Events commemorating the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the Armenian Diocese in Georgia started with the Evening Service in the Armenian churches.

The youth from different community-based organizations attended the Evening Service held in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi. Following the Evening Service, Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, conveyed his message to the people present, urging them to fight for recognition and well-established justice for the Armenian cause. Attendees lit candles and raised a prayer to God.

From the early morning, on April 24, many people walked to the Cathedral of St. George and the Saint Etchmiadzin Church to take part in the Divine Liturgy celebrated on the occasion of the Feast of Apparition of the Holy Cross and to commemorate the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RA to Georgia, Mr. Yuri Vardanyan, diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia, community officials, intellectuals and many faithful gathered in the Cathedral of St. George in Tbilisi.

The celebrant was His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia. The Primate offered a sermon reflecting on the mystery of the day, referring to the Apparition of the Holy Cross, imperishable and protective power of the Life-giving Cross. The Bishop, through the intercession of the Holy Martyrs, prayed for the Armenian people, the Motherland and soldiers, who are guarding its borders.

Following the Sunday Divine Liturgy in the Saint Etchmiadzin Church in Avlabari, at the cross-stone in the church courtyard dedicated to the memory of the Genocide victims, Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan presided over a special prayer service to commemorate the Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

Later, in the vicinity of the Saint Etchmiadzin Church the Armenians of Tbilisi participated in the demonstration organized by the Armenian Community of Georgia (NGO), which was dedicated to the 101st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

Very Rev. Father Khoren Hovhannisyan, assistant to the Primate of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia, conveyed his blessings to the participants of the demonstration, naming April 24 the day of pilgrimage for Armenians, calling upon the attendees to fight for the Armenian cause.

Samvel Mkrtchyan, Levon Chidilyan, Giorgi Tumasyan, Susana Khachaturyan and others were calling on Turkey and Georgia to condemn and recognize the crime in Armenian and Georgian languages.

Patriotic poems were recited and songs were performed during the demonstration.

On April 24 similar protests and commemorative events were held in other cities, regions and villages of Georgia inhabited by Armenians.

The April 24 events were covered by local newspapers, television and radio.