Speech of the Primate at The May Triple Holiday

“Dear compatriots!

With these words, Micah the prophet appeals to his enemies when he sees the corruption and injustice prevailing among his people and the deterioration of the country, calling for God's deliverance for his nation. However, being a messenger of righteousness, he also presents their responsibilities. "Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness." (Micah 7:9).

The May Triple Holiday has been a source of joy and strength for everyone throughout the years. However, today we cannot find the same enthusiasm within ourselves and rejoice in the same way. Yet, we cannot overlook and forget that with a clear understanding, any failure in past relationships, love, and dedication cannot devalue the source of joy for us. Therefore, despite these events no longer being a source of happiness for us, they have not ceased to be a source of strength.

Our fathers participated in the Second World War with complete dedication. History has shown that one of the most dangerous tools he used, which he implemented throughout the world, is fascism, which is both anti-human and anti-Christian. Unfortunately, history has an undesirable property-the nature of repetition, and the defeated evil rears its head from time to time. We once again confronted national hatred and the external manifestations of it during the 44-day war, when the enemy enjoyed torturing helpless prisoners because they didn't belong to their own nation. The Victory Park opened in Baku was also such a shameful manifestation of Nazism.

May 9 is also the day of the heroic birth of the Artsakh Defense Army, which dedicated its struggle to liberating the Armenian homeland and brought joy and years of indomitable spirit to the Armenian people. Following the latest fierce battle, our Defense Army was wounded but did not perish and continued to carry out remarkable feats.

And finally, the "stone of victory" of the Artsakh War found its place in liberated Shushi. The joy of those days was immense, as great as the burden of sorrow is today. With the providence of God, the military and spiritual leadership decided to launch the operation to liberate Shushi on the day of the apparition of the Cross, recalling the very prophecy received by Constantine the Great in the sky of Jerusalem, saying, "With this sign, you will conquer." Our soldiers and the technology they possess, bearing the mark of the white cross on themselves, on them turned the liberation of the Armenian fortress city into a big wedding in the mountains.

The fluctuation of victory in the struggle for the liberation of the Fatherland is still in progress, with the outcome of this struggle yet to be determined. We greatly appreciate the sacrifices of our soldiers and intellectuals, who are dedicated to the cause of victory, and we entrust the success to them alone and reward them accordingly. Undoubtedly, their sacrifices are immense and invaluable, but their contribution to the struggle has already been documented, while the actions and response of the aggressors continue, in order to preserve the gained achievements. Indeed, we have achieved significant victories in bloody battles and have succeeded in defensive warfare.

When we firmly believed in the divine providence symbolized by the sign of the Cross of the Lord, signifying love for God and Fatherland, we experienced great victories. However, when we distanced ourselves from the guidance of the Cross, we faced adversity and the suffering of our people and Fatherland befell us. Instead of safeguarding the victory bestowed upon us by God with humility and dignity, we succumbed to pride and arrogance, squandering our time and the fruits of our triumph. It may sound harsh, but we, who had liberated Artsakh with the help of God, ended up leading Artsakh to its destruction.

However, nothing is lost, and salvation is always present. Today, our neighbors, using unfair means, are attempting to harm us by resorting to malicious actions. Envy, uncertainty, scarcity, and psychological attacks are their weapons in an attempt to poison us from within. But the weapons of envy can never truly affect us, and they remain futile and insignificant. Hope, faith, love, and yes, this is the true wisdom and advice of the Cross and the victory of the nation. Regardless of the differences in various regions, as a united nation, we must understand that our success lies in our connection with God in the first place, while God, being omniscient, does not require complex rituals but rather simplicity and sincerity. "Come to me, and I will come to you." No matter how closed all the roads and doors may be, the door of God's mercy is always open, and the keys are in our hands.

Therefore, dear ones, having reaffirmed our past victories, let us be filled with faith and hope, and let us approach our heavenly Father with the prayer of the Liturgical book, calling upon God, and the strength of our united community. "King of the universe, Savior of our souls, Christ our God, protect Your people, the holy and honorable bearers of Your Cross. Save them from both visible and invisible enemies and grant them the grace to glorify You with gratitude to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen."