‘I suffered shock seeing the drunken crowd attack the Cathedral’ – Fr. Vrtanes

Fr. Vrtanes Baghalyan, the spiritual pastor of the St. Hovhannes Church of Byurakan, spoke to Alpha News about the attack that took place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the actions of the security forces, and the bishops demanding the Catholicos’ resignation.

It should be noted that on December 18, the bishops demanding the resignation of the Catholicos went to the Mother See, where a joint prayer was scheduled, while the faithful had come to Etchmiadzin to show their support to the Catholicos of All Armenians. Father Vrtanes’ health deteriorated after the prayer, when ten bishops and supporters of Pashinyan kicked the doors of the Mother Cathedral.

According to the priest, they witnessed a coordinated assault, during which plainclothes security forces broke through the police barrier, opening the way for the drunken crowd.

“I suffered a heart attack and cardiogenic shock when I saw the drunken crowd hitting the doors of the Mother Cathedral with fists and kicks. There were specific instigators directing them—Vrezh Durgaryan, Tavros Sapeyan, and Karen Petrosyan. One of them is the deputy director of the National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, Sapeyan is the mayor of Talin, and Karen Petrosyan is the rector of the Gyumri branch of the University of Economics,” Fr. Vrtanes said.

When asked whether the bishops who joined the anti-church actions inquired about his health, Fr. Vrtanes noted that they act under fear and blackmail.

“The dissident bishops were in no way different from that drunken crowd. They had one director—the Prime Minister. Naturally, those bishops did not call and would not call; they have never shown sensitivity toward priests. They behaved this way before as well, which is why Nikol Pashinyan has compromising materials against them, by which he frightens and controls them,” he said.

The priest emphasized that violence was used not only against clergymen but also against uniformed police officers and journalists.