A Unified Prayer for the Freedom of Captive Armenians Held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On November 10, under the auspices of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. The priest who officiated the Divine Liturgy, was His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh.

The sacred ceremony was attended by the President of Artsakh, Samvel Shahramanyan, representatives of the Artsakh authorities, and family members of Armenian captives and detainees illegally held in Azerbaijani prisons.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, a unified prayer service was led by His Holiness Karekin II. By his direction, this prayer service was to be held simultaneously in all churches across Armenia and the Armenian diaspora.

On this occasion, the Catholicos of All Armenians delivered a patriarchal message to the entire Armenian nation.

Following the message, His Holiness, the brotherhood of the Mother See, and the faithful gathered in prayer before God for the protection of the rights of forcibly displaced Armenians from Artsakh and, in particular, for the release of Armenian captives.

Message from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, at the Unified Prayer Service for the Freedom of Armenian Captives

Beloved Faithful,

Today, we have gathered under the blessed arches of this holy Cathedral to pray together for our brothers and sisters forcibly displaced and made refugees from Artsakh, for the restoration of their rights, and especially for the freedom and return of Armenian captives to their families. We beseech the Lord Almighty to strengthen the people of Artsakh who have been left homeless and landless, and to comfort our captive children and their families, who endure humiliation, pain, and suffering and are united with us in prayer in this sacred cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin.

As a result of the war unleashed by Azerbaijan, Artsakh has been occupied and depopulated of Armenians. Over 120,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced from their ancient homeland, sovereign border territories of the Republic of Armenia were invaded, and the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh is being desecrated and destroyed, along with Armenian villages, cemeteries, and monuments.

Today, our united prayer rises as a call for justice and righteousness, opposing crimes against humanity, the genocidal acts committed against the Armenians of Artsakh, the barbaric destruction of Artsakh's spiritual and cultural treasures, and the unlawful captivity of our compatriots in Azerbaijani prisons. In a modern world that emphasizes the primacy of human freedoms and rights, such actions are intolerable and deserve the harshest condemnation.

Tomorrow, Azerbaijan’s capital is scheduled to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. We trust that the UN’s mission, founded on unyielding principles of protecting human life and dignity and upholding justice, will find its effective expression in advocating for the release of our captives and defending the rights of Artsakh Armenians. In this regard, we have officially appealed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, urging the UN to provide immediate support for the vital issue of freeing the captives.

Beloved, negotiations for a peace treaty are ongoing, amidst Azerbaijan's continued coercion and threats against Armenia and the Armenian people. However, it is well known that lasting and enduring peace is built on the solid foundation of justice and truth. Such peace brings blessings to humanity, prevents interethnic hatred and hostility, and averts the disasters that stem from them. It is through the universal pursuit of God-given freedom, peace, and justice that the sounds of war will cease, and love and goodness will prevail over pain and suffering. We remain hopeful that the international community and human rights organizations, adhering to the principles of international humanitarian law, will take steps to restore the normal life of Artsakh Armenians in their ancestral homeland. Truly, the establishment of truth and justice will strengthen the spirit of peaceful coexistence and cooperation, ensuring the progress and bright future of societies and nations. "The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace," teaches the Holy Scripture (James 3:18).

Beloved, we are grateful that today, through the efforts of the World Council of Churches and other interchurch organizations, Christian brothers and sisters around the world are also offering prayers for the release of captives and the protection of the rights of displaced Armenians. We express our heartfelt gratitude to our sister Churches and interchurch organizations for their sincere and compassionate support of our people in these difficult times, as well as for their noble commitment to joining this prayer service in response to our appeal.

From the depths of our hearts, we raise our supplications to the All-Merciful God to preserve our homeland and the world in peace, to grant steadfast faith to our people scattered worldwide as they face the trials of our time, and to bring swift freedom to all our captives.

May the Lord’s love, grace, and mercy be with us all. Amen.