LIVONIA, Mich.—Leaders of metro Detroit’s four Armenian churches and those from other faiths are uniting in Livonia on April 24 for a special Ecumenical Service to honor and remember the victims of the Armenian Genocide.
The worship service will be held at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Basilica, itself home to a large contingent of oppressed people with Middle Eastern roots. April 24 is Martyrs Day, the day that honors the 1.5 million Armenians killed by the Ottoman-Turkish government.
“This is an unprecedented event at a critical time,” said Manouk Derovakimian, co-chairman of the Armenian Churches of Greater Detroit Genocide Committee, the group responsible for the service. “1.5 million Armenians didn’t have the chance to live a normal life in this world, and we cannot forget them.”
The committee represents St. John Armenian Apostolic Church in Southfield, St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church in Dearborn, St. Vartan Armenian Catholic Church in Detroit, and Armenian Congregational Church in Southfield. The evening’s principal homilist will be the Most Reverend Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.
An outdoor digital art display will also be held on the church’s buildings and bell tower. Projections of iconic Armenian churches and religious symbols telling the story of the genocide and the Armenian nation’s rich religious influence will be produced by well-known Detroit-area photojournalist Michelle Andonian and visual artist Gabriel Hall of New D Media Arts.
The service begins at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s, located at 18100 Merriman Rd., north of Six Mile Rd., in Livonia. A reception with religious and government leaders will follow. All are welcome to attend.
For more information, contact Fr. Garabed Kochakian, pastor of St. John Armenian Church in Southfield, by calling (248) 569-3405.
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