The Artsakh Struggle: Our Modern-Day Avarayr

Today, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church commemorates the Feast of St. Vartan and his Companions, which is also the name day of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.

Through their martyrdom, St. Vartan and his companions affirmed the Armenian people’s will to live and their right to exist. The historian Yeghishe best describes the valor of the Vartanants warriors with the words: "Death without understanding is death; death with understanding is immortality."

Today, the struggle for Artsakh is our modern-day Avarayr—a war for our identity, faith, and spiritual-national values.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all on this significant feast that highlights our spiritual identity, and we pray that Almighty God strengthens the pastoral staff of the Catholicos of All Armenians and grants him long years of life for the prosperity of our national and ecclesiastical life.