On December 7, 2016, a requiem mass was performed for the peace of souls of the victims of 1988 December 7th disastrous earthquake in the northern region of the Armenian Republic.

The mass was attended by Georgian MPs David Chichinadze, Gedevan Popkhadze, Ruslan Poghosian; a member of Tbilisi Sakrebulo, Ilia Jishakariani; diplomats from the RA Embassy in Georgia; leaders of community-based organizations and civil society members.

Jumber Patiashvili, the Communist leader of the Georgian USSR in 1988, and the Chairman of Georgian State Aid Commission, paid tribute to the victims of natural disaster.

The clergy conducted the repose of the soul service. Time heals all wounds, but the Armenian person continues to pray for the peace of souls of the victims and lights a candles in their memory.

The speakers referred to the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in the northern region of the Armenian Republic, highly appreciated the response and the assistance provided by the different countries to the Armenian nation, which got into trouble, emphasized the help, received from the Christian neighbor country of Georgia and Georgian nation, and mentioned that Armenians always remember that provided assistance with gratitude. They called the earthquake a trial of God, urged to live in Christian love and faith.

In all the functioning churches of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia a requiem mass was performed in the memory of the earthquake victims and the candles were lighted for the peace of their souls.

The 1988 Armenian earthquake occurred in the northern region of Armenia on December 7. The strength in the epicenter was 10 magnitudes. The earthquake affected 40 % of the territory of Armenia including a population of 1 million. 21 cities and districts, 342 villages suffered heavy damage. 514 000 people were rendered homeless. 20 000 people received injuries of different degrees. 17 % of the whole population fund was ruined, 170 industrial enterprises stopped working, villages and the agricultural-industrial complex, architectural, historical, art monuments suffered; 917 educational institutions were destroyed.