Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On October 29, in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; a meeting of the Armenian Bishops and the Diocesan Primates was convened, during which  a number of spiritual-national, ecclesiastical, pastoral and internal organizational issues were discussed. The issues related to the spiritual care activities carried out by the Armenian Church to overcome the consequences of the 44-day war, the issues of returning the prisoners of war, finding the missing, issues related to the identification and burial of the bodies of the victims were separately discussed.

A reference was also made to the amendments made by the RA National Assembly in the Law on the “Feasts and Remembrance Days of the Republic of Armenia” related to the New Year and Christmas. On this regard, the Synod issued the following statement:

“We place great importance upon the proper presentation of national, religious and state feasts and remembrance days in the state calendar, as our spiritual and cultural values, national features and aspirations are reflected in the sacraments of the feasts and remembrance days.

It is also remarkable, that in many countries, including Austria, France, Germany, Romania, Poland, Lithuania and neighboring Georgia, the majority of the non-working days (60-80%) are ecclesiastical feasts.

We call to the Factions of the National Assembly to keep January 05 – the Eve of the Holy Nativity and Theophany of Jesus Christ; and January 07 - the Day of Remembrance of the Dead; as non-working days of the feasts of the New Year and Christmas; especially when the pain of the martyrs of the War of Artsakh is still in the hearts of our people.

We are full of hope that ahead of the pious feelings and  the spiritual needs of prayer and consolation of our people, the National Assembly will consider this proposal of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin”.