Escalating Tensions: Armenian Church Condemns Government’s Accusations

OCP News Service and armenianchurch.org– 24/05/2024

Yerevan-Armenia: On May 23,  under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a meeting of Armenian bishops and diocesan Primates was held in the Mother See in Holy Etchmiadzin.

The materials included in the agenda of the meeting were related to the challenges facing the motherland, the problems affecting the society and the issues related to the mission of the Church.

A reference was also made to the accusations raised against the Armenian Church by the RA authorities in recent days, on the occasion of which the congregation made a statement.

STATEMENT

Various representatives of the RA government, including the Prime Minister, in these days of public revolt against unilateral territorial concessions in Tavush under the name of demarcation, have again started to target the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, throwing out various false statements and untrue theories related to the historical mission and current activity of the Church.

It is even more surprising that obvious accusations are made regarding the non-payment of taxes by the Church when the official statistics simply document the fulfillment of the tax obligations established by the law of the Republic of Armenia. It is especially reprehensible when the head of the government accuses the Armenian Church of being an “agent of influence” both in the past and today, with baseless accusations and unprovoked intent.

We express our sorrow that the current authorities address the problems in Church-state relations unbecoming of their situation, also by using tools of threats, pressures and misinformation.

It is necessary that the representatives of the RA government, aware of their responsibility before the nation and the motherland, reflect on the historic patriotic and nationalistic role of the Church, which is also fixed by the RA Constitution, and review the adopted policy.

We pray that God will grant peace to our homeland, prosperity and security to our people.

Source:
OCP News Services