To mark Independence Day in the Republic of Armenia, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, delivered a stirring message during a prayer service at Holy Etchmiadzin’s St. Gayane Monastery.
His Holiness marked the 31st anniversary of Armenian independence under the grave shadow of developments which threaten the well-being of the republic. A week earlier, Azeri military forces mounted an unprovoked, unlawful attack on the sovereign territory of Armenia itself; and the country is still burdened by the catastrophic effects of the 2020 Artsakh war.
In his September 21 message, the Catholicos acknowledged Armenia’s tense international situation. But he also expressed concern over internal matters that disrupt Armenia’s already-fragile civil society.
“We are concerned about the serious socio-economic challenges in our country,” he said; “the disunity and intolerance towards each other within our society; the trend of subordinating urgent problems to secondary issues; the lack of determination to come together, to confront existing threats and fight together. We are concerned about the problems faced in the field of values and education; the mistrust that has arisen among our diaspora communities, national structures, and native authorities; as well as the lack of patriotic cooperation in Church-State relations.”
In a powerful passage, the Catholicos of All Armenians reminded Armenians worldwide that “The homeland belongs to every child of the nation—and all of us are responsible for what we have done and omitted, for our achievements and losses on behalf of the homeland. We are responsible before God, before our sacred land and lost sanctuaries. We are responsible before our martyrs who gave their lives for the homeland and future generations.”
Urging the political authorities of the Republic of Armenia to overcome divisions and “serve the highest patriotic interests of the Armenian people,” Catholicos Karekin II extolled the historic role the Armenian Church has played in promoting and supporting Armenia’s sovereignty.
“The Armenian Church has always been devoted to strengthening our statehood; it has been the steadfast pioneer in its defense,” he said. “The Church has kept the longing for freedom alive in the hearts and souls of its children; it inspired the struggle for independence and the restoration of statehood. Throughout history, all of our catholicoi and clergy have nourished the conviction that the best guarantee of our national identity and consciousness lies in the unshakable condition of independent statehood. Today, with the same zeal, we continue to support the indispensable task of strengthening our precious, independent Armenian homeland.”
Earlier in the day, Catholicos Karekin II made a solemn visit to Armenia’s Yerablur military cemetery, to lay wreaths, pray, and pay his respects to the heroes who have fallen in defense of their homeland. Click here to view a short video of the ceremonies.
Click here to view a recording of His Holiness Independence Day message. Read an English translation below.
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The Message of His Holiness Karekin II
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
On the Republic of Armenia’s Independence Day
Dear Pious People:
Today is September 21: the Independence Day of our country. More than three decades ago, our people reclaimed their independent statehood and secured their right to live freely at the cost of endless hardships and sacrifices during the struggles of the Artsakh liberation war. We declared independence under a vision of building a safe life for our people, strengthening our national identity, ensuring a dignified life, and uniting all Armenians around the homeland.
Today, 31 years after independence, we welcome our most important national and state holiday with a troubled heart. Our hearts are broken by the enormous losses of the 44-day Artsakh war. We are saddened and disturbed by Azerbaijan’s ambitions of conquest and its incessant harassment of our country. Mere days ago, the armed forces of Azerbaijan, violating all norms of international law, launched a large-scale attack against our sovereign country, inflicting devastating criminal attacks on peaceful settlements. As a result of Azerbaijan’s aggression, we have many victims, wounded, captured and missing Armenians—thousands of displaced people. We pay our respects to the glorious and bright memory of the soldiers who gave their lives for the independence of the motherland. We wish a speedy recovery to our injured children.
Current developments prove that our people are again facing a fundamental crisis. Dangers threaten the territorial integrity and security of Armenia’s independent statehood, the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to live freely and independently in their native land, and the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabagh issue.
Today, we are concerned about new losses, the uncertainty of the results of the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, and the obviously coercive haste towards the Armenian-Turkish dialogue. We are concerned about the serious socio-economic challenges in our country; the disunity and intolerance towards each other within our society; the trend of subordinating urgent problems to secondary issues; the lack of determination to come together, to confront existing threats and fight together. We are concerned about the problems faced in the field of values and education; the mistrust that has arisen among our diaspora communities, national structures, and native authorities; as well as the lack of patriotic cooperation in Church-State relations.
Division and fragmentation cannot result in any positive progress towards overcoming this difficult situation. As the Holy Scriptures instruct us: “Have the same love among yourselves, be united, of one accord. Do nothing in a spirit of opposition” (Phil. 2:2-3).
Dear friends, the pillar of our being, the security of our statehood, is our national unity. The stronger that foundation, the more stable our independent statehood and its cherished consciousness will be in us. We must work and fight for independence every day. Independence is a supreme and non-negotiable value. Today, it is imperative that Armenians around the world unite around the homeland, acting and creating for the benefit of its dignified life and progress. Our homeland and national dignity cannot be subordinated to personal and sectional interests and well-being. The homeland belongs to every child of the nation—and all of us are responsible for what we have done and omitted, for our achievements and losses on behalf of the homeland. We are responsible before God, before our sacred land and lost sanctuaries. We are responsible before our martyrs who gave their lives for the homeland and future generations.
Dear Armenian People: Our fatherly appeal is that on this Independence Day, let us renew our vow to undertake every commitment and sacrifice for the sake of our homeland of Armenia and Artsakh. Let us live with true patriotism, with an awareness of the greater national interest, in order to avoid painful new losses. With piety and unwavering loyalty to our homeland, let us refuse to give up; let us reject the counsel of despair in the face of trials and tribulations; let us build a bright future for our people, a new victorious page in our history, through our united efforts.
By the power of our faith, we will be able to overcome every attack of evil—because, as the apostle assures us: “everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith” (1 John 5:4).
We urge the authorities of the Republic of Armenia, regardless of party and ideology, to cooperate and make common patriotic decisions with all the capable forces of the nation, in order to settle the existing difficult situation, resolve the complex problems we face, and serve the highest patriotic interests of the Armenian people.
The Armenian Church has always been devoted to strengthening our statehood; it has been the steadfast pioneer in its defense. The Church has kept the longing for freedom alive in the hearts and souls of its children; it inspired the struggle for independence and the restoration of statehood. Throughout history, all of our catholicoi and clergy have nourished the conviction that the best guarantee of our national identity and consciousness lies in the unshakable condition of independent statehood. Today, with the same zeal, we continue to support the indispensable task of strengthening our precious, independent Armenian homeland.
On this Independence Day, we convey our prayerful encouragement to the Armenian army: our valiant soldiers who defend our sacred homeland, and face the enemy with utmost courage. We pray for the repose of the souls of our fallen children, and for the recovery of the wounded.
We send our pontifical blessing to our children throughout the world, asking the Almighty Lord, under the auspices of His Holy Cross, to grant peace to our homeland and keep the borders of our country secure.
Beneficent God, plase keep our Armenian nation in safety, and protect its well-being—today and forever. “May the Grace, Love, and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us, and with everyone. Amen.”
Holy Etchmiadzin | September 21, 2022