Amid challenges facing our country, our call must be to confidently  and firmly preserve unity of our national life - Garegin II 

ArmInfo.Amid the current challenges facing our country, our call must be to confidently and  firmly preserve the unity of our national life.

This message was delivered by Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II  on the night of June 11, upon his arrival at Zvartnots Airport, where  he was met by thousands of citizens. His Holiness noted that such a  large number of people who met him was a response to the unacceptable  statements made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan against  the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC).

Garegin II also emphasized that all difficulties must be overcome,  avoiding unnecessary emotions and protests. "Be firm in your faith.  We value your attitude towards the church, and this obliges us, the  clergy, to carry out our mission with even greater responsibility. In  these difficult times, our call must be to confidently and firmly  preserve unity," the Catholicos said.

In this regard, His Holiness pointed out the inadmissibility of  taking actions that could threaten the national unity of the Armenian  people. "We believe that with joint efforts we will be able to  withstand all difficulties and build the foundation of the future for  us and our children with optimism, hope and faith," Garegin II summed  up.

In connection with the attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church, the  National Union of Yazidis "Sinjar" also issued a statement. In  particular, it notes that the attack on the institution of the church  is unacceptable not only for Armenians, but also for all national and  religious minorities living in Armenia, since it is directed against  the stability, values and diversity of the state.

"The National Union of Yazidis "Sinjar" is following with deep  concern the campaign that has unfolded in recent weeks against the  Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and Catholicos of All Armenians  Garegin II.  We condemn the political attack organized by the  Armenian authorities against the Catholicos and the Church," the  statement reads.

For several days now, Nikol Pashinyan has not stopped attacking the  Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC).  First, at a government meeting, he  compared Armenian churches to closets. Then followed his statements  on social networks, where the Armenian prime minister used coarse  language against the hierarchs of the AAC and accused one of the  archbishops of sexual promiscuity. At the same time, the prime  minister demanded that all priests who violated their vow of celibacy  be defrocked. The Prime Minister's wife, Anna Hakobyan, made similar  attacks, calling the Patriarch "the main mafioso."