Catholicos Aram I urges Armenians to unite, demand justice from Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - On Sunday, Sept. 7, his Holiness Aram I presided over the Holy Liturgy and addressed the faithful at the Church of the Holy Cross in Washington, DC. Archbishop Oshagan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Orthodox Church of America, celebrated the Liturgy after welcoming His Holiness and explaining the purpose of his presence in Washington to the congregation, Asbarez reported.

The Catholicos thanked the Archbishop, greeted the faithful and expressed his joy at being with the community after so many years.

Referring to Armenians, the Catholicos said, “Armenians were not only the first to accept Christianity as their national religion, they also shed their blood for their faith; as an ancient historian wrote, faith for Armenians is like ‘their skin.’” “This commitment to the faith,” he added, “has sustained our people throughout history.”

In the end His Holiness spoke of 2015, the 100th anniversary commemoration of the Genocide and asked all Armenians to unite and demand justice from Turkey for the one-and-a-half-million victims and the restoration of the rights of the survivors with one voice.

The Ambassador of Armenia, the representative of Karabakh and a member of the Church Council were among the people who attended the Sunday Liturgy.

After the Liturgy his holiness Aram I held meetings with Archbishop Oshagan, the Church Council members and members of the Armenian Genocide Committee.