On the evening of Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 6:00 PM, a Divine and Immortal Liturgy and Intercessory Prayer Service were offered at the St. Leon Cathedral of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, in commemoration of the 110th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, with Very Rev. Fr. Zareh Sarkissian and Very Rev. Fr. Yeremia Abgaryan assisting. The homily was delivered by Archbishop Derderian. The chants of the Divine Liturgy were performed by the Cathedral’s “Shnorhali” Choir under the conductorship of Dn. Artur Vardanyan.

An Ecumenical Gathering of Dignitaries and Clergy

Clergy of Sister Churches:

Bishop Mikael Mouradian, Eparch of the Armenian Church of North America and Canada

Rev. Henrik Shahnazarian, Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America

Clergy from the Western Diocese

Ecumenical guests:

Bishop John Taylor, Episcopal Church of Los Angeles

Bishop Albert Bahhouth, Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Fr. Alexei Smith, Director of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Syriac Catholic Church of Los Angeles

Fr. Gabriel Hannaan, Representative of Archbishop Eugene Kaplan of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Los Angeles

Rev. Sally Welch, Representative of the United Church of Christ in Los Angeles

Rev. David Burketal, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Los Angeles

Government officials:

His Excellency Karen Israyelyan, Consul General of the Republic of Armenia in Los Angeles

The Honorable Ara Najarian, Mayor of Glendale

The Honorable Monica Rodriguez, Los Angeles City Council Member

Diocesan Council and Subcommittees:

Members of the Diocesan Council, led by Chairman Mr. Vartan Nazerian and Vice Chair Mr. Derik Ghookasian

Representatives of community, cultural, charitable, educational organizations

Members of Diocesan subcommittees

A large congregation of faithful

A moving moment was the participation of scouts from the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) of Los Angeles, who first renewed their oath in front of the Genocide Memorial on the Diocesan grounds before entering the Cathedral to pay tribute to the holy martyrs.

A Call to Spiritual and National Commitment

In his homily, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian emphasized the importance of faithful remembrance and commitment:

“At this sacred hour of collective prayer, we vow to remain faithful to the eternal spiritual and national values gifted to us by God. The first premeditated and systematically executed genocide of the 20th century—the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire—resulted in the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians. The memory of this tragedy will remain indelible in human history. Our future generations must keep alive the vision of our homeland, the love for our fatherland, and the Christian faith that has become a call for justice in the blood of Armenians.”

The Archbishop recalled the canonization of the Genocide martyrs in 2015 as a milestone of hope and commitment:

“Ten years have passed since the centennial. Today, through this Holy Liturgy, we must reaffirm our will to persevere for our faith and fatherland—regardless of the sacrifices.”

He offered four practical steps for honoring the memory of the martyrs:

Engage the youth in our collective journey to preserve the Christian faith and connect deeply with the sacrifices and vision of our heroic ancestors.

Instruct the new generation in Armenian history—to understand the roots of our identity, the price paid by our martyrs, and remain loyal to their legacy and ideals.

Deepen the pursuit of education, equipping young people with innovative programs and helping them achieve leadership in science, society, and politics.

Foster a spirit of unity, grounded in humility, unconditional love, and a life anchored in the homeland and faith, with the Armenian Christian family as a cornerstone.

“The 110th anniversary gains true meaning when we reject indifference and live with the spirit of Resurrection at the center of our worldview,” he said.

In closing, the Archbishop noted:

“Our spiritual mission is anchored in the Gospel of Christ. As the Apostle says: ‘For to me, to live is Christ.’ (Phil. 1:21). The soul of our national mission is Mother Armenia. On this 110th anniversary of our holy martyrs, the message to all Armenians is clear: Armenia is calling us. Let us live with and through Armenia. Let our churches and schools become the model and the bridge between the Diaspora and the Homeland.
Our martyrs live on—not merely as memories of the past, but as guides and leaders for our future. They are the purpose of our personal lives and our collective journey—now and forever. Amen.”

Intercessory Prayer

The Intercessory Prayer for the Holy Martyrs was offered during the Liturgy by Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, Bishop Mikael Mouradian, Rev. Henrik Shahnazarian, and the clergy of the Western Diocese.

This sacred gathering served as a moment of renewed spiritual and national commitment, where the faithful entrusted the just resolution of the Armenian Cause to God through the intercession of the martyred saints, pledging to uphold Christian and national values as guiding lights toward the vision of Armenian resurrection.

April 25, 2025
Western Diocese Office of the Primate