Karekin II: Despite ruling authorities` reprehensible anti-church  actions, Holy Church remains steadfast

ArmInfo.  On October 19, the "In Our Way"  movement, led by Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, called on citizens concerned about the fate of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) to make a pilgrimage to the Mother  See of Holy Etchmiadzin to show support  for the Church against the  attacks of the current Armenian authorities.

The call invited people to come to Etchmiadzin and express  solidarity. A liturgy was held at the Cathedral on October 19 at 6:00  PM, followed by participants forming a candlelit chain around the  church  and praying. The liturgy was celebrated by Catholicos of All  Armenians Karekin II. He blessed the thousands of pilgrims from the  "In Our Way" movement and addressed them with a message at the  spiritual center of all Armenians.

"With the patriarchal blessing, we welcome you to the Mother See of  Holy Etchmiadzin, where divine faith, patriotism, and the national  spirit are passed down to Armenians from generation to generation.  Your pilgrimage to Holy Etchmiadzin is a testament to your love and  unwavering devotion to our Holy Church and national values. Thanks to  Holy Etchmiadzin our people have maintained unity and resilience over  the centuries. Today, our homeland faces grave challenges. Severe  external threats, along with the distortion of sacred notions of  national values and identity, and internal divisions that are  exacerbated by the inculcation of intolerance and hatred, are  creating new divisions," the Catholicos noted. 

He added that the hearts of Armenians are saddened to see how, due to  political decisions and false and fabricated charges, devoted  Armenians and clergy are being deprived of their freedom: His  Holiness Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, His Holiness Archbishop Bagrat  Galstanyan, His Holiness Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, His Holiness  Garegin Arsenyan, the great national benefactor Mr. Samvel Karapetyan  and other public figures. "Our love and prayers are with them, and we  believe that with God's help, we will be able to restore justice so  that our children, our brothers and sisters, who are unlawfully  imprisoned, can be released. Beloved, we express our gratitude to all  of you for your faithfulness to our Holy Church and for the support  you have provided to the clergy during these troubling days. Despite  the reprehensible anti- church actions of the ruling authorities, our  Holy Church is steadfast, strong, faithful to our people, and will  continue to fulfill its mission with the same zeal, also striving to  protect the interests of our nation and Fatherland," Karekgin II  added.

Additionally, the Catholicos of All Armenians called on the faithful  of the Church to remain strong, not to weaken, and not to give in to  the challenges and trials that have befallen the Armenian people, He  urged them to move forward with apostolic courage. "For 'God has not  given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power, and of love, and of  self-control' (2 Tim. 1:7). Together, through joint efforts, we will  strengthen hope and faith in our lives, and promote goodness and  peace in our country. Through solidarity and unity, we must be able  to realize our shared visions of strengthening the state and building  the Fatherland," the Catholicos of All Armenians stated.