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: cathcil@cathcil.org
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
Watch the recorded video here:
A STUDENT EVENT DEDICATED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
“REMEMBER, REMIND ABOUT AND DEMAND
THE VIOLATED RIGHTS OF OUR PEOPLE”
ADVISES HIS HOLINESS ARAM I
The Central Committee for the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide in
Lebanon organized a special student gathering in the Catholicosate of
Cilicia on May 9. Dedicated to the Armenian Genocide, the event brought
together the students of Armenian schools in Lebanon.
The event was held under the Pontifical patronage of His Holiness Aram I,
who also delivered his message to the hundreds of Armenian students gathered
in the Catholicosate’s courtyard.
The primates of the three Armenian religious communities, the principals of
Armenian schools, teachers, members of the educational committee, members of
boards of trustees and prominent educational figures attended the event.
The students took the stage consecutively to recite poems, play music and
read parts of special works all of which were rich with the legacy of the
nation’s victim and its cause.
The Pontiff then delivered his pontifical message to the students, stressing
the importance of preserving the legacy of Armenian victims. His Holiness
summarized the Armenian student’s responsibility towards Armenian martyrs in
three words: remember, remind and demand.
“We stand before the remains of our martyrs, in their spiritual presence.
They ask us to remember them in all the fields of our life; And oh, shame on
us if we forget our martyrs and heroes who give meaning to our lives, who
have safely guided the boat of our history through all its storms,” he said.
“Our martyrs tell us: remind people about our cause. Remembering is not
enough; remembering should turn into reminding. We should first remind
ourselves, then foreigners, our surrounding that in 1915 Ottoman Turkey
massacred one and a half million Armenians in order to erase Armenia and
Armenians from the face of the earth,” the Pontiff continued.
“Our martyrs tell us: demand. When we have a right, we should demand it.
When someone has taken our right, we should demand it at all costs. We do
not demand the rights of others, but the violated rights of our martyrs from
criminal Turkey and the whole world,” concluded the Catholicos.
The students then repeated His Holiness’ three words, “remember, remind and
demand”, promising to remain loyal to the legacy of Armenian victims.
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View photos here:
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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
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.