The Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) is steadfast despite the anti-church actions of the ruling power, including imprisonment for political decisions, false and fabricated accusations of devoted citizens and clergy. This was stated by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II in an address to the pilgrims after the liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin.
The pilgrimage took place at the call of the Mer Dzevov movement ("In our Way"), a Russian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who was previously arrested in Yerevan. About a thousand citizens came to the shrine to express their support for the Armenian Apostolic Church against the background of the anti-church campaign launched by the authorities at the end of May 2025.
"Our hearts grieve to see how devoted Armenians and clergymen are deprived of their freedom due to political decisions, false and fabricated accusations," the Catholicos said. His speech was published by the Armenian Apostolic Church press office. He also listed the figures who, in his opinion, became victims of the anti-church campaign.
Garegin II expressed confidence that with "God's help, we will be able to restore justice so that our children, our brothers and sisters, who were illegally imprisoned, can be released." "We express our gratitude to all of you for your loyalty to our Holy Church and for the support you have provided to the clergy during these troubled days. Despite the reprehensible anti-church actions of the ruling power, our Holy Church is steadfast, strong, loyal 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," the Catholicos of All Armenians added.
Garegin II drew attention to the fact that the country is facing serious challenges today: external threats are combined with the distortion of sacred ideas about national values and identity, with internal division, which is further deepened by the spread of intolerance and hatred, giving rise to new disagreements. At the same time, he expressed his conviction that the pilgrimage of citizens to Holy Etchmiadzin (the residence of the Catholicos) testifies to love and unwavering devotion to the church and national values.
Earlier, the Armenian Apostolic Church reported the detention of 13 clergymen, including the primate of the Aragatsotn diocese, Bishop Mkrtich (Hayk Proshyan). He was imprisoned for two months on charges of forcing him to participate in rallies. Together with him, Garegin Arsenyan, rector of the Surb Gevorg Monastery in Mugni, Aragatsotn region, was arrested for a month for aiding and abetting participation in rallies. The opposition claimed that what was happening was part of a campaign launched by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan against the Armenian Apostolic Church in an attempt to overthrow the Catholicos.