Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Dear Children of Our Homeland and the Diaspora: These are hard days of pain, distress, and anxiety we are living through, after confronting the horrors of war. We have suffered the martyrdom of thousands of our heroic children; endured the loss of a significant part of the historical realm of Artsakh; and witnessed the greatest of external threats to our existence. These are the catastrophic consequences of the war, which have left our souls shaken, and undermined solidarity and national unity—in the homeland and the diaspora. What is more, the current difficult situation—a deep internal political crisis—has posed new dangers to our native country. Serious challenges have arisen, and an urgent solution is vitally needed. These troubling developments have been the subject of intense discussion among the bishops who comprise the Supreme Spiritual Council of our Holy Apostolic Church. I have also met personally with the President of the Republic, the Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly, and representatives of various political and national organizations. The conviction shared by all is that this destructive situation must be resolved in an exclusively constitutional way, under conditions of national solidarity and common sense. Ahead of the alarming developments taking place in our country, we also met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Nikol Pashinyan. With the country facing growing internal tensions, serious external challenges, and diminished public confidence in the Prime Minister, we urged him to step down as Prime Minister to prevent further disruptions, possible clashes, and tragic consequences in public life. With this in mind, we now call on Armenia’s National Assembly to act responsibly at this critical juncture for our homeland: to listen to the calls of the general public; to elect a new Prime Minister in consultation with the political parties; and to form an interim government of national unity. Only such a government—composed of experienced professionals who hold the public trust—will be able to resolve the problems our people face, restore national solidarity and unity, and organize the extraordinary parliamentary elections that are indisputably necessary. We convey our paternal counsel to our faithful people, the authorities, and the opposition political parties, to refrain from words and actions that would provoke violence and sow hatred in these days of trial. As a nation, we must bring forth a united effort to overcome the current crisis. The vivid memory of our martyred heroes fills our hearts—as does our sacred covenant to fulfill the vision they cherished. Let us unite in working for the bright future of our homeland—and for the peaceful, secure, and prosperous life of our people. May God grant His protection and sustenance to our people and our homeland.