Armenian Church Makes Saints of 1.5 Million Armenians Massacred by Ottomans

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The Armenian Church on Thursday conferred sainthood on some 1.5 million Armenians massacred by Ottoman forces a century ago, as tensions raged over Turkey's refusal to recognize the killings as genocide.

The ceremony, which is believed to be the biggest canonization service in history, came ahead of commemorations expected to see millions of people including heads of state on Friday mark 100 years since the start of the killings.

The two-hour ceremony outside Armenia's main cathedral, Echmiadzin, close to the capital Yerevan, ended at 7:15 pm local time, or 19:15 according to the 24-hour clock (1515 GMT), to symbolize the year when the massacres started during World War I.

"During the dire years of the genocide of the Armenians, millions of our people were uprooted and massacred in a premeditated manner, passed through fire and sword, tasted the bitter fruits of torture and sorrow," Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, said at the ceremony.

"The canonization of the martyrs of the genocide brings life-giving new breath, grace and blessing to our national and ecclesiastical life."

Clergymen in ornate robes sang ancient chants outside the imposing cathedral built in a pale pink variety of limestone at an open-air altar in a churchyard full of spring greenery.

At the end of the ceremony attended by President Serzh Sarkisian, bells rang out across Armenia and a minute of silence was observed.

Bells also tolled in cities around the world including New York, Madrid, Venice, Berlin and the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Armenian television said.

- 'Triumph of supreme justice' - 

"Today's canonization unites all Armenians living around the globe," said Huri Avetikian, an ethnic Armenian librarian from Lebanon who arrived in her ancestral homeland to attend the service.

"Souls of the victims of the genocide will finally find eternal repose today," said 68-year-old social worker Varduhi Shanakian. 

"Supreme justice will triumph."

In canonizing the victims, "the Church only recognizes what happened: that is, the genocide", Karekin II said ahead of the event which Christian Today, an online publication covering religious news, said could become "the biggest saint-making service in history."

Ex-Soviet Armenia and the huge Armenian diaspora worldwide have battled for decades to get the World War I massacres at the hands of the Ottoman forces between 1915 and 1917 recognized as a targeted genocide.

But modern Turkey, which was born of the ashes of the Ottoman Empire, has refused to do so, and relations remain frozen to this day.

Ankara says 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil -- rather than religious -- strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.

In a rare interview with Turkish television broadcast Thursday, Armenia's Sarkisian expressed hope that the two countries could mend fences.

"It is obvious that a reconciliation between the two peoples will have to come about through Turkey recognizing the genocide," he told CNN-Turk.

Later Thursday U.S. hard rock band System of a Down whose members are of Armenian descent performed in front of thousands of fans in the pouring rain in Yerevan.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands are expected to join a procession to a hilltop memorial in Yerevan carrying candles and flowers to lay at the eternal flame at the center of the monument.

In Paris, Los Angeles and other cities, members of the Armenian diaspora that came into existence as a result of the slaughter will also hold commemorations.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Francois Hollande are expected to be among a handful of leaders to travel to Armenia for the commemorations, but others are shying away for fear of upsetting Ankara.

- Anger in Turkey -

Ahead of the ceremonies, Turkey kicked up a diplomatic storm, condemning growing "racism" in Europe.

On Wednesday Turkey recalled its ambassador to Vienna in protest at the Austrian parliament's decision to call the massacre "genocide."

Earlier this month Ankara also recalled its envoy to the Vatican after Pope Francis described the killings as "the first genocide of the 20th century."

More than 20 nations -- including France and Russia -- have so far recognized the Armenian genocide, a definition supported by numerous historians.

But the White House conspicuously avoids using the term.

Turkey on Friday will host world leaders to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Gallipoli, a day earlier than the actual start of fighting. 

Sarkisian has accused Ankara of deliberately "trying to divert world attention" from the Yerevan commemorations.

Comments 23
Default-user-icon illiterate and very illegitimate southern (Guest) 23 April 2015, 18:03

so human, so poetic, so current.
best comment of the week
indeed

Thumb geha 23 April 2015, 18:38

it is about time that the turks admit this genocide.

Missing Ghazanfar 23 April 2015, 18:56

I Agree, but doubt it will happen anytime soon

this is Hassan being cute while showing his admiration for the Ottoman Turk. You can even hear Southern and his friends cheering and clapping

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yhQczxLtxM

Thumb ice-man 23 April 2015, 19:24

@samy_
southern is an atheist but he supports hezbollah and enjoys rap music. He also expects the mahdi to show up soon.

Thumb ice-man 23 April 2015, 20:13

@southern i am fine my friend:) Just got back from Cuba how about you? How is Khor Maksar today? can i call you FA (short for Friend Always)? can I?

Thumb justin 23 April 2015, 20:35

lol i guess I figured out what MF stands for from iceman's earlier posts;) but what is FA? any ideas?

Thumb Gassy_29 23 April 2015, 20:45

I believe MF stands for Mohammad Fneish and (Sayyed) Mohammad Fadlallah.

Thumb justin 23 April 2015, 21:01

hehehe! Thanks 'merriam-webster' for the definition. Now, I get it:))))

Thumb marcus 23 April 2015, 21:16

that was funny)!

Thumb EagleDawn 23 April 2015, 22:39

the only time when flamethrower is not making a fool of himself, is when it's vomiting sectarian hatred and vice versa. no use arguing with such slime.

Missing Ghazanfar 23 April 2015, 18:39

little boy, you missed this culture of death as preached by it's local Svengali.. take a listen to this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQl402Eaeco

so refreshing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knAA-glMEEM

Thumb geha 23 April 2015, 18:39

well said :)

Thumb ice-man 23 April 2015, 19:22

@samy_:
are you referring only to southern or does your description also apply to mowaten and flamethrower specifically? please, confirm

Thumb ado.australia 23 April 2015, 19:47

the fault must also be shared by the Greeks! Constaninople was granted international protection under the league of nations under protection and control of the british. Constantinople was more than 50% christian at the time. After the greeks failed invasion in 1919, christians were expelled from western turkey and massacred in eastern ottoman territories... culminating in the massacre and genoecide of the Armenian (christian) population of modern day turkey. Now Turkey is less than 1% christian.

note libya and the Italian complaints about refugees after they helped kill Gaddafi through nato bombings! If Gaddafi was still in control of libya, would there be ISIS or the flood of refugees to Italy? You sow what you reap!

Thumb ado.australia 23 April 2015, 19:57

correction... "you reap what you sow"

Thumb hollabackatcha 23 April 2015, 20:01

You sow what you reap??
I did not know that proverbs also suffer from the effects of the reverse southern hemisphere syndrome..

Thumb ado.australia 23 April 2015, 20:33

Boutros Boutros Ghali... so long no see or hear from you after the United Nations! Missed you Peter Peter!

Missing humble 23 April 2015, 20:58

You can easily add IRANIANISM...

Thumb EagleDawn 23 April 2015, 22:35

does your hizb acknowledge the occurrence of massacres in Syria (carried out by your party of terror)?

eagledawn-naharnet

Thumb EagleDawn 23 April 2015, 22:50

no sectarian hatred at all, in flamethrower's posts whatsoever..

Missing incorruptible 24 April 2015, 02:21

It somehow always come back to Hezbollah... Man you guys are obsessed. Please see a mental health specialist ASAP.

Missing VINCENT 24 April 2015, 03:16

Nature always finds a away to flush the scum from the face of the Earth to allow herself to flourish for the new generation to come. I agree, "Ottoman, Wahhabism and Zionism: the same culture of death..." We have to accept this in order to combat and marginalize their impact on innocence. Otherwise, changes of Biblical proportions.

Thumb EagleDawn 24 April 2015, 08:05

OMG flamethrower..... did you vote 11 times?? Shameless!