Յառաջաբան

In the annals of Christian martyrdom, few stories shine with the luminous courage and unwavering faith displayed by Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan of Mardin during the darkest chapter of the Ottoman Empire's final years. His testimony stands as a beacon of spiritual fortitude, a man who chose death over the abandonment of his sacred calling and beliefs. The events that unfolded in Mardin during 1915 provide us with one of the most complete and harrowing accounts of Christian persecution during the Armenian and Assyrian genocides, and at its heart stands the noble figure of Archbishop Maloyan—a shepherd who refused to abandon his flock even unto death. The Gathering Storm The ancient city of Mardin, perched on the hills of southeastern Turkey, had long been home to diverse Christian communities—Armenians, Chaldeans, and Syriacs who had worshipped in these lands for centuries. As the Great War erupted in 1914, the winds of change began to blow ominously across the Ottoman Empire. Th...