Armenian President Armen Sarkissian travelled to Gyumri today to pay his respects to the thousands of victims of the earthquake that devasted the city and surrounding region in 1988.

In Gyumri’s Holy Virgin Church (Seven Wounds), President Sarkissian attended a liturgy in memory of the earthquake victims.

In attendance were His Eminence Archbishop Ajapahyan, Primate of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Armenian Minister of Emergency Situations Felix Tsolakyan, Governor of Shirak Tigran Petrosyan, Mayor of Gyumri Samvel Balasanyan, along with hundreds of Gyumri residents.

President Sarkissian then laid a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the earthquake and honored their memory with a minute of silence.

Archbishop Ajapahyan then conducted a requiem service for the earthquake victims.