On October 26, 2025, the police tried to detain Father Paren Arakelyan when the priest was going to Saghmosavank early in the morning to celebrate the Holy and Immortal Liturgy. The first time, they tried to detain him in the city of Ashtarak, in front of the building of the Diocese Prelacy, but when they saw that there were people accompanying him, they left. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan wrote about this on his Facebook page.
“The second time, on the way to Saghmosavank, when they were trying to forcibly detain the priest from the car on the road, Father Paren called me and we spoke on the speakerphone.
The recording contains my conversation with Father Paren and the police.
Father Paren told the policeman, “I am going to distribute the body and blood of Christ to my faithful people, to bear your pain.”
The uncompromising attitude of the police, “We will go 100 percent,” “That is indisputable,” claims were eliminated thanks to Father Paren’s persistence and when the police were convinced that Father Paren was going to Saghmosavank, and not Hovhannavank.
We are living in very shameful days.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to express special gratitude to all our priests in Aragatsotn for remaining faithful to their mission in these difficult conditions,” he wrote.