Vartanats commemoration

On Thursday the 19th of February 2009, was organized in cooperation with the three Armenian communities of Kessab the commemoration ceremony of the Vartanats’ day at the St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Kessab. The event started directly after the holy mass, with the presence of the three spiritual lay leaders of the three Armenian communities of Kessab. The opening speech was given by the pastor Sevag Trashian; the Pastor of the Armenian Evangelic church of Kessab. The main speaker on the occasion was father Karekin Keoshkerian; the head of the Armenian catholic community of Kessab. After praising the legacy that Vartan and his followers have left to us, he continued his speech focusing on the present time and the challenges and threats it imposes on Armenians everywhere. He emphasized that the battles in putting up with these challenges paralyze the concept of the Vartanants at the time it happened.The collective choir of the three churches performed several event-related songs directed by father Karekin Keoshkerian. The event was concluded by father Yeghishe Sarkissian; the priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Kessab who fulfilled the event repeating the prayer.