Armenian Apostolic Holy Church Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Beloved faithful,

At this hour, we gathered beneath the blessed arches of this holy Cathedral to unite our prayers for our sisters and brothers who have been forcibly displaced from Artsakh and made refugees, for the restoration of their rights, and particularly for the release of our captive compatriots and their soon return to their families. We beseech our Heavenly Lord to strengthen the people of Artsakh, deprived of their homeland and homes, as well as our captive children enduring humiliation, pain, and suffering, and their families, praying with us within this sacred house of the Only Begotten.

As a consequence of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, Artsakh's territory was seized and became depopulated and emptied of its native Armenians.

More than 120,000 Armenians have been forcibly uprooted from their ancestral ancient homeland, sovereign borderlands of the Republic of Armenia have been occupied, and the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Armenian people in Artsakh has been desecrated and destroyed—churches, villages, cemeteries, and memorials alike. Today, with one voice, we raise our prayer as a plea for justice and truth, denouncing the crimes committed against humanity, the acts of genocide inflicted upon the Armenian people of Artsakh, the barbaric erasure of its sacred and cultural treasures, and the unlawful imprisonment of our children in the jails of Baku. In our modern age, which upholds the primacy of human rights and freedoms, such atrocities are intolerable and must be met with the strongest condemnation. 

Tomorrow, the capital of Azerbaijan will host the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. We trust that the enduring and inviolable principles at the heart of the United Nations—the defense of human life, dignity, and justice—will be manifest through decisive action to release our captives and protect the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh. 

In this regard, We have formally appealed to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. António Guterres, seeking the support of the highest levels of the UN to advance the urgent release of our captives.

Dear beloved, as negotiations continue around a peace agreement, Armenia and its people face relentless pressures and threats from Azerbaijan.

Yet, it is well known that true and lasting peace can only be built upon the firm foundations of justice and truth. Such peace bears good fruits in the life of humanity, preventing the spread of hatred and hostility and sparing the world the calamities and disasters they produce. It is only through our shared longing for the God-given gifts of freedom, peace, and justice that the clamor of war will fall silent, and, in place of sorrow and suffering, love and goodness will prevail.

We remain hopeful that, in fidelity to the principles of international humanitarian law, the international community and human rights organizations will act decisively to restore the natural and rightful life of the Armenians of Artsakh in their ancestral homeland.

Indeed, it is through truth and justice that peaceful coexistence and cooperation are reinforced, safeguarding the progress of societies and securing a bright future for all peoples. 

As Sacred Scripture teaches: “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:18).

Beloved, it is with gratitude that We acknowledge the prayers being lifted today by our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world, through the efforts of the World Council of Churches and other ecumenical entities, for the release of the captives and the protection of the rights of displaced Armenians.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sister Churches and ecumenical organizations for their sincere and compassionate support during these difficult times and for their principled commitment to Our appeal by joining in this solemn prayer.

From the depth of our hearts, we offer our supplication to the All-Merciful God, asking that He preserve our homeland and the world in peace, strengthen our scattered people with unwavering faith amid the trials they face, and swiftly grant freedom to all our captive children.

May the Lord's love, grace, and mercy rest upon us all. Amen.