Father Asoghik says nation undergoing a difficult trial

PanARMENIAN.Net - Father Asoghik Karapetyan, a cleric of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, addressed the recent developments surrounding the Church, writing on Facebook that “we are going through a difficult trial as a nation.”

“The God-founded Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual center of all Armenians and the Holy of Holies, remains unshakable under its divinely anointed patriarch.

We are experiencing a national trial; may God be our refuge and strength.

Each of us will answer before our conscience, our nation, and Armenian history. Each of us will stand before the righteous judgment of Almighty God.

Our dedication, faithfulness, and defense of our sacred covenant are historic, just as are our indifference and betrayal.

As a cleric and a humble Armenian Christian, I extend my gratitude to all my compatriots who came today to the Mother See to offer heartfelt prayers in the Cathedral and express their devotion and loyalty to the Armenian Church and its sacred order.

I thank our patriotic members of parliament and public figures who came with a strong sense of responsibility to pray for the sovereignty of the Mother Church and the preservation of national unity.

I also thank the honorable police officers who carried out their duties at the holy site with reverence and respect.

My heartfelt thanks go to our devoted journalists who fulfill their vital mission with dedication, ensuring that the truth reaches everyone for the good of our country, our people, and in honor of our Holy Church.

Truly, I say to you, those who approach Holy Etchmiadzin with deceit, disorder, and division will leave this Christ-built Mother See ashamed and humbled.

May Almighty God abundantly bless our homeland and preserve the Armenian state and its sovereignty.

May the Armenian nation thrive and prosper, empowered and illuminated by the love, hope, faith, and light that eternally flows from our Mother See,” he wrote.

The number of participants in the two parallel gatherings held on the grounds of the Mother See was calculated by the Union of Informed Citizens using aerial photography.

On December 18, two opposing public gatherings were held at the Mother See. The first group, organized following calls from various opposition political forces, arrived at around 3:30 p.m. to support Catholicos Karekin II. The second group, responding to an appeal by ten bishops, demanded the Catholicos' resignation.

Police erected a barrier to separate the two groups.

Using aerial imagery, the Union of Informed Citizens estimated that by 5:40 p.m., around 2,200 people came to support the Catholicos, while approximately 1,020 were in the group demanding his resignation.

The count excluded police officers and individuals inside the church or adjacent buildings. Each participant was counted individually.

On December 18 in Etchmiadzin, the ten bishops who had earlier met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and called for Catholicos Karekin II to step down issued a statement and left swiftly. Simultaneously, a church service was taking place inside the cathedral with the Catholicos present.

Catholicos Karekin II remarked, “Today, another attempt was made to encroach upon Holy Etchmiadzin, sadly, even by some of our clergy. Yet, the faithful children of our people remain unwavering and fearless. The noise stirred in the Church will never disrupt our mission or our goals, which are aimed at the Church’s radiance and the building of our nation.”