Pashinyan sets clear rules for Armenian Church reform roadmap

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has emphasised that the upcoming election of the Catholicos must adhere strictly to the existing canonical procedures of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

As reported by Caliber. Az, Pashinyan made the remarks in a Facebook post.

“Since various questions have been raised, I find it necessary to address, one by one, all the points of the roadmap for renewing the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church that I published a few days ago, following the removal of Ktrich Nersisyan (Garegin II — editor’s note).

The first point concerns the election of the Locum Tenens of the Catholicos. On this matter, I must state that it is essential for the process to take place in accordance with the mechanisms currently in force within the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, under which — as far as I know — the Bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church are responsible for electing the Locum Tenens. I have no alternative approaches or proposals on this issue.

I would also note that the primary responsibility of the Locum Tenens should be to organise the process of adopting a new Canonical Statute of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church,” he said in a video address.

Pashinyan had unveiled the “roadmap” for the reform of the Armenian Church on December 8, following the removal of Garegin II.

By Tamilla Hasanova