T. Parthian bishop Barseghyan wrote:
"These days, the events that happened around my spiritual brother and the groundless accusations presented to him made me mentally move to the not-so-distant year 2018, May 20. On that day, the representatives of the current government were on the street and held an opposition demonstration.
Since it was Sunday, I was walking with my spiritual brothers to the Mother Cathedral to participate in the Holy Liturgy. We had just entered the Cathedral when suddenly the Supreme Scepter-bearer entered, urgently inviting me and several of my spiritual brothers to the Vehara to the Patriarch. When we entered, the Armenian Patriarch was anxiously following the events taking place on the street with the news.
N. Pashinyan was arrested, and the protestors were walking here and there in an angry and heated atmosphere, preparing to move in front of the Shengavit police station, N. With the demand to release Pashinyan, because the news was spread that the latter was arrested there. The situation was really explosive, and His Holiness was concerned about the danger of a potential clash between the protesters and the police. The Patriarch, as the spiritual father of all, speaking with concern about the situation, noted that it is necessary to take steps to prevent clashes and bloodshed between the protesters and the police.
At that moment, looking at each other, we exchanged thoughts with the congregation brothers and said to the Armenian Patriarch: "Your Highness, then why are we waiting, are we lingering?" And we quickly went to the protesters. I don't want to dwell here on the possible tragic consequences of the irrevocable clash that was prevented by the presence of the clergy between the demonstrators and the police at that fateful moment (by the way, one of my spiritual brothers who was with me on those days, Reverend Zakaria, covered this in detail in a report). I just want to ask a question. What is it, did the Armenian Patriarch force us to participate in the demonstrations?
