Sunday, April 24, will be observed by the worldwide Armenian Church as the “Feast of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.” In 2015, the centennial year of the Armenian Genocide, the martyrs of 1915 were ceremonially recognized as holy saints. With their canonization, the Genocide martyrs joined other great exemplars of holiness, virtue, and sacrifice, in the “canon” of revered saints from church history.

At St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church the Divine Liturgy will take place on Sunday, April 24, beginning at 10:30 a.m. It will be followed by the special “Intercessory Prayer of the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide”

The Genocide commemoration is traditionally a time of intense activity in the Armenian community. Notably, the 2022 Times Square Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide will be held live and in-person on Sunday, April 24, at 1:30 p.m., at 43rd St. and Broadway, New York City. Details on this and other in-person and online events are listed below under Events.

Prepare for the day by watching a special episode of the Diocese’s “Bread and Salt” series, which revisits the April 2015 canonization service, and explains the way we now regard the Holy Martyrs of 1915. Click here to view the video. For a more in-depth look at the meaning of Christian sainthood and martyrdom, click on the link to “A Great Cloud of Witnesses.”