Armenian clergy condemn Armenian authorities` actions - statement 

ArmInfo. At the initiative of the Diocesan Council of the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and with the blessing of His Holiness  Yezras, a meeting of the diocesan clergy, the diocesan council, and  the chairmen and representatives of parish councils from various  cities was held in Moscow, resulting in the adoption of a joint  statement. 

"We, the clergy of the Russian and New Nakhichevan Diocese of the  Armenian Apostolic Church, the chairmen and representatives of  parishes from Vladivostok to Kaliningrad, from Central Asia to  Belarus and Moldova, are deeply concerned and strongly condemn the  unconstitutional, anti-church, and godless actions of the authorities  of the Republic of Armenia, the illegal detentions and arrests of  clergy and children who love the Church on trumped-up charges.

These actions by the authorities destroy national unity and sow  discord and hostility among the Armenian people. For the sake of  preserving statehood, national unity, faith, and the steadfastness of  the Church, we reaffirm our unwavering devotion to the Mother See of  Holy Etchmiadzin-the spiritual center of all Armenians-and to the  popularly elected Patriarch, His Holiness, Catholicos of All  Armenians, Garegin II," the statement reads.

As a reminder, on December 7, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan  participated in the so-called liturgy at the Seven Wounds Church in  Gyumri. However, not a single clergyman of the Shirak Diocese agreed  to conduct the liturgy for the Armenian prime minister, as one of the  conditions was to omit the name of the Catholicos of All Armenians  and the head of the diocese from the service. Consequently, the  Armenian authorities were forced to bring their own puppet bishops,  who opposed the Catholicos.

Furthermore, officers from the National Security Service of Armenia  sealed the church doors that evening, preventing anyone from  entering. Thus, for the first time in 200 years, the bells of the  Seven Wounds Church did not ring on the morning of December 7,  inviting the faithful to the liturgy. It is also noteworthy that,  despite attempts by the Armenian authorities to avoid mentioning the  Catholicos's name during the liturgy, the Church choir nonetheless  sang the names of both Karekin II and Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan,  the head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, who  was imprisoned on trumped-up charges.

On December 7, the Mother See of Etchmiadzin announced the indefinite  postponement of the bishops' meeting scheduled for December 10-12 due  to increasing pressure on the clergy.

In May, the Armenian Prime Minister launched a campaign against the  Armenian Apostolic Church, seeking the resignation of Karekin II,  Catholicos of All Armenians. As part of this campaign, all  dissenters, both clergy and ordinary citizens, are being imprisoned  on various serious charges.