The 25th Anniversary of the massacres in Sumgait, which became the catalyst for the war of the independence of Nagorno-Kharabagh, St. John Armenian church offered requiem prayers on March 3, 2013.  Requiem prayers were offered in the courtyard before the memorial in memory of the victims of the massacres. The names of all those known dead were read solemnly one by one. Following the requiem service, a memorial event was held in St. John Fellowship Hall, under the organization Michael Oganessian. a presentation was made regarding the historical facts surrounding the tragic event, and there was also presentation made by the Halo Trust regarding ongoing efforts to remove mines from populated areas.