ArmInfo. The Armenian Police considers that at the current stage there is no need to interfere in the situation related to the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, Police Chief Valery Osipyan told journalists on July 10.
According to him, the actions of the participants of the protest are still within the law, and there are no reasons for interference of law enforcement forces.
To note, rallies have been held in Armenia for several weeks demanding the resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. In particular, the protesters claimed that valuable exhibits were sold from the repository of the Echmiadzin Museum, in particular, the relics of the saints and the Holy Lance. In turn, representatives of the church said that the Lance was not sold, a piece of it was cut off and presented as a gift to the mayor of one of the Russian cities. In support of his words on July 7, the Lance was taken out of the vault and shown to the faithful. However, rumors were spread immediately about the authenticity of the spear. A few days ago, activists of the movement "New Armenia - New Patriarch" broke into the building of the Chancellery of St. Echmiadzin. Head of the Chancellery of the Holy See of Holy Etchmiadzin Bishop Arshak Khachatryan estimated the actions of the demonstrators as an attack on the church. "The Chancellery is captured, and we are forced to stop our work. I consider this step as a persecution against the national church. I hope that the law enforcement bodies will draw the necessary conclusions to protect the national church from persecution, "Bishop Arshak Khachatryan said. This morning the Police cleared the territory of the administrative building of the Holy Echmiadzin from the members of the "New Armenia- New Patriarch" initiative.