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The 90th Anniversary Declaring April 24 As A Day Of Mourning And Com

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  • The 90th Anniversary Declaring April 24 As A Day Of Mourning And Com

    THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY DECLARING APRIL 24 AS A DAY OF MOURNING AND COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

    LRAGIR.AM
    13:52:36 - 31/03/2009

    2009 marks the 90th anniversary of April 24 as a day of
    commemoration. Here is the history of this important event:

    A special committee was formed in Constantinople, in March 1919, by
    a group of Ottoman Armenian intellectuals who survived the Armenian
    Genocide. The main goal of this committee was the organization of
    commemoration ceremonies dedicated to the 4th anniversary of the
    Armenian Genocide. The committee, known as "The April 11th Board
    of Ceremonial Mourning" consisted of 13 members including Yevphime
    Avetisian, Zaruhi Galamkarian, Mari Stambulian, Perchuhi Parsamian,
    Miss Arpiar, Tigran Zaven, Merujan Parsamyan, Hakob Siruni, Gevorg
    Mesrop, Tagvor Suqiasian, Dr. Barsegh Tinanian, Shahan Perperian
    and Hovhannes Poghosian. Due to the efforts of these people the
    memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide was commemorated among
    the Armenians of Constantinople for the first time in 1919. Armenian
    writer, publicist and public figure Hakob Siruni wrote in his memoirs:
    "The mourning ceremony became a tradition. Since then, the 24th of
    April was adopted as a symbol of mourning."

    According to the committee, commemoration ceremonies were intended
    to be held from April 11th through the 18th, but due to the
    Armenian Patriarch's illness at the time, the date was delayed by
    one day. Bishop Mesrop Naroian held a liturgy for the victims of
    the Armenian Genocide from April 15th to the 25th in St. Trinity
    church of Bera district of Constantinople. The Armenian patriarch of
    Constantinople, Zaven Eghiaian, gave a sermon. On this proclaimed
    "day of mourning," all Armenian national colleges and shops in
    Constantinople were closed. Representatives of Saint Trinity Greek
    Church, RA P. Takhtadgian and others presented public statements
    during the ceremony.

    During the afternoon, those attending the ceremony gathered Armenians
    moved on to the St. Trinity Armenian Evangelical Church located in
    the Cheshme district of the city. After the liturgy, the ceremonial
    mourning took place, marked with speeches, declamations and sacred
    music. Shahan Perperian gave the opening remarks on behalf of the Board
    of Ceremonial Mourning followed by representatives of the Armenian
    parties, including Vahan Zeituntsian and Professor H. Hakobian,
    Dr. Khandjian from the Doctor's Union, Gevorg Mesrop from the Teacher's
    Union along with many others. The speeches were intermingled with
    declamations and sacred music. A volume entitled "Memorial for April
    11th" was published in Constantinople (published by - O. Arzumanian,
    1919) edited by Theodik. It was published specifically for the Day of
    Mourning. This volume included the biographies, photos and unprinted
    pages of the Armenian martyrs of Constantinople and other provinces.

    This initial commemoration for the victims of the Armenian Genocide in
    Constantinople was not the only one of its kind. On April 24, 1919,
    again in the St. Trinity Church in Bera, another liturgy was held
    for the same cause. It was officiated by the Armenian Patriarch,
    this time commemorating the American missionaries martyred during
    World War I. Representatives of the US Embassy to Turkey: Mr. Heike
    and Mr. Faull, a journalist from the "Times", colonel Bennett and
    others brought their participation during the ceremony.

    The next day, on April 25th, a similar ceremony dedicated to the
    martyrs of the Armenian Genocide took place in the Armenian Catholic
    Church at the Vatican under the approval of Pope. The entire Armenian
    community in Italy was present along with several Cardinals and Bishops
    (as representatives of the Pope), members of the Italian Government,
    Minister of Education M.Ludzatti, Speaker of Parliament Lombardo,
    Deputy Foreign Minster, French ambassador to Italy and other officials.

    Since the first commemoration of the Armenian Genocide victims in
    Istanbul, April 24 officially was adopted as "Day of Mourning and
    Commemoration".

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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