Armenians Pray for Quake Victims

Armenians in Los Angeles County gathered in their churches Thursday to commemorate the devastating earthquake that struck their homeland a year ago, immediately killing 26,000. Thousands more died later from injuries or disease and more than 520,000 were left homeless, leaders of the local Armenian community said.

“There is a need to recognize this tragedy that has befallen us,” said Garen Yegparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee’s Western Region. “There is also this sense of the series of tragedies that has befallen the Armenian people in this century.”

Yegparian said those tragedies include what they refer to as the 1915-1923 genocide when 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Turks, atrocities against Armenians during the Stalin era and the more recent suppression of dissent in Soviet Armenia.

“Armenians have a tremendous will to overcome, survive and re-establish ourselves,” Yegparian said.

His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians, directed Armenian churches to ring their bells at 11:43 a.m. Thursday to observe the anniversary. Armenian churches in Los Angeles County held morning and evening services to remember the tragedy.