Church remains steadfast – Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan

A statement from Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan, head of the Aragatsotn Diocese, issued while in detention.

“On December 31, 2025, in the Holy Mother of God Church of Talin, what occurred was not an incident but a deliberate act of sacrilege, orchestrated by the mayor of Talin, Tavros Sapeyan, together with the defrocked Aramais Tahmazyan, under the protection of law enforcement. This is a gross violation of law and church order, a manifestation of anti-church ideology, and a threat to public harmony. For centuries, the Armenian Apostolic Church has been the pillar of the nation, always defending truth and human dignity. Attempts to desecrate the sacred and leave criminal actions unpunished contradict the Constitution and undermine the foundations of a lawful state,” the bishop’s message says.

Bishop Proshyan strongly condemns what happened, stating that no authority has the right to trample upon the sacred or insult the faithful. He calls upon the people and the clergy not to yield to provocations but to remain steadfast and faithful to the truth.