A 14-year-old church acolyte, Vahe Apikyan, who had been reported missing, has been found safe, Armenia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs announced.
According to the ministry, at around 2:45 p.m., police officers and local residents located the teenager in Garni. Officials confirmed that his life is not in danger.
Vahe Apikyan, who serves as an acolyte at St. Sarkis Church in Yerevan, left his home on the morning of July 29, 2026, without informing his family. He reportedly took only his church robes and left behind a note stating that he wished to leave secular life and become a hermit.
Earlier, Tovmas Arakelyan, spokesperson for the Diocese of Tavush, had appealed to the public for assistance, saying the family believed the teenager might visit a church to pray and asking anyone who found him to notify his relatives.
Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances of his disappearance or where he was found, but confirmed that he has been located safely.
