Detained Armenian archbishops call for unity and 'liberation' in New Year message

Two detained Armenian archbishops issued a New Year and Christmas message from custody on Monday, urging national consolidation, faith and efforts toward “liberation and victory”.

In their statement, Archbishops Bagrat Galstanyan and Arshak Khachatryan marked the celebrations of Christmas and Epiphany, calling on Armenians to reject “evil, falsehood, hatred and fear” and to uphold “truth, justice, freedom, dignity and love.”

The senior clerics said 2025 had been a year of “persecution and trials”, which they described as strengthening their resolve, and cited biblical passages encouraging perseverance under hardship.

Looking ahead, they called for 2026 to be a year of consolidation around a single national purpose, invoking the Armenian Apostolic Church, justice and national dignity, and appealed for peace and hope through faith.

The statement ended with traditional Christmas greetings and blessings.