Armenian Apostolic Holy Church Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On June 16–21, the Monastic Assembly was held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, during which the participants issued a statement in light of the anti-Church campaign recently instigated by the authorities of the Republic of Armenia:

“We, the monastic clergy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, gathered here during the grace-filled celebrations of Araratian Week and participating in the 9th Monastic Assembly, faithful to our sacred oath, once again affirm our sincere filial love and unconditional loyalty to the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and to our Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II.

We deem unacceptable and strongly condemn the anti-Church and anti-national course pursued by the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia in all its forms.

As the clergy of the Armenian Church, we exhort our beloved faithful people in the Motherland and throughout the Diaspora:

• Remain unwavering in your holy and true faith, as devoted and loyal children of the Mother Church; do not yield to malicious provocations or fleeting anti-national sentiments. Preserve prudence, decency, and moral integrity. With love and steadfast faith, safeguard the supreme values of the Homeland and the Church, placing them above personal or group interests for the sake of national unity and peace in our state.

•Let us remain firmly rooted in our national identity, steadfast in Christian values, preserving the sacred character of our national and spiritual heritage. United in spirit, let us overcome all internal and external challenges and threats in the spirit of the apostolic exhortation: "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." (2 Corinthians 13:11)

We call upon the authorities of the Republic of Armenia:

•To cease attacks against the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the Catholicos of All Armenians, and the entire clergy—actions which not only offend the religious and spiritual sentiments of the faithful but also destroy the foundations of social harmony and may lead to grave consequences, jeopardizing the security of our people, our statehood, and our national sovereignty.

• Amid the ongoing military operations in our region,  fully assume responsibility for addressing the grave security challenges facing the nation, including the preservation of social cohesion and national unity, for the good of our people.

• To ensure the consistent protection of the rights of the forcibly displaced Armenians of Artsakh, to support the resolution of their social challenges, and to take meaningful steps toward preserving the historical, spiritual, and cultural heritage of Artsakh, which now stands under the threat of destruction.

In the face of the many challenges confronting our Homeland and the Church, we, the monastic clergy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin—supported by the monastic congregations of the Hierarchical Sees of the Armenian Church, including the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople—servants of Almighty God and spiritual shepherds of the devout Armenian people, fully conscious of the high calling of our vocation, united in thought and deed, will continue to selflessly serve the historic mission of the Armenian Church for the salvation of souls and the strengthening of the nation—for the glory of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the edification of our Homeland, Armenia.