A joint prayer service by the clergy of the Aragatsotn Diocese, originally scheduled to take place at the St. Hovhannes Church in Byurakan, will now be held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. This change was announced on the diocese’s official Facebook page.

“On December 18, at 17:00, a unified prayer service will be held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. We ask for your prayerful presence during this joint service.

Let us pray together for our spiritual fathers in detention, for those imprisoned or held captive, and for the steadfastness of our Holy Church,” the statement reads.

Earlier, a group of bishops who had met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issued a new statement urging people to join them at the Mother See on December 18 to call for the resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

Following this, numerous citizens, including political and public figures, called for people to gather at the Mother See starting at 15:30 in support of the Church and the Catholicos.