YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. A 40th day requiem mass was delivered today at the St. Sargis Vicarial Church, the seat of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in memory of the innocent victims of the August 4 explosion in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

Vicar of the Araratian Pontifical Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan conveyed the blessings of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II to the guests who arrived from Lebanon.

“We prayed to God for the peace and salvation of souls of thousands of the victims, as well as Armenians killed in the devastating explosion in Beirut. We ask for the Lord’s help to overcome the pain of the grief and the consequences of the heavy destructions. May Lord grant a speedy recovery to the thousands of the injured. I convey the blessings and support of His Holiness Garegin II to you. We believe that thanks to the support of all of us our sisters and brothers in Lebanon will overcome this trial. May Lord protect the people of Lebanon with his blessing”, Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan said.

Photos by Hayk Manukyan

Editor-in-chief of Lebanese-based Zartonk daily Sevag Hagopian told Armenpress that the life in Lebanon continues and they need to move forward by always remembering the victims.

“Today we commemorated the 40th day requiem of the victims and the Armenian victims in particular. Life continues, we will always remember those victims, but Lebanon and Lebanese-Armenians need to be restored thanks to the friendly countries and the moral, material support of our Diaspora-Armenian brothers. It will be an impetus for us to keep our community there and to be able to move forward”, he said.

Sevag Hagopian informed that the concrete number of people injured in the blast is still unclear, some of them continue their treatment in hospitals, some have already been discharged, but death cases are also being registered among those injured people who are in serious condition.

“The number of the injured people is very unclear, the total number of people wounded in the blast is nearly 5,000. Most of them have recovered, but there are cases when seriously wounded people die, however, the treatment process continues. The explosion caused a huge property damage, some people have been left without homes. I hope their houses will be restored as well”, he said.

Chairman of the Board of the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) Hrachya Karapetyan, who initiated the requiem mass, stated that after the Genocide committed in Western Armenia by the Turkish authorities in early 20^th century thousands of Armenians moved to Lebanon and had a great contribution to the country’s development and strengthening process. “On August 4 a major explosion occurred in the port of the Lebanese capital of Beirut as a result of which our Armenian friends also suffered together with other people. Our today’s ceremony is dedicated to the memory of these victims. We wish a speedy recovery to all injured. The entire Armenian people, the authorities of Armenia stood by Lebanon and Lebanese-Armenians during these days”, he said.

A huge explosion occurred in the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4 which was caused by 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate detonating at a warehouse in the port.

In addition to the fatalities, thousands were injured and as many as 300,000 left homeless by the explosion.

15 Lebanese-Armenians were killed, 300 others were wounded in the blast.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan