On April 12, 2015 the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan conducted a Divine Liturgyin Batumi Saint Savior Church dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

Following the Divine Liturgy, His Grace,together with Father Ter-Ararat Gumbalyan from the Saint Savior Church,consecrated two cross-stones placed in the church courtyard – one dedicated to Armenian-Georgian amity and the second to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. The cross-stones (author, Sergey Danielyan) were given by the mayor of Vanadzor city, who arrivedin Batumi on this occasion. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RA to Georgia, Mr. Yuri Vardanyan, RA Consul General in Adjara, Guria and Imereti, Mr. Aram Grigoryan and the Mayor of Batumi Mr. Giorgi Yermakov were among special guests.

At the end of the consecration ceremony His Grace spoke about the sacrament of the day and conveyed blessings from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.to Batumi’s Armenian community. He thanked the City Hall of Vanadzor for this patriotic gesture and gave his appreciation for the support provided by Batumi’s local authorities.

Batumi Mayor Giorgi Yermakov congratulated everyone on Easter and attached high importance to Armenian-Georgian friendship. He mentioned that Georgian people share the pain and grief of Armenian people

TheAmbassador of RA to Georgia, Mr. Yuri Vardanyan and the Mayor of Vanadzor city, Mr. Samvel Darbinyan also gave a speech. The mayor expressed his willingness to support reconstruction works for the Saint Savor Church.

After the consecration a concert was held in Batumi Musical School №3 named after Revaz Laghidze with the participation of the Saint Savior Church choir “Aghbyur” and solo performers.

Within the framework of the visit, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of RA to Georgia, Mr. Yuri Vardanyan and other guests participated in the opening of the RA General Consulate new building in Batumi.

The Primate of the Diocese was accompanied by the Director of Administrative and Economic Department, Karen Yeritsyan, the director of Cultural Department and head of the Hayartun Center, Levon Chidilyan and the person in charge of the Diocese for the Socially vulnerable groups , Mace-bearer of the Primate, Deacon Gevorg Antonyan.