A meeting of the Armenia-resident members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church was held Thursday at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the chairmanship of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the Mother See informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The meeting addressed the pressures exerted on the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the crooked path of the ten bishops and its divisive consequences, and ways to overcome the situation surrounding the Church.

The discussion covered the illegal persecutions of clergy and faithful members of the Church, as well as legal proceedings through criminal cases. The Supreme Spiritual Council reaffirmed its demand to the Armenian law enforcement and judicial bodies to ensure justice and legality for clergy, national benefactors, and other devoted Armenians imprisoned on fabricated charges. It was emphasized that the Mother See must, by all available legal means, protect the rights of the Church and clergy, and ensure the return of church-owned usurped holy sites.

The Supreme Spiritual Council condemned the Armenian authorities’, particularly Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s intervention in the internal life of the Armenian Apostolic Church and its canonical provisions, as such actions contradict the country’s Constitution, offend the religious sentiments of the Armenian people, and violate the rights and centuries-old traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Specifically, the issue of forcibly omitting the names of the Catholicos of All Armenians and diocesan primates of the Church during liturgies with the prime minister’s attendance was addressed. It was noted that this practice had been unanimously condemned as canonically improper and potentially sacrilegious at the Bishops' Synod on November 26. Members of the Supreme Spiritual Council found bewildering that that some bishops who had supported the synod’s decision later participated in distorted ceremonies organized at the initiative of the Armenian authorities.

Reflecting on the crooked path of the ten bishops, their self-isolation from the brotherhood, and the absence of Supreme Spiritual Council member bishops from synods, the Council expressed concern over their divisive stance, viewing it as a breach of their spiritual oath and a blow to the Church’s unity. Also, the Supreme Spiritual Council deemed unacceptable the unfounded accusations raised by these bishops and the manner in which they were presented, stressing that they must abandon forced, canonically improper agendas and return to the Mother Church, being guided solely by canonical ecclesiastical procedures.

Due to the imperative to overcome this worrying situation, which is undesirable for the Church and its worldwide flock, the Supreme Spiritual Council considered it urgent to convene a meeting of the Bishops' Synod in the near future, and relevant instructions were given in this regard.

Proposals were made at the meeting to take appropriate steps in cooperation with international organizations and human rights bodies to halt the dissemination of misleading perceptions regarding the current situation around the Church propagated by the state’s propaganda machinery.

The members of the assembly expressed their gratitude to the clergy who have remained faithful to the Armenian Apostolic Church during these difficult days, for enduring trials with courage, faith, and unity. The Supreme Spiritual Council urged these clergy to arm their faithful with proper information within the framework of their pastoral mission and to urge to refrain from any actions that would disrupt the unity of the Church.

Addressing the disturbances caused before the meeting, during the Evening Prayer, and triggered by gatherings organized by the bishops around the Mother Cathedral, the Supreme Spiritual Council condemned the unlawful actions that disrupted the spiritual atmosphere of the monastery. The members of the assembly expressed their appreciation to the faithful people for their vigilance, church devotion, and loyalty despite the organized disturbances.