PASADENA, CA – On the evening of Friday, April 22, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation “Lernavayr” Gomideh organized a candlelight vigil at the Pasadena Armenian Genocide Memorial in Pasadena’s Memorial Park to commemorate the 107th anniversary of Armenian Genocide.
“The event is a solemn occasion to remember the 1.5 million Armenian lives taken by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915-1923,” said Hilda Saliba, chairperson of the ARF “Lernavayr” Gomideh.
Berj Parseghian, director of the Armenian Youth Federation’s Pasadena Juniors Chapter opened the program and introduced AYF junior Tara Arouchian and AYF senior Gregory Balian, in order for them to give their message to the event’s participants. The theme of their remarks was “Actions, Not Words.”
Reverend Father Boghos Baltayan of the Pasadena St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church offered a prayer in honor of the innocent lives lost and expressed a message of resilience to the community.
Participants lit candles, laid flowers at the memorial and concluded the event by the singing of “Mer Hayrenik,” the national anthem of Armenia.
