Religious Leaders Of The Armenian Community In The Western United States Participate In Divine Liturgy And Intercessory Service
At St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., a Divine Liturgy and Intercessory Service were held at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Glendale in memory of the one and a half million Armenian martyrs of the Armenian Genocide. The Divine Liturgy was held with the participation of the three religious leaders of the Armenian community in the Western United States.
The spiritually uplifting Divine Liturgy was celebrated by H.E. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. The sermon of the day was delivered by H.E. Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the United States. In his message, Archbishop Khacherian reflected on the annual worldwide commemoration of the Armenian Genocide as both a call to national unity and an expression of collective national consciousness. Archbishop Khacherian noted that in the years following the Great Tragedy, these commemorations were marked primarily by mourning and remembrance. In more recent times, however, the Armenian national tragedy has taken on the character of a demand for justice, reaching international forums as a protest against the injustice committed against a persecuted nation and a destroyed homeland. The Prelate emphasized that the Armenian Genocide has received official recognition by numerous countries and remains an unresolved historical and political wrinkle awaiting just reparation.
Continuing his sermon, Archbishop Khacherian spoke about the canonization of the Armenian martyrs on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide and its profound significance in the history of the Armenian Church. The Prelate stated,
“Through the canonization of the martyrs, the Armenian Church was blessed with its greatest number of saints, one and a half million radiant witnesses of faith. From that moment forward, our martyrs have not been remembered merely as victims who perished, nor as souls in need of our prayers and compassion, but as triumphant spirits who endured the sufferings of this earthly life, overcame evil, and became worthy of the crown of eternal life. They are intercessors before God and sources of unwavering faith. They are living examples of an unyielding will to remain faithful to our Armenian national identity. They are guides of ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our national and Christian values and moral virtues. They are beacons lighting the path toward eternal life.”
Archbishop Khacherian concluded his sermon in the spirit of the Morning Service prayer, “With the Holy Ascetics,” stating, “With one and a half million martyr witnesses and saints, April 24 has become, through the faith of the Resurrection, a celebration of life’s victory over death. It is a day that inspires us, strengthens us, and fills us with boundless courage. O millions of saints, defenders of faith and national identity, intercede before the Lord, so that, like you, we may endure hardships, overcome evil, and become worthy of the luminous crown, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”
At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the religious leaders, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Most Rev. Bishop Parsegh Baghdassarian, Auxiliary Bishop to H.E. Bishop Mikael Mouradian, Eparch of the Armenian Catholic Church of North America, and Rev. Henrik Shahnazarian, Pastor of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches, conducted the Intercessory Service in memory of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
Clergy, deacons, scribes, and the choir of the Western Prelacy also joined in the united prayer, offering the hundreds of faithful who filled the church a blessed moment of strengthened Christian faith and renewed communal devotion.
Members of the Executive Council of the Western Prelacy, members and representatives of the church, and a large number of faithful were also present at the Divine Liturgy.
At The Armenian Genocide Memorial Monument In Montebello
The following day, on Friday morning, April 24, 2026, the religious leaders of the community gathered before the Armenian Genocide Memorial Monument in Montebello and conducted a Intercessory Prayer Service, honoring the memory of the one and a half million innocent martyrs of the Armenian nation. Mr. Jack Hadjinian, Vice-Chair of the Executive Council of the Western Prelacy, was present on behalf of the Executive Council.
At The State Senate Building In Sacramento
On Monday, April 20, 2026, a commemoration of the Armenian Genocide was held in Sacramento, the capital of California, organized by the California State Senate and hosted in its chambers.
H.E. Archbishop Kegham Khacherian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the United States, was represented by Rev. Fr. Artsakh Badoyan, Pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of San Francisco, who offered the opening prayer during the official ceremony. Mr. Jack Hadjinian, Vice-Chair of the Executive Council, was also in attendance.
