Gomidas Vartabed Statue, Detroit

The Gomidas Vartabed Statue in Detroit stands as a poignant tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who perished during the 1915 Armenian Genocide. Located on Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center, and adjacent to Hart Plaza and the Cobo and Joe Louis Arenas, this monument occupies a prominent place in the city.

Crafted from bronze and granite, the statue was a collaborative project between the Michael M. Assarian Foundation and the Armenian Monument Committee, with Arto Chakmakjian serving as the architect. It was officially unveiled in 1980.

The inscription on the monument reads: "We Detroit Armenians dedicate this monument to the memory of our 1,500,000 Armenian martyrs massacred during the 1915 Genocide."

Gomidas Vartabed, born Soghomon Soghomonian in 1869 in Kütahya, Ottoman Empire, was an Armenian priest, composer, and musicologist. Orphaned at a young age, he was sent to Etchmiadzin, the center of the Armenian Church, for his education. Despite initially not speaking Armenian, he became a pivotal figure in preserving Armenian folk music.

In 1915, Gomidas was among the Armenian intellectuals arrested during the genocide. Although he was eventually released, the traumatic experience profoundly affected him, leading to his exile in Paris, where he died in 1935.

Every April 24th, Armenian-Americans from the Detroit area gather at the Gomidas monument to honor the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, ensuring that the memory of those lost continues to be acknowledged and respected.