Rebel bishops urge Armenian clergy to boycott Synod in Austria

A group of Armenian bishops opposing Catholicos Garegin II has issued a public call for the cancellation of the Armenian Church’s upcoming Synod in Austria. The Synod, previously announced by the Etchmiadzin, is scheduled to take place from February 16–19.

As Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media, the bishops backing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in his ongoing confrontation with Garegin II are urging both church leadership and state authorities to pursue realistic solutions to ease the escalating standoff between the government and the church.

In their statement, the bishops directly appealed to other clergy members, urging them to refrain from participating in what they described as a “reckless venture.”

“The reason for all of this lies in autocratic and improper governance without a clear statute, canonical principles, and a prolonged refusal to implement reforms. Do not look for the blame elsewhere,” the statement reads, underscoring deep institutional grievances within the Armenian Church.

By Vafa Guliyeva