Remembering the Armenian martyrs

This morning, the Holy Father, Pope Francis left the Etchmiadzin Apostolic Palace and travelled by car to Tzitzernakaberd to visit the Complex dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Metz Yeghérn, the massacre of the Armenian people under the Ottoman empire which took place in 1915.

At 8:40am, the Holy Father and the Catholicos, Karekin II, who was accompanying him, were welcomed by the President of the Republic, His Excellency, Serzh Sargsyan, and together, they walked along the final stretch of the boulevard leading to the Memorial, passing between two lines of children and young people who were holding records and images of those who had been martyred in 1915.  Outside the monument, the Pope laid a floral wreath and paused for a moment of silent prayer.

Inside the chamber of the eternal flame, the Holy Father left a white rose and prayed in silence, then all those who were present recited the Our Father, each in their own languages.  The Pope and the Catholicos blessed incense while the choir sang the Hrashapar.  Following a series of biblical readings, the Holy Father offered a prayer of intercession.

Intercessory Prayer offered by His Holiness, Pope Francis

at the Metz Yeghérn Memorial

Christ, who crowns your saints,
who fulfills the will of your faithful
and looks with love and tenderness upon your creatures,
hear us from your holy heavens,
by the intercession of the holy Generatrix of God
and by the prayer of your saints
and those whom we remember today.
Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy.
Forgive us, expiate and remit our sins.
Make us worthy to glorify you with thankful hearts,
together with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.

Pope Francis, the Catholicos and the President then went to the terrace of the Museum.  Along the way, in the garden, the Pope blessed and watered a tree which had been planted as a memory of his visit.  On the terrace, there were some descendants of persecuted Armenians who had been saved and hosted at Castel Gandolfo by Pope Benedict XV and subsequently by Pope Pius XI.

Before leaving, the Holy Father signed the Book of Honour at the Memorial, inscribing the following words:

Here I pray, with pain in my heart, that never again should there be a tragedy like this, that humanity may never forget and know instead how to triumph with good over evil; may God grant peace and consolation to the beloved Armenian people and to all the world.

May God keep the memory of the Armenian people.  Memory must not be watered down or forgotten; memory is a source of peace for the future.



Leaving the Memorial Complex, the Pope then travelled by car to the airport in Yerevan and departed, at 10:00am local time - aboard an Alitalia A321 destined for Gyumri.