Message of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, on the New Year
31.12.2024
Beloved faithful people,
On this deeply symbolic New Year's Eve, we extend our pontifical love and blessings to you all—both in our homeland and across the diaspora.
We welcome the salvific year 2025. Amid our unresolved concerns and struggles, we enter the New Year with optimism and hopeful expectations. The hopeful spirit of the New Year dwells within our homes, churches, and places of service—wherever we gather to share our wishes and warm feelings.
The New Year is a moment for self-examination, a time to reflect on the challenges that weigh upon our national and homeland life. New Year is a renewal invitation, a call to envision the future and embark on the path of building a safer, more prosperous, and thriving life. The apostle instructs us: "And to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." (Ephesians 4:23-24).
Heeding this biblical exhortation and walking the path of love, kindness, and justice, we will be able, beloved ones, to face even the most difficult and seemingly insurmountable situations. Through collective effort, we shall find the strength to overcome hardships, transform trials into wisdom, failures and defeats into achievements, and build our new day with unwavering faith in the apostolic word: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
With this unwavering conviction, we have dwelled in our ancestral homeland throughout history, forged our statehood, and stood united with resolute spirit in critical moments—for the strengthening of our nation and the fulfillment of our national aspirations. We have struggled and persevered, anchored in hope in the Lord and faith in the apostolic word: ‘We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed’ (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
Thus, in the face of the difficulties confronting our lives, we must remain steadfast and refuse to seek solutions to imposed challenges through concessions that harm our homeland or by renouncing our sacred legacies and traditional values.
We must remain unwavering in our loyalty to our history and value system, preserving our identity intact, which is crucial for shaping the spirit and consciousness of new generations, strengthening the reputation of our state and people, and defending our national rights. We believe that our history will be adorned with a new rise. In our pursuit of a bright future, let us be armed with hope and faith, each fulfilling our mission with unwavering trust in God—for the well-being of our personal and collective lives.
With a renewed spirit, let us shape a new reality—one in which righteousness and harmony prevail, in which the rule of law is upheld, and devotion to our homeland is unwavering. The reality in which every commitment fortifies our state ensures the security and dignity of our nation and safeguards the inalienable rights of the Armenians of Artsakh. With this vision, let us transform our lives and always walk the life-giving path of love and unity.
Dear Faithful People,
On the threshold of the New Year, let us pray to God for our homeland, our army, and the Artsakh Armenians forcibly displaced from their native land and homes; for the families mourning the loss of their martyred children, for those who endure the pain of their captive and missing loved ones, and for the sick and all who suffer in hardship.
Let us also pray for our sisters and brothers across the world who bear the devastating consequences of wars. Let us beseech peace for the whole world, for our homeland, and for our people.
May the Lord be a helper and a stronghold to the Armenian nation, granting us bright new horizons.
Happy New Year. Wishing you a good and blessed year.
