The leader of the Diocese of Artsakh, His Grace Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, addressed a letter to the US Vice President Mr. James David Vance.
Below we present the content of the letter.
"Dear Mr. Vice President,
On behalf of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the faithful I serve as a leader, I convey to you my deep respect and gratitude for the United States' long-standing commitment to maintaining peace and human dignity in the South Caucasus.
I am writing to you today not only as a spiritual leader, but also as a pastor of a displaced flock, whose historic churches, thousand-year-old religious monuments and shrines are currently under serious threat. Our compatriots, who were taken hostage in 2023, are still being held illegally in Baku prison. after the official ceasefire of September 20 and the agreement signed by the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Apart from that, we have many missing persons from the last Artsakh war.
At this crucial moment, I turn to you with great hopes, asking for your immediate moral and diplomatic guidance in two matters of profound humanitarian and spiritual significance.
I. The return of Armenian prisoners of war and hostages, as well as the search for missing persons or their remains in 2023. The fate of the Armenian prisoners who remain in detention after the military operations of September causes great pain to our communities and deeply wounds the families of the missing.
Although some releases have been reported in recent weeks, reliable sources indicate that many Armenian men and women continue to be held without transparent legal processes and, in some cases, without regular contact with both independent observers and their families, who are awaiting news. The uncertainty and suffering experienced by these families requires immediate international attention and humanitarian intervention. I respectfully request that the United States authorities use their influence to call on the leadership of Azerbaijan to guarantee immediate and unimpeded access to the International Committee of the Red Cross and other impartial monitoring bodies to all persons held in custody. Because as the Lord promises to His people: "I will appear to you, and I will remove your captivity" (Jeremiah 29:14).
II. Destruction of churches, Christian monuments and historical graves of Artsakh Diocese, which is part of world religious heritage
Our ancient churches, monasteries, cemeteries and monuments of Artsakh, which today are facing serious danger and are being destroyed day by day, are an integral part of the material and spiritual heritage of the Christian world.
Independent experts and authoritative observers have documented the damage and destruction of Armenian religious and cultural sites in areas now under Azerbaijani control.
Saint Hovhannes Mkrtich Church (Green Hour) in Shushi city and Saint Sargis Church of 18th century in Mokhrenes are just two examples of sanctuaries that have already been razed to the ground. These places are not only national symbols. they are living testimonies of the Christian heritage of the region and the shared history of many peoples.
Therefore, on behalf of our entire class of believers and clerical brothers, I am appealing to you to facilitate immediate steps to protect cultural heritage by allowing and promoting international monitoring and documentation by UNESCO and other impartial scientific and cultural institutions, by providing unrestricted access to experts and independent journalists, and by supporting initiatives for the long-term preservation and restoration of shrines.
I am confident that your visit to Armenia, as well as your moral authority as the Vice President of the United States, presents a unique opportunity to promote urgent humanitarian solutions to the above problems. If possible, I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to meet with you or a senior member of your delegation to personally present the testimonies of the mentioned families, clergy and local communities, and to discuss concrete steps that can be taken in the coming months.
I pray that your commitment to the principles of human rights, justice and mercy will contribute to the relief of the pain of grieving families and the preservation of the sacred heritage that belongs to the entire Christian community and to all humanity.
With highest regards and blessings,
Vrtanes Bishop Abrahamyan
Leader of the Diocese of Artsakh":
