AFRICA/EGYPT - The Coptic Patriarch will participate in the commemorations of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, to be held in Yerevan

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - Pope Tawadros II, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, will travel to Yerevan on April 20 to take part in the most significant events planned to commemorate the centenary of the Armenian Genocide. Pope Tawadros’ visit to Armenia will last about a week.
Sources of the Coptic Patriarchate consulted by Agenzia Fides report that it will be the first participation of a Coptic Orthodox Patriarch in official commemorations of the Armenian Genocide.
The Armenian Apostolic Church and the Coptic Church belong to the group of Oriental Orthodox Churches, also referred to as "pre-chaldedonian", because they had refused some Christological formulations defined at the Council of Chalcedon (year 451).
The commemoration of the centenary of the "Big Evil" will culminate in the liturgy for the canonization of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, scheduled for April 23 in Yerevan, at the Patriarchal See of Echmiadzin Catholicosate, governed by Patriarch Karekin II. About forty Churches, ecclesial communities and ecumenical bodies, have already confirmed the presence of a delegation to the rite of canonization. On that same day, at 19.15 - hour chosen to symbolically recall the year 1915 - all Armenian churches in the world, except those scattered on Turkish territory, will ring bells. (GV) (Agenzia Fides 16/04/2015)