At the moment, large police forces, including senior officers, are concentrated near the entrance to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The senior police officers have blocked the entrance to the Mother See and are giving instructions to their subordinates.

In response to Armenian News-NEWS.am’s question about why such a large number of police had gathered, Deputy Police Chief Karen Hakobyan merely said: “No comment, let us carry out our service.”

As reported earlier, the ten bishops and archbishops, who support Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church, on Wednesday issued a statement calling on people to join them at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on Thursday at 5pm to demand the resignation of the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II.

Subsequently, the Diocese of Aragatsotn, whose primate is among the detained high-ranking clergymen, issued a statement on relocating its planned joint prayer service from the Byurakan village church to the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral. The joint prayer service in support of the detained clergymen will begin today at 5pm, simultaneously with the gathering of those demanding the Catholicos’ resignation.

Members of virtually all opposition political forces in Armenia have announced their participation in the aforesaid joint prayer service.

And a short while ago, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that he will not attend the gathering called the ten bishops and archbishops, but added that he supports them.