Turkish pastor visits church asking forgiveness from Armenians for Genocide

YEREVAN, 3 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. While all Armenians around the world are commemorating the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, on 1 April, a Turkish pastor visited the First Armenian Presbyterian Church in Fresno to apologize for the crimes his ancestors committed against Armenians, asyourcentralvalley.comreports, according to “Armenpress”.

The source reports that it was only about seven years that the Turkish pastor learned what happened when he visited the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in Armenia’s capital city. “Ashamed-and I cried. I had goosebumps,” he said, askingyourcentralvalley.comnot to identify him for security reasons.

“I’m asking you, please forgive my nation. Please forgive my nation. They are guilty. They are guilty in God’s eyes. They are guilty in your eyes,”he said tearfully. The local Armenians received his message with tears and applause. Pastor Greg Haroutunian of the First Armenian Presbyterian Church called it an important step in the healing process.“Our people are hearing this for the first time. And some of them in their 80s are just overwhelmed. They can’t believe this is happening. They’re hearing it for the first time,”Haroutunian said.