Metn – Armenian Orthodox Catholicos for the House of Cilica, Aram I, presided Saturday over the Divine Liturgy dedicated for the souls of a million and a half martyrs to rest in peace, during a Mass held at the courtyard of the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator in Antelias marking the 106th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at the hands of the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

In his religious sermon on the occasion, Aram I said: “April 24th is not a day for remembrance of our martyrs, but rather a day for deepening our faith, strengthening our will and strengthening our commitment to their sacred heritage in order to recover the usurped rights of our people.”

He added, “We live in a volatile world, which requires us to review and re-assess our approach and our strategy, as well as our tactical struggle, on condition that we do not retreat from our basic principles and goals.”

Referring to Turkey’s expansionist policy in various political and economic ways, wherever it finds fertile ground, he said: “We must not make the Caucasus a fertile ground for Turkey’s expansionist policy, and not bury our legitimate rights under the ashes.”

“The Arab world has also become a scene for the expansionist Turkish-Turanist policy. So we ask what is Turkey doing in Libya, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and other Arab countries…? Sometimes under a humanitarian cover and other times under a religious and social cloak, Turkey permeates the Arab world and poses a grave threat to destabilize political, economic and security stability with the aim of consolidating its presence in the Arab world,” Aram I cautioned.

He concluded by saying: “We believe that the bitter experience that the Arab world witnessed in the past, and is experiencing today, should prompt Arab countries to be alert and wary of Turkey’s penetrations and their negative consequences in the region.”

Source: National News Agency