Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has slammed the incumbent Armenian authorities’ campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“When injustice occurs in Armenia, Antelias [i.e. the seat of the Great House of Cilicia] says ‘no.’ When values are disregarded and symbols are ignored in Armenia, Antelias says ‘no’ and has always said ‘no.’ When the [Armenian Apostolic] church and clergy in Armenia are subjected to various persecutions and arrests, Antelias has had and has the courage to say ‘no.’ When, in Armenia, our supreme national ideals are ignored to the detriment of our people’s interests, Antelias has said ‘no’ and will say ‘no,’” the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia said during a liturgy in Cyprus.