On October 19, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II blessed thousands of people participating in a pilgrimage organized by the “In Our Way” movement at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
A collective prayer was held at the Mother Cathedral under the pontifical presidency of His Holiness, after which the Catholicos delivered his message to the gathered faithful, the Information Department of the Mother See reported.
The Catholicos stated that “despite the condemnable anti-church actions of the ruling power, our Holy Church remains unshaken.”
“Your pilgrimage to Holy Etchmiadzin testifies to your love and unwavering devotion to our Holy Church and national values. Throughout the centuries, it is through Etchmiadzin that our people have remained united and steadfast.
Today, our homeland faces grave challenges. External threats are compounded by the distortion of our national values and sacred sense of identity, as well as by internal division, deepened by the sowing of intolerance and hatred, creating new rifts.
Our hearts are heavy seeing how, through political decisions and false accusations, devoted Armenian sons and clergymen—Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, Priest Garegin Arsenyan—as well as the prominent national benefactor Samvel Karapetyan and other civilians, are being imprisoned. Our love and prayers are with them, and we believe that with God’s help, justice will be restored and our unlawfully imprisoned sons, brothers, and sisters will be set free.
Dear ones, we express our gratitude to all of you for your loyalty to our Holy Church and for the support you have shown to the clergy in these turbulent days. Despite the condemnable anti-church actions of the ruling power, our Holy Church remains steadfast and strong through the faith of our people and will continue its divine mission with the same zeal, standing for the interests of our nation and homeland,” Garegin II said.
He called on the faithful to remain firm, not to falter in the face of difficulties and trials, but to “move forward with apostolic courage.”
“Together, through our joint efforts, let us strengthen hope and faith in our lives and build goodness and peace in our country. Through unity and solidarity, we shall realize our common vision of a strong state and a flourishing homeland.
We pray that Almighty God, with His Holy Right Hand, protect our homeland, our Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, and strengthen our people to face all challenges with unwavering spirit. May the Lord grant safety and prosperity to the Armenian nation, both in Armenia and throughout the Diaspora, now and forever. Amen. Your pilgrimage is fulfilled, dear ones,” said the Catholicos.
On October 15, from early morning, the Investigative Committee, accompanied by National Security Service officers, conducted searches at the residence of the Primate of the Aragatsotn Diocese and at the homes of several clergymen. Subsequently, dozens of clerics, including the diocesan leader Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan and lay employees of the diocese, were taken to the Investigative Committee. According to court decisions, Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan has been remanded in custody for two months, and Father Garegin Arsenyan, head of the diocesan administration and pastor of the St. Gevorg Church in Mughni, for one month. Others have been granted witness status.
The Investigative Committee announced that a public criminal prosecution has been initiated against the diocesan leader under two articles of Armenia’s Criminal Code — abuse of official position to interfere with electoral rights, and coercion to participate in assemblies through the use of official authority.
