Those who came without flowers were allowed to bring two red roses to place on the stone pedestal. Some brought baskets of red, blue, and yellow flowers, symbolizing the Armenian flag.
"MEMORY OBLIGES US TO STRENGTHEN UNITY"
In the back row stands a woman in a white patterned headscarf and a T-shirt: “Stand up to defend the Armenian Church, which is being persecuted by the Nikolovites.”
She explained that she was talking about Yerevan officials reporting to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who are waging a campaign to pressure church leaders.
On April 5, at the same Transfiguration Cathedral on Olympic Avenue, on the day of Armenian Easter, a signature drive was held in defense of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), its primate, Catholicos Karekin II, and the priests under pressure. Among them were Archbishops Bagrat (Galstyan) and Mikael (Ajapakhyan).
The protesters believe that the conflict between Pashinyan and Holy Etchmiadzin (the seat of the Catholicos) flared up in 2020, when the Catholicos accused the prime minister of essentially being responsible for the defeat in the Second Karabakh War.
After Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) fell under Azerbaijani control in 2023 and refugees began flowing into Armenia, the Church actively addressed the issue. Following this, according to Pashinyan's critics, the prime minister launched a campaign to remove Garegin II and "reform" the Church—a campaign that is becoming increasingly active as the June parliamentary elections approach.
The message of the Catholicos of All Armenians on the day of remembrance of the tragedy of 1915, which was read in the Transfiguration Cathedral, also spoke of those who are suffering in our time.
"A century after the catastrophic events of the genocide, when it seemed that such monstrous crimes were a thing of the past, to our deep regret, as a result of new genocidal actions, Artsakh was purged of its Armenian population, and more than 120,000 Artsakh residents were forcibly expelled, " the head of the Armenian Church emphasized. " In the face of this grave situation and the existing threats, the memory of the sacrifice of our martyrs obliges us to strengthen our unity and solidarity and to strengthen Armenian statehood."