Catholicos Discusses Captives with US Ambassador

On March 30, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, received the United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Armenia, Lyn M. Tracy, at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Supreme Patriarch conveyed his gratitude to the US authorities for the humanitarian assistance provided to Armenia and the people of Artsakh through the embassy during the pandemic, particularly in the challenging wartime and post-war periods.

In reference to the military actions unleashed by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Artsakh and the post-war consequences, His Holiness expressed confidence that the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group would continue their efforts to establish stability in the region and to achieve a peaceful and just resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

During the conversation, they addressed the programs implemented by the Armenian Church during the pandemic and their impacts. The discussion covered the support provided by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and dioceses during the war, as well as the spiritual care for soldiers and families displaced from Artsakh.

His Holiness also provided information regarding the ongoing social support programs and the pastoral work conducted with the families of deceased and missing soldiers.

The Catholicos and the US Ambassador specifically discussed the measures taken by the Armenian Church regarding the release of captives and the search for missing persons. They thoroughly examined the issues related to the preservation of Artsakh's spiritual and cultural heritage in captured and surrendered areas, including documented incidents of the desecration and destruction of shrines.