Yerevan /Mediamax/. On the evening of 28 October 2015, an unprecedented ecumenical church service dedicated to the sacred memory of the holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide took place at Westminster Abbey.

The service with the participation of the Anglican and Armenian Apostolic churches, was presided over by His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos and the Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians. 

The event was unique in nature, given that hitherto no such ecumenical service commemorating the Armenian Genocide had taken place in the UK.

Among the dignitaries attending the service were President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, His Royal Highness Prince Charles, representing the Royal Family, the Lord Mayor of Westminster, representatives of the Government and the Parliament of the United Kingdom, Ambassadors and diplomats representing various countries, bishops and prelates of  the Anglican, Catholic and Orthodox churches, Armenians living in the U.K. as well as representatives of Armenian communities worldwide.

The event was organized and sponsored by Dr. Armen Sarkissian, the Armenian Ambassador of Armenia in UK.

During the service the Anglican and Armenian ecclesiasts successively recited prayers and read passages from the Bible. The hymns were sung by the choir of St. Yeghishe Armenian Church.

In his sermon the Dean of Westminster Abbey, John Hall, referred to the story of Cain, who killed his brother Abel. Drawing a parallel, he mentioned victims of the Armenian Genocide, who lost their lives at the hands of criminals, whose hearts were filled with hatred. Recalling the newly sanctified martyrs of the Armenian Genocide, the Dean asked for their prayers and blessings for the salvation of our souls.

The representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London and pastor of the Royal Family, His Grace Lord Richard Charters, delivered a sermon befitting the occasion followed by the hymn dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.

Prayers were read by the children of genocide survivors: Assadour Guzelian, Shake Major-Tchilingirian, Elen Adamyan and Ambassador Armen Sarkissian. Prayers were also read by pastors Christopher Shots, Vernon White and Baroness Caroline Cox. 

The service was concluded when His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, delivered his message, prayers and blessings, followed by the Patriarchal hymn, the national anthems of Armenia and the United Kingdom.