MOURNING SPEECH OF CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS DURING RA PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARIAN’S FUNERAL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 29 2007

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos
of All Armenians made a speech of mourning during RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian’s funeral on March 28. That speech is completely
presented below.

"Mournful President, the late Prime Minister’s mournful widow and
children, devout people

We all deeply mourn. With pain and sadness of the loss in our hearts,
we bid farewell to favourite statesman-politician, Prime Minister of
the Republic of Armenia Andranik Margarian who prematurely left the
earthly life, leaving kind memory, deeds beneficial to the Fatherland
and nation.

His life valued by deeds and inspired with values is in front of
all us.

Having love towards the Fatherland in his soul, from the young age,
with sincere devotion, he became a participant of the struggle for the
independence of Armenia, protection of the Armenians’ fair trail and
embodiment of national wishes. He saw his dream of re-establishment
of the native independent statehood and made his abilities serve
building of the new life of Armenia with a special enthusiasm. Having
the vision of having a Fatherland, prosperous and well-built with
national values, respecting the law and developing one, he was called
to the high executive power. He truely accepted the power and post as a
service to the people and made the years of his officiating efficient
with devoted work and stable achievements for our country’s progress
and our people’s fairly well-off life. He left the bright example of
loving the Fatherland, loving the nation for us and the generations,
the example of being the owner of national wishes and of the readiness
and decisiveness of implementing them with a devoted activity.

We remember with love the meetings we had with late Andranik Margarian
during which we also felt his deep respect towards the Mother See of
Hole Etchmiadzin, the inmost sanctuary of all Armenians. The late Prime
Minister, with his firm belief, also had his valuable contribution
in the Armenian Church mission that the Armenian people must continue
living with blessings of the Armenian Church, relying on the God.

Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s memory will always live in our
souls with his frank and kind, humane and patriotic characteristics,
with his merit of service to the Fatherland and people.

We pray for the God, with His innumerable mercifulness, receives the
late Prime Minister’s soul in the eternal havens of lights and in
blessed peace and will gift consolation and sympathy to the late’s
mournful widow and children, relatives and all of us.

Let’s the God keep our native state and Armenian nation under His
grace of peace and bless our people’s wishes to be led to the reality
which late Prime Minister Andranik Margarian also had in his soul.

Incense, prayer and blessings for late Andranik Margarian’s kind
memory and grave. Amen."