On Thursday, April 23, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and members of the OCA delegation attended the Canonization of the Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide in Yerevan, the Armenian capital. Services were celebrated outdoors on the grounds of Etchmiadzin Cathedral.
“Projected video streams from Armenian communities around the world brought them into the service as well,” said Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor. “If the focus in the past had been on darkness and suffering, this moving event marked a powerful witness to the indesctructible light of the Resurrection. With the martyrdom of Christians today being so visible, and with so many representatives of global Christian churches present for the Canonization, the service far transcended the limits of Armenia.”
Earlier in the day, Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA delegation visited two important cultural and historical landmarks in Yerevan. The Saint Mesrob Mashdots Matenadaran (National Library of Ancient Manuscripts) is and impressive display of ancient documents related to the history of Armenia and especially to Armenian scriptures, displaying manuscripts as from the fifth century onward. Saint Mesrob (c 360-440) was a monk, theologian and linguist who originated the Armenian alphabet. The Archimandrite Komitas Museum is devoted to the life and work of Vartapet Komitas (1869-1935), who was a priest, musicologist, composer, arranger, singer and choirmaster. He is considered the founder of the Armenian National School of Music. Much of the singing in the Armenian Church today is based on his work.
