Catholicos Aram I Condemns Police Raid on Etchmiadzin

Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia on Friday condemned Armenia’s law enforcement agencies’ raid on Holy Etchimiadzin.

“Stop the campaign of arrests and approach matters that are deemed illegal in a calm manner,” Aram I said in a statement from Antelias.

He urged all to respect sacred places of worship and called for a “god-fearing approach” to all matters.

Aram I said the first step toward quelling the unrest and “resolving the complex situation” would be to stop the public accusations being thrown around.

While not naming names, it can be inferred that the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia was referring to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s crusade against Etchmiadzin and his efforts to unseat Karekin II, the Catholicos of All Armenians.

“It is necessary to refrain from using language and posturing that do not correspond to our spiritual, national and moral values,” Aram I said in his statement.

He added that he will continue his discussions with the parties and the Armenian authorities in order to “prevent new complications and seek ways to resolve issues in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect.”