Message of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, on the Occasion of Victory and Peace Day
From the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, on the occasion of Victory and Peace Day, We bring Our Patriarchal blessing to our people in Armenia and the Diaspora. May 9 is a day of cherished remembrance for us, when we glorify the feats of the sons and daughters of our nation during the years of the Second World War and in the heroic struggle for Artsakh.
The glorious victory forged in the Great Patriotic War stands as a testimony to the united and unanimous struggle of peoples against fascism, against injustice and evil. Our nation made an important contribution to this victory.
For decades, this day has also been marked for us by the victory in the heroic liberation struggle for Artsakh. Today, when Artsakh is occupied and forcibly deprived of its Armenian population, we are obliged to continue to consistently defend the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh, deprived of their homeland. The events of the past must strengthen us and make us steadfast on the path toward realizing our vision of a strong and secure state.
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Victory and Peace Day must remind us of the unity demonstrated by our people in those difficult days, of the spirit of courage and the self-sacrifice of our heroes — for the nation and the Homeland, for the sake of peace.
This sacred day, by its meaning, must also strengthen within us a sense of responsibility, duty, and care toward war veterans, the families of the fallen, and the missing.
We pray for the souls of the Armenian sons who gave their lives in the Great Patriotic War and in the heroic struggle for Artsakh, whose love for the Motherland today continues to serve as an inspiring example for generations — to live, create, and struggle with the same responsibility and devotion, for the love of our Homeland.
We lift up our prayers to the Almighty for peace for the whole world and prosperity for all peoples.
May the Risen Lord, under the protection of His Right Hand, keep our Homeland and all our people safe and secure — in hope, faith, and unity. May the grace, love, and peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all. Amen.
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin
