Pope Leo Canonizes Armenian Genocide Martyr Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan at Vatican

On October 19, at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, a historic canonization ceremony took place, presided over by Pope Leo XIV. The event honored Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan, an Armenian clergyman who was martyred in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide, along with six other blessed individuals.

Images of the six blesseds, including Archbishop Maloyan, were displayed on the façade of St. Peter’s Basilica. Before the ceremony, brief biographies of the blesseds were read to the large crowd gathered in the square. Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan was the first to be presented.

Archbishop Maloyan was born on April 19, 1869, in Mardin, Turkey. He was ordained as a priest in Lebanon and was a member of the Zmahr monastic order. He served in Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt, before returning to the Ottoman Empire. There, he worked in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) and later in his hometown of Mardin.

In 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, Archbishop Maloyan was imprisoned and pressured to renounce his faith. He refused and was ultimately martyred on June 11, 1915, standing firm in his Christian beliefs until the very end.

The canonization drew thousands of pilgrims from around the world. About 1,500 Armenian pilgrims attended to witness this significant moment in Armenian Christian history.

Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan had previously been declared blessed in Rome in 2001, under Pope John Paul II. His canonization marks a historic recognition of his sacrifice and steadfast faith.

This ceremony at the Vatican celebrates his life and dedication, honoring not only Archbishop Maloyan but also the enduring spirit of those who suffered for their faith during one of the darkest periods in Armenian history.

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