Ashtarak "Youth Center" Art Class


The students of the art class at the Ashtarak Youth Center are innovators; they want to make their city more beautiful.

Azerbaijan exerts political pressure through encroachments on Armenian culture


Official Baku’s coordinated assault on Armenian culture and the rights of Armenians continues. It was recently revealed that Azerbaijan has appealed to Interpol to include the khachkars (cross-stones) and frescoes of Dadivank in the "Stolen Works of Art" database. An Azerbaijani official has even accused the Armenian side of presenting them as Armenian works of art abroad. Anna Sargsyan speaks with Raffi Kortoshian, co-director of the Research on Armenian Architecture Foundation.

Court hearing on the "Sacred Struggle" case: Archbishop Bagrat's house arrest extended


On September 24, the latest court hearing regarding the "Sacred Struggle" case continued at the Shengavit seat of the Yerevan Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction; during the proceedings, the court decided to extend Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan's house arrest by two months. The court also continued hearing clarifications regarding the forensic examination of weapons and ammunition; the next hearing was scheduled for October 1 at 3:00 PM.
 

Neither the Government nor the National Assembly Can Decide Who Leads a Religious Organization


"Encroachments against the Armenian Church will land the Armenian authorities in serious trouble before international bodies. Neither the government nor the parliament can decide who leads—or does not lead—a religious organization, how advancement occurs, or which internal regulations are adopted. Commissioning a report and raising certain issues does not create any legitimate grounds for interfering in these matters or for enacting unconstitutional laws. That sort of thing might happen in neighboring Azerbaijan." — Anna Sargsyan in conversation with Anna Melikyan, a lawyer for the NGO "Protection of Rights without Borders."

Republican Prayer for the Republic and Pontifical Message on the Occasion of the 35th Anniversary of Armenia's Independence


On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of Armenia's independence, a service of Republican Prayer was held on September 21 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; during the service, the clergy and the faithful offered prayers for the steadfastness and peace of the Republic of Armenia. In his Pontifical message, His Holiness called for unity and solidarity in order to confront internal and external threats and to defend the people's right to a free and secure life.

Newly Built Church in Byureghavan Consecrated by the Catholicos of All Armenians


On September 19, the newly built Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin) Church in the city of Byureghavan (Kotayk Diocese) was consecrated by Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. The church was constructed through the benefaction of Russia-based brothers Mkhitar and Yuri Aroyan, based on a design by architect Edik Poghosyan.
Clergy of the Mother See, diocesan prelates of the Armenian Church, and numerous pilgrims participated in the consecration ceremony.
In his paternal message, the Catholicos of All Armenians emphasized that the Lord’s sanctuaries are built and consecrated through faith, and that the spiritual unity of the faithful is strengthened around them.

"Save Armenia" Delegation at the Mother See


On September 18, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians received a delegation from the "Save Armenia" organization, led by Executive Director Dr. Paul Murray.
His Holiness addressed the imperative of protecting the rights of forcibly displaced people from Artsakh, securing the release of Armenian captives illegally held in Azerbaijan, and preserving the Armenian spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh.
 

His Holiness Receives Participants of the "Land of Noah" International Conference


On September 17, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicos of All Armenians received the participants of the "Land of Noah: Christianity After Postmodernism" international conference, organized by the "Amrots" Foundation.
Welcoming the holding of the conference, His Holiness reflected on the vital mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in the life of the Armenian people and wished the participants productive work.
 

Why do the authorities resist the National Church?


Is the national agenda a concept of political science? Which institutions drive the realization of this agenda? How do persistent injustice and the humiliation of national dignity erode state security from within, and what roles do the elites and the Church play in this hybrid war? Why does Azerbaijan target our historical narratives, and why has the national agenda become a primary prerequisite for preserving statehood today? A conversation between Anna Sargsyan and political scientist Ara Poghosyan.

Court hearing on the "Sacred Struggle" case: expert conclusion discussed


On September 17, the latest court hearing regarding the "Sacred Struggle" case continued at the Shengavit seat of the Yerevan Criminal Court of General Jurisdiction. During the session, Andranik Ghukasyan, a senior expert at the Investigative Committee, answered questions concerning the methodology used in his forensic examination of weapons and ammunition. The defense challenged the applied methodology, citing Article 97 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The next hearing is scheduled for September 24 at 3:00 PM.
 

Wood carving class at the Etchmiadzin Youth Center


Our film crew visited the woodcarving class at the Youth Center in Etchmiadzin.

Festive Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Mother Cathedral


On September 13, the festive Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross—the last of the five major feasts of the Armenian Church and the principal feast dedicated to the Holy Cross—was celebrated at the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin. In his sermon, the celebrant, Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan, reflected on the historical origins of the Feast of the Exaltation and the life-giving power of the Cross.
In the evening, presided over by the Armenian Pontiff, the sacred relic of the Lord’s Cross—adorned with basil and flowers—was brought out of the Mother Cathedral, and the solemn ceremony of the Exaltation of the Cross and the Andastan service were performed.