Armenian Genocide Commemoration Ceremony – Piazza Lorenzini Garden

A Roman garden dedicated to Armenian memory

In the heart of the Portuense district in Rome, a small green space surrounded by urban buildings bears a name that carries profound historical weight: the Armenian Genocide Garden in Piazza Augusto Lorenzini. Inaugurated on May 28, 2010, it is the site chosen by the city to honor the victims of the 1915 genocide and to provide the local Armenian community with a physical space for remembrance. Every year on April 24th, the official commemoration ceremony is held here—not a spectacle, but a civil and spiritual rite that has become a fixture in the calendar of the Lazio Region and the City of Rome.

Why April 24th

The date is no coincidence. Between April 23 and 24, 1915, hundreds of Armenian intellectuals, writers, and religious leaders were arrested and deported in Constantinople. This marked the beginning of a persecution that, according to most estimates, claimed the lives of approximately 1.5 million people who died during forced marches into the Anatolian interior due to starvation, disease, and exhaustion. Armenians call this event Metz Yeghern, the "Great Evil," and it is considered the first genocide of the 20th century. Today, April 24th is the Day of Remembrance for the Armenian people, observed in dozens of countries with official ceremonies, liturgies, concerts, and moments of reflection.

How the ceremony unfolds

The Roman commemoration is simple in form yet profound in meaning. The garden becomes a meeting place for diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Armenia in Italy—who have included ambassadors to the Italian Republic and the Holy See over the years—alongside leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church, national and municipal authorities, political and diplomatic figures, members of civil society, and, of course, the Armenian community of Rome.

• Gathering of participants in the Piazza Lorenzini garden
• Laying of flowers and wreaths before the commemorative plaque
• Speeches by authorities and Armenian diplomatic representatives
• Prayer service according to the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic Church
• A minute of silence in memory of the victims

The ceremony is brief, typically lasting just over an hour, and participation is open to all: anyone in the neighborhood is welcome to stop by and observe without formality.

Rome, Italy, and the Armenian Question

The commemoration in Portuense is part of a wider network of initiatives that take place across Italy every April 24th, including institutional ceremonies, liturgies, and meetings promoted by Armenian communities and friendship associations. In Rome, the anniversary holds particular resonance due to the presence of the Holy See and the Pontifical Armenian College, which make the city a key European hub for the diaspora. The 2026 anniversary marked the 111th year, reiterating the fundamental call for full recognition of the events of 1915 and vigilance against all forms of persecution.

A place to visit beyond the anniversary

Outside of April 24th, the Piazza Lorenzini garden remains a local green space that has benefited from recent redevelopment programs dedicated to Roman parks. Visitors to Rome looking for paths off the beaten track will find a little-known fragment of the city's geography of memory in Municipio XI, just minutes from Via Portuense and southern Trastevere. For the city's Armenian community, it is simply a place to gather.