The Central Executive Council of the Holy See of Cilicia issued a statement calling on the prelacies throughout the world to support the people of Armenia and Artsakh and carry out work for the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh, in line with the Patriarchal proclamation issued by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I (see here).
“Our people are living difficult days. In the course of 44 days, we lost heroic soldiers, holy places and churches where our prayers have mingled with our blood; more importantly, we lost huge extensions. We did not lose, however, the faith of our people and the will to rebuild.
In his Patriarchal proclamation, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I praised the valiant resistance by our heroic army against the huge Azeri and Turkish army and, at the same time, he outlined the next indispensable steps our people and the Armenian state must take.
In this context, His Holiness stressed the imperative of keeping the unity of our people strong, which is more than vital in this critical stage. He urged to reject the document signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan with Russia’s mediation, which has a potential of dangerous consequences for the territorial integrity and the security of Armenia and Artsakh. His Holiness, sharing the people’s rejection and expectation, paternally suggested to stay away from commotions and violence that lead to instability in the country and to realize the expectations and demands of the people, respecting the constitutional principles and mechanisms. His Holiness particularly emphasized that we are all accountable to the people and that the will of the people has a determining role in every circumstance and condition.
The Central Executive Council warmly welcomes the message of His Holiness. At the same time, in these crucial hours of our life, based on the initiative of maintaining the inner unity of our church, shares the concerns and proposals of the Supreme Religious Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and especially underlines the following expectations contained in it: “All the responsible officials of the corresponding organs of government must be held accountable for the decisions made in this past period, this resolution of the conflict and for restoring national solidarity, only with unreserved respect for legality, without excluding the probability of resignations. We must preserve the supremacy of the law and guide all political processes towards a solution within the scope of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia… We must listen to the voice of the people and be receptive to the disappointments and demands of the public, work above individual and party interests, with high awareness of state thinking and responsibility.”
The Central Executive Council, as the supreme body that represents the prelacies of the Holy See of Cilicia, with the blessing and on the advice of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I reminds all the prelates and community authorities of our prelacies, following the ideas and the proposals put forth in the Patriarchal message of His Holiness, to plead for the unity of our people, support our beloved people of Armenia and Artsakh, as well as work consistently towards the international recognition of Artsakh.