The message of His Holiness Karekin II on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony of Robert Kocharyan
Dearly beloved Armenian people,
Let us offer thanks and glory to God, that our Homeland is independent and free, and that we bear the high honor and responsibility to keep Her strong and secure, strengthening the sacred reality of our free Homeland – the centuries-old vision of our ancestors.
A new presidential era is beginning in the life of our once-again independent Armenia. The President of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Robert Kocharyan, moments ago gave his oath of service by laying his hand upon the Sacred Writ of the Breath of God, and invoking the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia.
Each Oath of Presidential Office ceremony, every inauguration, is also the expression of the life experience of our national statehood, the glorification in our souls of the sacredness of the freedom and independence of Armenia.
From our Most Holy Cradle of All Armenians, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, we have come with these feelings to bring our Pontifical blessing to the re-elected President of the Republic, and to convey our message to our beloved people dispersed throughout the world, sounding the message of the Apostle Paul, "You, my brothers were called to freedom… serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13). Indeed, we have been called to freedom; let us serve each other with love.
We lived difficult days associated with the elections, days of emotions and unease, the reflection upon which today will make us wiser, will make stronger our will and decision to be unified, and our desire to serve one another with love. That reflection will make clearer the one goal – our consciousness of the interests of our Homeland. We are the Homeland – each of us individually, and all of us collectively. With brotherhood and reconciliation we shall draw our path of serving the Homeland. Serving one another with love shall be the testimony of our true patriotism and our greatest act of loyalty to the Homeland.
Together with freedom and independence for Armenia, we have also chosen democracy. During the last decade we have had occasions to be convinced that along with all of our accomplishments, we still have a journey to reach a stable democracy, the highest purpose of which is the value of the individual, the worth of man, which is the birth of Christian spirit and thought. Our path to democracy will be illuminated and straightforward, when we make the commandments of the Gospel an inviolable part of our life, when we live by Christian values, from which we were forced to stay away for decades. Justice, law and rights, are the fruits of our love to God and one another, which must spring forth from our souls, so that they may become reality leading our public life and fortifying the foundations of our statehood.
Our Apostolic Holy Church, which has kept the love of freedom alive in the souls of our people during the difficult periods in our history, and which has been the bearer of the vision of the reestablishment of national statehood, with all of Her ability, will always assist the progress and strengthening of Armenian statehood, faithful to Her centuries-old dedicated mission before God, the Motherland, and Her Nation.
Honorable Mr. President, you have commendable contribution in the re-establishment and strengthening of the national statehood of Armenia and Artsakh during the difficult yet heroic and victorious journey, serving in the ranks of defenders of the Homeland’s native soil to the high office of president. Once again, today you have been called to the highest responsibility, when our country and our people are standing before a myriad of imperatives. First and foremost, all expectations and hopes are directed towards you. We are hopeful and always pray that during these current globally difficult times, the commencement of the next five years of the second term of your presidency, through your dedicated work and the collective efforts of our people, will be recorded as a constructive period, bringing prosperity to our country and welfare to the whole of Armenian life. We ask for the Lord’s help and guidance for you, and we wish you unswerving progress in your homeland-building achievements.
May the Lord strengthen the faith of us all - our Armenian Nation dispersed throughout the world, and may He keep alert the spirit of fraternal love in us all, so that we may serve one another with love, and always seek out the benefit of the Homeland, and not lose from the path to the future. With this faith, together let us stand and pray.
Our Father Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name,
Thy kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us,
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever.
Protector and Hope of the faithful, Christ our God, guard and protect the Republic of Armenia, her re-elected President, the members of her Parliament, her Ministers, and all Officials of our Homeland, and grant them flawless wisdom to lead the Armenian People to goodness and peace. Also, we ask you O Lord, to bless and strengthen the children of the Armenian Nation in Armenia, Artsakh and in Dispersion, to walk in the paths of love and unanimity, justice and the worship of God, under the protection of Your Holy and venerable Cross. Save them, O Lord, from visible and invisible enemies, make them worthy to give thanks and glorify You together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.
