Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and ten archbishops and bishops demanding the removal of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II have issued a “Declaration on the Reform of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.”
The declaration, signed at the Prime Minister’s residence and published on Facebook, was endorsed by Pashinyan along with Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan, Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan, Archbishop Arakel Karamyan, Archbishop Sion Adamyan, Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Bishop Anushavan Jamkochyan, Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan, Bishop Artak Tigranyan, and Bishop Gevorg Saroyan.
The signatories presented a roadmap for church reform and announced the formation of a Coordinating Council tasked with organizing the process. The five-point roadmap envisions:
- The public proclamation of a reform agenda;
- The removal (calling to retirement) of the de facto head of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church;
- The election of a Catholicosal Locum Tenens in accordance with established procedure;,
- The adoption of a Charter of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and;
- The election of a new Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Prime Minister and the other authors of the statement call on the clergy of the Church and all its followers to “Support and join the renewal of the Church, to unite around this goal for the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, for the Republic of Armenia, and for our people.”
The authors of the statement express concern over, “The failure of the de facto head of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the representatives of his close circle to live and preach according to the principles of the Gospel, the disruption of spiritual life, and the manifestation of tolerance toward the glaring facts of moral decay,” and they condemn and consider unacceptable “the uncanonical practice of involving the Church in politics and subordinating it to various agendas and foreign interests.”
They also acknowledge and recognize their, “Share of guilt and responsibility for the situation that has developed in the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the need to transform through repentance.”
Beneath the statement, next to the names of Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan is written “Agreed,” while the others signed it.
Pashinyan later announced on his Facebook page a pilgrimage march in Yerevan on January 6, inviting all citizens to participate. The march will start at 1:30 p.m. from the courtyard of the Saint Gregory the Illuminator Mother Church and proceed to the Saint Mary (Katoghike) Church.
In response, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin stated that, “Under the pretext of regulating and reforming the internal life of the Church, the actions undertaken by the head of the Government of Armenia directly violate the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and infringe upon the rights of the Church as enshrined both internationally and in Armenian legislation.”
“The involvement of bishops in such anti-Church processes and the pressure exerted on the clergy are condemnable. Matters related to the life of the Church are discussed exclusively within the appropriate ecclesiastical bodies, in accordance with canonical regulations. It is regrettable that these ten bishops have so far not responded in any way to the appeals and invitations sent to them by the Mother See, and continue to avoid meetings and discussions with the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Supreme Spiritual Council regarding the issues that concern them,” the statement read, adding that, “Matters of church governance and reform are not entrusted to a self-proclaimed council, but to the Hierarchy of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and its highest institutions.”
The statement ended with a warning that, “Such reckless steps may lead to schism, with painful consequences.”
In his New Year’s message, Catholicos Karekin II addressed the government’s actions.
“The past year has been a time of troubling trials for our nation: divisions within society, manifestations of hatred and intolerance. Unfortunately, we enter the New Year under unsettled conditions, with the Church of Armenia and its clergy subjected to unjust persecution. Our clergy, a national benefactor, and devoted sons of Armenia remain unlawfully imprisoned,” he said, adding the the “New Year is a call for renewal, to cast out from lives all wrongful deeds, to correct sinful and destructive paths, end betrayals and fraternal discord.”
