YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Apostolic Church will introduce a number of significant initiatives along with the sister churches on the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in Etchmiadzin and worldwide. “Armenpress” News Agency had a conversation regarding this and the upcoming event with His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. “The row of events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is vast and comprehensive. But the most noteworthy and significant from the historical viewpoint is the ceremony of canonization of the Armenian Genocide victims, which will be held in Holy Etchmiadzin on April 23. This ceremony is of a certain importance, as the heads of our sister churches and other religious institutions have been invited to the event,” Archbishop Hovnan Derderian noted.

Among other things, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, underscored: “The visit of the Pope of Rome to Armenia is also of a great importance, as we all are aware that the whole world will react at this event.”

The fact of the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman government has been documented, recognized, and affirmed in the form of media and eyewitness reports, laws, resolutions, and statements by many states and international organizations. The complete catalogue of all documents categorizing the 1915 wholesale massacre of the Armenian population in Ottoman Empire as a premeditated and thoroughly executed act of genocide, is extensive. Uruguay was the first country to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide in 1965. The massacres of the Armenian people were officially condemned and recognized as genocide in accordance with the international law by France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, Greece, Slovakia, Cyprus, Lebanon, Uruguay, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Canada, Vatican and Australia.