A grand ceremony of consecration of a cross-stone was held in front of the Holy Cross Church in Göppingen, Germany on November 14. The cross-stone was sculptor Tsolak Vardanyan’s contribution from German businessman Johannes Kercher to the Armenian community of Baden-Wurtemberg as a sign of the Armenian-German friendship and in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, report Hayern Aysor’s sources in Germany.

The ceremony was conducted by Primate of the German-Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, His Grace, Archbishop Garegin Bekjyan; pastor of the Armenian community of Baden-Wurtemberg, Priest Tiratur Sardaryan and Deacon Arman Piliposyan. The ceremony included welcome speeches by Primate of the German-Armenian Diocese, His Grace, Archbishop Garegin Bekjyan and RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany Ashot Smbatyan, as well as Mayor of Göppingen Guido Til and donator Johannes Kercher, who mentioned the reasons why he was donating the cross-stone to the Armenian community of Baden-Wurtemberg.

“I want our Armenian friends to know that in Germany they have supporters who will always stand by their side. My goal was to create in Baden-Wurtemberg a place for remembrance of the victims of the Armenian Genocide that would consolidate all the Armenians living in this region,” Mr. Kercher said. The ceremony continued with performances of spiritual music by Stuttgart-based artists, including Soprano Armine Ghukasyan and pianist Isabella Melkonyan.

The artists conveyed positive emotions to the several guests and our compatriots with their performances of German and Armenian spiritual songs. The ceremony ended with the words of gratitude of the community’s spiritual pastor.