Pilgrimage to Celebrate 1700 Years of Christianity in Armenia and Karabagh
LONDON, England - Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is arranging a pilgrimage next May in the beautiful land of Nagorno Karabagh to show its solidarity with the Armenian people as they celebrate 1700 years of Christianity. Armenia was the first nation in the world to embrace Christianity in 301AD. The Armenians have suffered greatly over history. They were victims of the first genocide of the 20th century when one and a half million were killed by Turks and Western Armenia was annexed by Turkey.
In the 1920s, Stalin cut off Eastern Armenia and placed it as a separate enclave in Azerbaijan. The 150,000 Armenians living in this little land endured indescribable hardship when Azerbaijan tried to carry out ethnic cleansing in the 1990s.
A cease-fire currently prevails and the Armenians are trying to re-build their shattered lives and shattered land. Among the priorities are their churches. The pilgrimage will start with a service at the new beautiful little church of l,achin from where the pilgrims will walk to the historic town of Shushi for a service in the rebuilt church. Thereafter they will walk to the beautiful 12th-century church at Gandzasar in Northern Karabagh where the pilgrimage will end with a final service of worship and celebration.
Dates: The pilgrimage will begin on May 6 in Lachin and finish in Gandzasar on May 13.
Daily distances to be walked will not exceed 20 km (approximately 12/13 miles). Nights will be spent under tents. A mountain rescue team will be supporting the pilgrimage and transporting the equipment so pilgrims will not have to carry their own tents or other supplies. The mountain rescue team will also kindly be arranging for food and providing guides, first aid support etc.
The cost of the pilgrimage for each pilgrim will be US $200 or approximately E140 Sterling. This will include travel from Yerevan to Lachin and Gandzasar and back to Yerevan; food; costs for the mountain rescue team and their helpers; as well as a donation to the churches in Karabagh.
Participants will be expected to make their own travel arrangements to and from Yerevan and to arrange for accommodations for themselves in Yerevan. However, local organizations will assist with arrangements, ranging from the cheapest facilities to more "deluxe" alternatives.
Numbers are strictly limited to 70. Bookings will be taken on a first-come, first served basis so interested individuals should book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. However, please bear in mind that physical fitness will be required both for the walking and for overnight camping.
For further information and/or booking, interested persons may contact Caroline Cox (020 8204 7336) or Andrew Jacobson at CSW headquarters (020 8942 8810).
Helicopter Pilgrimages
Further details will also be available about the "Helicopter Pilgrimages" for those who would not be in a position to travel on foot and/or whose time is limited but would like to visit the holy sites of Artsakh in this year. These "helicopter pilgrimages" will also serve a very useful function in providing opportunities for the helicopter pilots, brave war veterans with excellent flying experience.
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