With reverence and deep emotion, a memorial service (Trisagion) was held on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at the Chapel of the Holy Metropolis of Zambia for the repose of the souls of the one and a half million martyrs of the Armenian Genocide of 1915. The service was led by Metropolitan John of Zambia.
Following the Trisagion, the Metropolitan conveyed the Patriarchal Message of Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa, who called on the faithful to remember the victims not with hatred, but in prayer and truth.
“Your Excellencies, Beloved children in the Lord, We stand today in prayerful remembrance, not in hatred,” the Patriarch’s message began. “We stand before the Altar of God to honor the one and a half million Armenian brothers and sisters who, in 1915, were led to martyrdom by the sword of the Young Turks.”
The Patriarch emphasized that the Church of Alexandria, founded by Saint Mark the Evangelist, deeply understands the meaning of martyrdom, recalling that its own lands have been sanctified by the blood of martyrs. “Today, from the heart of Africa, we embrace the martyred nation of Armenia,” he stated.
He underlined that the victims were killed not for crimes, but for their faith and identity, describing how “children, elders, priests, mothers” walked into the deserts of Deir ez-Zor with the name of Christ on their lips, transforming their suffering into a path toward Resurrection.
The message highlighted three key principles: that memory is a form of resurrection, ensuring that evil does not have the final word; that forgiveness does not mean forgetting, as true peace cannot be built on the denial of truth; and that Africa, having known suffering and struggle, stands in solidarity, declaring “Never again” for any nation or people.
Addressing Armenians worldwide, the Patriarch expressed deep unity, affirming that “your pain is our pain” and that the Patriarchate of Alexandria stands firmly with them.
The message concluded with prayers for the repose of the innocent victims, for peace in the world, and for the transformation of sorrow into love, justice, and brotherhood among nations. “Eternal be their memory,” the Patriarch proclaimed.
