Pashinyan proposes to form council to remove Catholicos

PanARMENIAN.Net - Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced via his Facebook page the need for "decisive steps to liberate the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and organize new Catholicos elections."

He added that at this stage, "we must form a coordinating group to manage the organizational aspects of the aforementioned agenda."

“Dear faithful followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, I am addressing you as one of your own: we must take action to free the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and hold new Catholicos elections.

We need to create a Coordinating Group to handle the organizational matters related to this agenda. Members of this group may include followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church who:

a) sincerely believe in our living Lord, Jesus Christ;

b) have read the Bible in its entirety at least once;

c) have observed Lent at least once in the past five years;

d) pray daily;

e) believe that the agenda of reforming the Mother See aligns with the interests of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, our people, and our state, and is in accordance with our ancestors’ sacred traditions.

Both men and women, laypeople and clergy may join. In the case of celibate clergy, adherence to the vow of celibacy is mandatory.

I will personally select the first 10 members of the Coordinating Group based on conversations evaluating their alignment with the stated criteria.

Later, the Group will determine its own expansion procedures, structure, and other matters.

I understand that most of the criteria are objectively hard to verify, but through conversations and with God's help, one can discern them with the eyes of the soul.

If you meet the above criteria, please send your full name and phone number to nikolpashinyan@gmail.com with 'Coordinating Group' in the subject line.

Please also briefly state your profession or occupation.

The group will be formed in a working manner until it decides when and how to announce itself.

During this process, many will voice temptations and accuse us of various sins. Look at everything through the eyes of your soul, listen to the voice of our living Lord Jesus Christ, and act accordingly,” the post reads.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared the Armenian Apostolic Church must elect a new Catholicos and urged followers to unite in “liberating the Mother See lovingly and Christianly to elect a truly sacred spiritual leader as Catholicos of All Armenians.”

“Karekin II has broken his vow of celibacy, taken voluntarily, and has a child. This is a fact. If he tries to deny it, I will prove it in the proper format. Therefore, Karekin II could not have been a bishop or archbishop, and cannot be or have been Catholicos. Ktrich Nersisyan must vacate the Mother See.”