On Sunday, April 21, the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was marked in Granite City, Illinois, with a joint event at St. Gregory the Illuminator Church, with the participation of Holy Virgin Mary and Shoghakat Church of Belleville, Illinois. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Rev. Fr. Taniel Manjikian, Pastor. The keynote speaker of the commemoration was Tereza Yerimyan, Government Affairs Director of the Armenian National Committee of America. Other speakers were the chairpersons of the Board of the Trustees of both churches and Br. Ephrem Upart from the Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs office of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis.
