YEREVAN–In a statement issued last week–Karekin I–the Catholicos of All Armenia’s offered his condolences on the passing of Armenian Revolutionary Federation leader and longtime Bureau representative Hrair Maroukhian to his family and friends.
As reported previously by Asbarez–Maroukhian–who passed away on Dec. 21–was laid to rest Saturday in Yerevan. Thousands of mourners took part in the procession which extended from Central Yerevan to the City Pantheon–the late leader’s final resting place. In addition–thousands of condolence messages have thus far been received by the Maroukhian family as well as by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. The Southern California community remembered the great leader at a memorial gathering Saturday–sponsored by the ARF Central Committee of Western United States.
For extensive coverage of the funeral proceedings–please turn to the Armenian Section of this issue. In addition–Horizon Television will cover the Saturday events in Yerevan on its nightly broadcast tommorow.
The translated text of the Catholicos’ condolence message appears below.
With great heartache–we were informed of your valuable husband’s–father’s and longtime personal friend Hrair Maroukhian’s passing.
We pray to our Almighty God to receive his soul in peace in His heavens.
As a husband and your family’s father–he–at all times–showed his love and dedication to you all–instilling in you human values along with cultivating Armenian national and cultural aspirations.
We are all well aware of his love for his nation–his dedicated spirit and his values as a leader. He expressed his ideological and national aspirations from within the ran’s of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation–as well as from positions of responsibility–at all times holding the re-establishment of his homeland’s independence as an ultimate goal.
We are certain that his soul will rest in peace when he sees his worshipped homeland in its independent and developing state.
On behalf of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin and personally–please accept our heartfelt condolences to you and to all of his colleagues.
May God bestow upon all members of the Maroukhian family and his colleagues healthy and prosperous years.
Karekin I
Catholicos of All Armenia’s