As April flowers burst into bloom on the mountain slopes and in the valleys Nagorno Karabakh, there are almost no Armenians there to celebrate the arrival of spring in their ancient homeland.

The 100,000 Armenians who fled en masse after Azerbaijan seized control of Nagorno-Karabakh — the enclave known to Armenians as Artsakh — last September are now facing a bitter winter as homeless refugees in Armenia.

In the pre-dawn hours of yet another tranquil Ottawa morning — Sept. 19 — my cell phone buzzed. With a sense of foreboding and apprehension I speed-read the message that popped up.

An Armenian Catholic bishop told OSV News he hopes that "history will not repeat itself" following a Sept. 20 ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Local Canadian Armenians with loved ones in the land-locked territory of Artsakh, are rallying to galvanize the international community over what experts, activists and residents identify as an unfolding genocide.

It’s Jan. 5 — Christmas eve for Armenians — most of whom are members of the Armenian Apostolic Church, an Orthodox Christian denomination that celebrates Christmas on Jan. 6.

YEREVAN, Armenia – Applying the common faith they professed publicly earlier in the day, Pope Francis and Armenian Apostolic Catholicos Karekin II urged common action on behalf of persecuted Christians, welcome for refugees and defense of the family.

Speaking at Holy Mass Saturday in Gyumri, Armenia, Pope Francis recalled the “terrible devastation” wrought by the massive 1988 earthquake that killed tens of thousands of people and gave thanks “for all that has been rebuilt.”

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis said he would travel to Armenia June 24-26 to promote closer bonds with the Armenian Orthodox church, honour the Armenian people's steadfast faith in the face of tragedy and support them in their efforts to build a peaceful future.