His Holiness Bagrat and Arshak issued a statement from prison, stating:
“An anti-church gang, under the open protection of its infamous leader, once again invaded the Mother Cathedral on December 18, attempting to storm the sacred sanctuary.
It was shameful to see high-ranking clergy with the tattoo of treason on their foreheads, like fox’s marks, at the forefront of the march, huddled behind police cordons with confused and bewildered expressions.
Clearly, they also understand that they have chosen a path of self-destruction and self-denial, becoming puppets in the hands of a treacherous puppeteer who will soon sacrifice them to his bloodthirsty idol of hatred and enmity.
The walls of the Mother Cathedral have seen many invaders, and they have seen this too (all of them were reduced to dust), and for this… With respect, December 18 will remain one of the most shameful and inglorious pages of our modern history.
In the face of this shameful image, we reflect with particular admiration on the courageous stand of our pilgrim clergy and faithful, which once again proved that the sense of identity of the Armenian people cannot be destroyed, despite the cruelty of persecution.
On behalf of ourselves and our other imprisoned spiritual brothers, the Holy Fathers Michael and Mkrtich, we express our loyalty to the Patriarch of All Armenians and the See of the Illuminator, as well as our support for the brave and devoted clergy and people. We pray with special fervor for the speedy recovery of Father Vrtanes, Priest Bagalyan.
May the Lord preserve the See of Holy Etchmiadzin, our beloved and tormented homeland and people, steadfast and indestructible, so that the cloud over our lives may be lifted, the fog rejected, the darkness dispelled, evil not vanished, despair banished, and the almighty hand of the Lord reigns.
Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan
Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan
December 19, 2025.”
