The Iraqi Armenian Community commemorates the Armenian Genocide victims.
By Ara Ashjian
Baghdad, Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq
The Iraqi Armenian community observed April 24th memorial day on Saturday, April 21st in Baghdad.
The Primate of the Iraqi Armenian Diocese, H.E. Archbishop Avak Asadourian celebrated the divine literagy during which the faithful were asked to observe a minute of silence in commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims in 1915.
A special program followed the literagy, made up of poems and songs related to the occasion, performed by students of the Armenian Primary School, Church Youth Group and Zvartnots Choir.
At the conclusion of the program Archbishop Asadourian addressed the faithful on the occasion.
Soon afterwards the public headed to the memorial monument dedicated to the Armenian martyrs, in the courtyard of the diocesean complex.
Archbishop Asadourian inaugurated an exhibition of oil paintings, dedicated to the Armenian Genocide in the Gulbenkian Hall, in the Armenian Primary School . The exhibition will last for three days.
Source: Blog of Ara Ashjian
High resolution photos in PDF format (1.8 MB)
Low resolution photos: see below
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My Dear Armenian community of Baghdad,
How proud I feel to be an Armenian that I have brothers and sisters such as yourselves in Baghdad, Iraq… and at a time of war… And I share something in common with you… The memory of our ancesters in their Sacred Genocide of 1915 committed by Turkey who is still in denial…
How ashamed I am to be an Armenian in USA… to realize, in our most comfortable state; We could not gather that many boy and girl scouts to take part in a once a year event as important as this, in our 5 local Philadelphia Pennsylvania state community churches… and at a time of peace…
More the power to you…
Let peace be close to your hearts…