The Armenian Church of St. Sarkis in Kensington, London, celebrated the eve of its patronal festival on 19 February with an Ecumenical Service for Peace. Officiating was the Right Rev’d Dr. Vahan Hovhanessian, Primate of the Armenian Church of Great Britain , assisted by Fr. Snork Bagdassarian. The Mayor and Mayoress of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea were present, as were a number of ecumenical visitors, including H.E. Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira (Oecumenical Patriarchate), Abba Seraphim (British Orthodox Church within the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate & the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches), Archpriest Vadim Zakrevsky (representing Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh, Moscow Patriarchate). A canon of the diocese of St. David’s (Church in Wales) read the Old Testament lection and Abba Seraphim read the epistle, before Fr. Snork intoned the Gospel. Fr. Vahan spoke briefly about St. Sarkis and his significance today. Towards the end of the service Dr. Hratch Tchilingirian, Hon. President of the St. Sarkis Church Trust made a presentation and spoke in honour of Mr. John Kurkjian and Deacon Stepan Ovanessoff, two long-serving former trustees, who had both recently retired after more than forty years of devoted service to the Trust, the Church and their associated Armenian charities.

Following the service a reception took place for the whole congregation in the Church hall.