We, the clergy of the diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in France, follow with deep concern recent events in the Republic of Armenia.
In flagrant violation of the universal principle of separation of Church and State, the Armenian authorities are undermining the constitutionally and internationally recognized right of the Armenian Apostolic Church to freely organize its internal life.
In a maneuver designed to mislead public opinion, some are attempting to conceal an openly hostile attitude, marked by unacceptable, disrespectful and vulgar language and behaviour, behind appeals to piety and the supposed defense of the Church.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, present throughout the world through its numerous dioceses and gathering millions of faithful, cannot be reduced to the limited interpretations – theological, ecclesiological or canonical – of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and his entourage. No office of state authorizes anyone to publicly offend the religious convictions of hundreds of thousands of people, to spread untruths and slander, or to use the prerogatives conferred by the Constitution to wage a campaign of denigration against one of our people’s oldest and most sacred institutions.
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We, the priests of the diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in France, condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of Nikol Pashinyan and those acting at his instigation. We call on all the faithful of our diocese to make their voices heard in the face of this manifest injustice, orchestrated by the authorities of the Republic of Armenia.
We also urge the competent judicial bodies to react appropriately, mobilizing the necessary legal instruments to put an end to this attack on the Armenian Apostolic Church, and to hold accountable anyone who has manifestly violated the Constitution, criminal law or civil law, whatever their public function.
We pray to our Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen the faith of our millions of brothers and sisters, in Armenia as in the rest of the world, so that they do not allow themselves to be troubled by false provocations or malicious rumors, but continue their journey with courage, for the glory of God and the radiance of our holy Church, according to Christ’s promise:
“And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).
PARIS
