ETCHMIADZIN. – A requiem mass was held in the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin for the Armenian children that were the victims of the terrorist attack on November 11 near the St. Sargis Armenian Church and the Holy Translators Armenian National School in Damascus.

His Eminence Archbishop Voskan Gaplanyan, Member of the Brotherhood of the Mother See, gave remarks and with deep agony and sorrow reflected on the tragedy that had happened a week ago in the Holy Translators Armenian National School in Damascus.  His Eminence strictly condemned such inhumane actions, noting that murdering children is the greatest sin, as all children must be taken care of and protected regardless of their religion, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin press office reported.

Archbishop Voskan conveyed condolences to the parents and relatives of the deceased from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. At the conclusion, the clergy and all the present faithful extended their joint prayers for the repose of the victims’ souls.

Two small Armenian children died last week in the Christian district of the Syrian capital city Damascus.  The two children that died are: Hovhannes Atokanian, 6 (Grade 1), and Vanessa Mikho Bedros (Grade 3).