PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
THE WORDS “GENOCIDE” AND “TURK” APPEAR IN THE NEW INSCRIPTIONS OF
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MONUMENT IN BIKFAYA
As part of the commemorations of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide, the Catholicosate of Cilicia installed new inscriptions
on the Armenian Genocide monument located in the St. Asdvadzadzine
Monastery in Bikfaya.
Constructed in 1969 due to the efforts of all the Armenians, the
monument initially had inscriptions in two languages, Armenian and
Arabic. The inscriptions lacked the words “Genocide” and “Turk”,
because the Lebanese government had at the time prevented their usage,
giving way to pressures by Turkey.
On the initiative of His Holiness Aram I, a new plaque bearing
inscriptions in Armenian, Arabic and English was prepared and installed
on the monument. The plaque also bears the words “Genocide”, as an
unrelenting call for justice and “Turk” as a nation, who has committed
Genocide against the Armenians and humanity.
The Armenian Genocide monument in Bikfaya was constructed by
Lebanese-Armenian artist Zaven Khedeshian. The monument was bombed
in 1978 and was fully reconstructed in 1996.
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about
the history and the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may
refer to the web page of the Catholicosate,
The Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church
is located in Antelias, Lebanon.