YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Catholicos Karekin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, listed “lust for power” among Armenia’s problems on Monday, January 6, as he celebrated a Christmas mass once again boycotted by the country’s political leadership.
During the liturgy held at the church’s main cathedral in Echmiadzin, Karekin renewed his calls for Armenians, who celebrate Christmas on January 6, to adhere to their Christian faith in the face of grave external and internal challenges facing their homeland.
“Internally, our homeland is plagued by falsehoods, lawlessness, malice, revenge, and corrupt course, which breed mistrust, indifference, hostility, and division in our society, causing weakening to the nation,” he said. “Alongside these challenges, the distortion of Christian moral perception and our traditional national spiritual values threatens our identity, weakens our national spirit, and ensnares us in the traps of sin and despair.
“Through the mystery of the Holy Nativity, a heavenly invitation is once again extended to us: to walk the Lord’s path of love, reconciliation, and righteousness. This call can only be realized through a Christian way of life. It requires that we do not sacrifice our identity, the security of our people and the welfare of our homeland for the sake of personal comfort and gain. We cannot serve the common good if we are driven by vanity, lust for power, and prioritize self-interest.”
“Let us be collaborators, not adversaries; devoted servants, not abusers of position and privilege,” added Karekin.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan as well as members of his government and political team were conspicuously absent from the Christmas mass, underscoring their discord with the Armenian Apostolic Church.
