Patriarch of Constantinople urges patience until 2026 elections

PanARMENIAN.Net - Responding to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent criticism of the Catholicos, Mashaian reaffirmed support for Garegin II, stating, “Our Catholicos is Garegin II,” and called on both the clergy and the faithful to remain loyal to him.

He emphasized that the proper course is to “patiently wait for the 2026 elections,” according to Panorama.am.

“The entire Armenian nation has been shaken by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's allegations against the Catholicos of All Armenians.

Some circles have raised the idea of electing a “new Catholicos,” with my name mentioned as a potential candidate. Therefore, I find it necessary to offer clarification and prevent unnecessary speculation.

A. Our current Catholicos of All Armenians is His Holiness Garegin II. The clergy and faithful must remain loyal, protective, and prayerful toward him.

B. The Prime Minister’s recent focus on this issue is clearly political, particularly with the 2026 elections on the horizon. This matter transcends political interests and must be approached with sensitivity. Mishandling it risks escalating tensions into a church–state conflict. Should that happen, our position is clear: we will defend the interests and independence of the Holy Apostolic Church from any external interference.

C. The path forward lies in patiently awaiting the 2026 elections. The Mother See has already announced a Church Representative Assembly for that year, which could evolve into a National Ecclesiastical Assembly. We are personally aware of how deeply His Holiness has been affected by the current situation—but we also know he will not retreat under political pressure. He has every right to stand firm,” Archbishop Mashalyan stated.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently wrote on Facebook that “decisive steps must be taken to liberate the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and organize new Catholicosal elections.” He added that a “Coordinating Group” would be established to manage the process, and that he would personally appoint its first 10 members.