Holy See Responds to Accusations by Azerbaijani Spiritual Leader Against Catholicos Garegin II

The Holy See of Etchmiadzin has responded to the accusations made by Azerbaijani spiritual leader Allahshukur Pashazadeh against the Armenian Church and its Supreme Patriarch Garegin II.

In a statement to Mediamax, the Holy See expressed, "Throughout the history of the Artsakh conflict, the persistent call of the Catholicos of All Armenians has been, and continues to be, to respect the implemented rightful right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination in their historical homeland. Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh is likely mischaracterizing the stance of the Armenian Church as revanchism.

Instead of making such accusations against the Armenian Church, it would have been appropriate for the Azerbaijani spiritual leader to address the revanchist policies of Azerbaijan and the year-long aggression against Artsakh and Armenia, the war unleashed in 2020, the occupation of Artsakh, the ethnic cleansing, the annexation of sovereign Armenian territories, the unlawful detention of Armenian prisoners of war, the state-sponsored large-scale propaganda of anti-Armenian sentiments, and the documented cases of the destruction and appropriation of Armenian historical, spiritual, and cultural heritage.

It would have been fitting for the Azerbaijani spiritual leader, by listening to the calls of the Armenian Church, to take corresponding steps with his spiritual authority to halt the genocidal actions and monstrous barbarities and to contribute to establishing real peace in the region."

Allahshukur Pashazadeh had specifically stated that Catholicos Garegin II is "not worthy of my invitation to Baku" and insisted that "today the Armenian Church, under the leadership of the Catholicos, promotes revanchism around the world."