Clergy challenge legitimacy of Armenian Apostolic Church’s governing body

Several bishops and archbishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church who have pledged loyalty to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have issued a statement declaring invalid a meeting of the Church’s executive body, the Supreme Spiritual Council (SSC), convened on December 18.

According to the statement, Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II informed several SSC members on December 15 that their powers had been suspended by patriarchal decree, without providing justification. Some of those affected were elected to the Council for four-year terms by the Church-Representative Assembly (CRA) in June 2017, Caliber.Az reports via Armenian media. 

The clerics argue that under Church statutes, the CRA must convene every two years and new SSC elections must be held once members’ terms expire. They claim that the Catholicos failed to convene the assembly as required, allowing the SSC to continue operating in violation of its charter.

As a result, the bishops questioned the legality of the Council’s activities and decisions since 2021, stating that Church regulations provide no legal basis for the prolonged non-convening of the CRA. They accused Catholicos Garegin II of exercising unchecked authority and violating Church statutes, leading to what they described as a governance crisis at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The statement reiterated calls previously made by members of the episcopate for the Catholicos to step down and for the adoption of a new Church statute aligned with its traditions and mission.

Citing what they described as serious procedural violations and abuse of power, the bishops declared the December 18 SSC session invalid and said decisions taken by the body since 2021 could be considered unlawful. They called for the immediate suspension of the Council’s activities and the appointment of new members until a new session of the Church-Representative Assembly is convened.

By Sabina Mammadli