The Catholicos has no possibility of stepping down. I see no pretext for the Catholicos to step down. Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, told this to a press conference Monday—and regarding the demand by several bishops and the Armenian authorities that the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, step down.

“The Catholicos cannot step down simply because certain circles, including dubious ones whose [Armenian Apostolic] Church affiliation is highly questionable, have pushed such an agenda. He [i.e. Karekin II] cannot step down even if such a demand is made by ten bishops. The Catholicos [of All Armenians] is elected by the national ecclesiastical assembly, and outside the decision of the national ecclesiastical assembly, any such decision by the Catholicos to step down would be nothing more than desertion.

The Catholicos cannot step down, and the Catholicos has noted this many times, and I am confident that such a decision will not be made, cannot be made by the Catholicos. The Catholicos has a high, very high awareness of the [Armenian Apostolic] Church and of belonging to the Church,” Archbishop Khachatryan said.