Ruling party MP says Catholicos will not be forcefully removed

PanARMENIAN.Net - A ruling Civil Contract party lawmaker, Narek Grigoryan, expressed support for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent initiative to take “active steps” toward freeing the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and forming a council to replace the current Catholicos.

When asked by reporters if he would take part in a potential election process, Grigoryan responded, “No,” according to Aysor.am .

“I’m a believer and a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church, but politically, I don’t want to participate in this in an official capacity,” he added.

Grigoryan noted that it is currently difficult to predict what method will ultimately be used to remove the Catholicos from the Mother See.

“The process will show. I believe that Armenia’s church must be led by someone who abides by the vows he has made, the Bible, and who is a devout believer. The Prime Minister also said in his post that this person should at least observe Great Lent,” Grigoryan stated.

He also firmly denied that force would be used to remove the Catholicos.

“They pray in the Mother See. No force is used there. I urge every believer involved in the process not to do anything inside the church except pray,” he said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently announced on Facebook that “active steps must be taken to free the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and organize new Catholicosal elections.” He added that a Coordinating Group will be created to manage the agenda and that he will personally take responsibility for selecting the group’s first 10 members.