The Call of Artsakh at a life-and-death moment.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
We are receiving alarming news from Artsakh on a daily basis. One hundred twenty thousand of our brothers and sisters continue to live the hardships of the illegal blockade by Azerbaijan.
There is a growing shortage of food and medicine especially. The humanitarian crisis is growing and a catastrophic situation is imminent.
Two children were found dead in a car recently, whilst their parents went to seek food. A senior person died, while waiting in a queue for bread in Stepanakert.
Azerbaijan continues the illegal medieval-style siege of Artsakh to break and take over the nation. It persuades policy of ethnic cleansing.
As I did Last Sunday during the Divine Liturgy, I call upon the members of the Armenian community to:
- Pray for our brothers and sisters in Artsakh.
- Share the stories of the suffering of the people of Artsakh with your MPs, friends, colleagues and anyone who could raise their voice and ask the UK government to pressure Azerbaijan to open the Lachin corridor.
- Call your friends or people you may know in Artsakh, whether you know them personally or not. Call them, encourage them, and try to find ways to help them financially and morally by choosing your channels.
We may not feel the danger in the comfort of our homes, but the situation is extremely dire. The situation will not improve or change until we act in unity and act boldly. Indifference and ignorance should not be excuses.
Despite all the difficulties and the trials in their daily life, our brothers and sisters in Artsakh continue to stand firm in their homeland and are determined to live in their ancestral homes. The resilience could be defined with one word: defiance.
Artsakh needs you, and let’s stand by our brothers and sisters. As the Gospel tells us: “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
With blessings
Bishop Hovakim Manukyan
