On December 7, 2013 at 11:41 AM in Armenian churches around the world the bells rang, reminding the world and the people of the world-shaking, devastating earthquake that hit Armenia in 1988. 25 years have passed and every year on this fatal day people lit candles and pray to God in memory of the victims.

On December 7, the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan and the clergy conducted a requiem mass at Surb Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi. The mass was attended by Georgian MP Ruslan Poghosian, Advisor to the President of Georgia and the editor of "Vrastan" ("Georgia") Van Baiburtian, leaders of community-based organizations, intellectuals, members of the public, and the faithful.

At the end of the religious ceremony the Head of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia addressed the audience. His Grace called the earthquake God’s test, which befell the Armenian people in the hard days of the Artsakh War, when Armenia was under blockade, he told about ruined cities and villages, countless dead and wounded, homeless and unconscious people. From an unexpected blow time seemed to have stopped… But people’s faith didn’t allow them to surrender to pain and despair. People had found the strength to get back on their feet and due to the comprehensive assistance of many countries all over the world to rebuild the ruined cities and villages, to be comforted in the memories of irreversible loss.

The Primate of the Diocese underlined support provided by neighboring Christian Georgia and the Georgian people. He highly appreciated the humanism of Jumber Patiashvili, the former Georgian leader, which was a manifestation of centuries-old friendship and support of the two neighboring states.

The requiem mass in memory of the earthquake victims was conducted and a prayer service for safety from such disasters was held at all operating churches of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia.