His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, has issued a message ahead of snap parliamentary elections:

We are on the threshold of a decisive day for our homeland. By participating in the special parliamentary elections, we will decide on the way we build the future of our country. We all want to live in a peaceful and secure, developing country, away from shocks and divisions, to build our dignified and prosperous life on national and patriotic achievements.

Today, in the conditions of heavy losses that have befallen us, more than ever, we have a duty and responsibility for the preservation and strengthening of our independent statehood, for the strengthening of our homeland.

We have a responsibility before the bright memory of our fallen martyrs, our present and future, our generations. In Armenia, in the Diaspora and Artsakh, the imperative of our people is to relieve the tension created in the post-election days, to reaffirm solidarity. It is a vital necessity for the internal life of our country to take place in an atmosphere of calmness and common sense in the post-election period.

The actions that divide the nation, sowing enmity in the society, calling for violence and revenge, provoking clashes can never be justified in any way. Our patriarchal exhortation is to refrain from hate speech, intolerance, to show vigilance, respect for law, not to endanger our country’s life with new trials. Let us create a new page in our history with faith and optimism, love and unity.

Let us always remember that the future of Artsakh, the overcoming of the problems of our brothers and sisters living in Artsakh is conditioned by the stable situation in Armenia, our strong statehood. Let us participate in the elections with this consciousness, spirit and commitment, let us not remain indifferent to the future of our country, so that troubles and sufferings, new disasters do not find a place in our national and patriotic homeland, so that we can overcome internal and external challenges and build a strong and bright homeland anchored in our national and religious values ​​that determine our identity. In this process we will be able to increase the Lord’s blessing in our lives, to embody the bright visions of the well-being and progress of our people in Armenia and Artsakh.

Beloved, let us pray together that all efforts to overcome the present crisis will be crowned with good results by the mercy of God. Let us ask the Most Merciful Lord to protect and preserve our homeland and all our people all over the world under the blessing of His grace, to grant wisdom and power, a peaceful and secure life under the umbrella of His most caring Holy Right Hand.

God’s love, blessing and mercy to our homeland and to all of us. Amen.