Canonization of Armenian Genocide victims due on April 23
After an interval of about 400 years, for the first time, the Armenian Apostolic Church will conduct a canonization ceremony on April 23, 2015, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, for the victims of the Armenian Genocide, Director of the Office for Conceptual Issues of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan, told reporters on Tuesday.
He said that it will be collective canonization. Special rites have been developed for the ceremony.
The ceremony will start at 4:30 pm or 5:00 pm and will end at 7:15 pm, symbolizing the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Bells will ring one hundred times in all Armenian churches all across the world, and the attendees will observe one minute’s silence for the Genocide victims.
Invitations have been sent to various churches throughout the world.