Antelias, Lebanon - During his pilgrimage to Deir-Zor for the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, His Holiness visited the St. Haroutioun Chapel in Margade on April 24 and prayed for the souls of the one and a half victims of the Genocide.

His Holiness and the pilgrims accompanying him stopped in the desert on their way to Deir-Zor and sang the hymn "Keta Der", while walking into the depths of the desert. A requiem service for the victims of the Armenian Genocide was held in the desert under the burning sun.

"90 years ago our mothers and father, our brothers and sisters, old and young, children and adults walked through this desert. This sand under the open sky became the collective grave of their unburied corpses," said His Holiness.

"Our nation walked through this desert hungry, thirsty and abandoned, until they collapsed and mingled with the desert as their last haven. But you have now flourished this desert oh reborn children of an immortal nation. You're equipped with an unyielding will that defeats the perpetrator's evil will.
You know how to replace hopelessness with hope, how to transform suffrage to happiness and even how to resurrect from death," said His Holiness speaking to the pilgrims who accompanied him.

The Catholicos added: "At this moment, we express our utmost gratitude to the Syrian Arab people, who gave refuge to the Armenians deported by the Turks, welcomed them in their tents, shared their bread with them and provided a home to our people's unburied remains. Standing here, at the site of the martyrdom of our victims, we vow to remain loyal to their legacy."

 

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