The situation at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin calmed down a short while ago, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reports from the scene.

Both the supporters of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the people “sent” by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have left the Etchmiadzin Cathedral grounds, after which the police also departed.

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 Etchmiadzin Cathedral. The joint prayer service in support of the detained clergymen had kicked off today at 5pm, simultaneously with the gathering of those demanding the Catholicos’ resignation.

Large-scale police forces were deployed in the area.