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:
REQIU EM SERVICE IN MEMORY OF SLAIN ARMENIAN JOURNALIST HRANT DINK
ANTELIAS, Lebanon – The 40-day anniversary of Armenian journalist and editor
of the Istanbul-based "Agos" bilingual newspaper, Hrant Dink’s martyrdom was
commemorated by a requiem service in Antelias on March 4. Government
officials, representatives of political parties and a large number of
believers attended the service, which was followed by a commemoration event
in the "Cilicia" museum of the Catholicosate of Cilicia.
Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, chaired the
event on behalf of His Holiness Aram I. The event brought together several
guests including the chairman of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical
Churches in the Near East, Reverend Soghomon Kilaghbian, Members of
Parliament Hagop Pakradouni and Farid Khazen, secretary of the Press
Syndicate, Fouad Daaboul, representatives from the three Armenian political
parties, cultural, educational and charity organizations, the mayor of
Bourdj Hammoud, Antranig Meserlian, and a large number of believers.
Following the Lebanese National Anthem, the attendants observed a minute of
silence as a tribute to the memory of the journalist assassinated in
Istanbul in January.
Loutfig Ayvazian delivered the opening remarks, after which Member of
Parliament and a lecturer in Political Science at the American University of
Beirut, Farid Khazen, pointed out that heroes do not depart by people’s
tears, but by their claps and greetings.
Khazen considered Dink to be a martyr of justice and freedom, expressing
support for the idea the journalist defended in his lifetime. He assured
that the incident was not simply a murder, but Genocide.
Fouad Daaboul, the Secretary of the Press Syndicate and editor of the
"Anwar" newspaper pointed out that Dink’s assassination comes at a time
when Turkey wants to join the European Union. As such, through his death
Dink sent a message to Europe and the whole world that the membership of a
country like Turkey in the European Union is not possible.
Speaking about the Armenian nation’s resilience, Daaboul said that despite
all the difficulties and torture they faced, Armenians had successfully
preserved their identity and their cause, a fact for which Hrant Dink
vouched for.
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View the photo here: #3
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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.