ArmInfo.Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Nourhan Manougian , issued a statement condemning the shameful behavior of the police against the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, in Sardarapat.
"With deep pain and concern, yesterday, on the day of the 106th anniversary of the First Republic of Armenia and the heroic battle of Sardarapat, we learned about a shameful and highly condemnable reality that has no precedent in the entire history of the Republic of Armenia.. During the heroic Battle of Sardarapat, in those fateful days for the Armenian people, the clergy also fought side by side with soldiers, commanders, villagers, builders and intelligentsia, holding a cross in one hand and a weapon in the other.
In those fateful days, the military leadership demanded that the Catholicos of All Armenians, George the Fifth, be transferred to a safer place, and Aram Manukyan proposed to move the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to Sevan for security reasons. They tried in every possible way to ensure the safety of the Armenian Patriarch, to protect him from a possible enemy attack.
Today, 106 years later, the police of the Republic of Armenia not only did not ensure the safety of the Patriarch of All Armenians, but also, showing a hostile attitude, forming a barrier several times and starting fights, tried to stop the procession of the Patriarch of All Armenians Karekin II and the clergy accompanying him at the Sardaparat memorial complex.
On behalf of the Jacobin Military Congregation, we strongly condemn the shameful and dishonest behavior of the RA police towards the Patriarch of All Armenians. We really hope that the RA police will reconsider their practice and attitude towards the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Patriarch of All Armenians, excluding the repetition of such incidents," said the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem.
On May 28, the Armenian police tried to prevent the Catholicos of all Armenians from visiting at the Sardarapat memorial complex. Special police forces blocked the road for the retinue of clergy led by the Catholicos. Nevertheless, the Catholicos managed to visit the complex, hold a prayer service and lay a wreath. However, after his departure, the security of the Prime Minister of Armenia removed the wreath laid by the Catholicos at the memorial. Since the history of modern Armenia, such a disrespectful attitude towards the Supreme Clergy of Armenia is the first time.
Notably, commenting on this incident, Pashinyan assured that the authorities did not campaign the church. As for the incident, as Pashinyan noted, the head of the AAC arrived at the venue for ceremonial events to which he was not invited. "Moreover, the government was not aware of the expectations of the invitation. The police were only trying to clarify whether the Catholicos had arrived in order to continue the "provocative actions" of his supporters and members of the political movement he led. And when they received assurances that the visit was ceremonial, they provided the Catholicos with access to the memorial," Pashinyan said.