The Assembly of Bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, convened in St. Pölten, Austria, has expressed loyalty to Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, declaring unacceptable “any reform movement under external coercion.”

The statement was also signed by Archbishop Hovnan Terteryan, who had earlier joined the church reform agenda initiated by the prime minister.

Participants in the assembly voiced deep concern over the current state of church-state relations, condemning criminal prosecutions carried out against clergymen.

“We, the twenty-five bishops of the Catholicosate of All Armenians — the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople — express our filial gratitude to His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, at whose paternal invitation bishops serving in the homeland and the diaspora have gathered to reflect together on the challenges facing the Armenian Church and to find ways to overcome them.

With deep concern and condemnation, we record that due to unfounded criminal prosecution, the departure from Armenia of the Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Church and six of our brother bishops was blocked, preventing their participation in this significant assembly in the life of the Church.

…As participants in the Assembly of Bishops, we resolutely reaffirm the orders and principles sanctified by the tradition and centuries-long experience of our Holy Church in its salvific mission, as well as in national and state life, particularly noting that the head of the Armenian Church, founded by the preaching of the Holy Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew, is Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:22). This divinely established structure is governed by the Holy Scripture, the Church’s doctrine and canons, and the principle of apostolic succession under the shepherding of the Armenian patriarchs,” the statement reads.

It emphasizes that the Armenian Apostolic Church has never served and does not serve foreign powers or external interests, maintaining its loyalty exclusively to the Armenian people, their statehood and the preservation of national identity.

In this context, the bishops express deep concern over the undesirable state of church-state relations and, amid what they describe as a dangerous situation, call on the Armenian authorities to:

– cease persecution of the Church and respect its centuries-established sovereignty and autonomy, grounding church-state relations in mutual respect, clear separation of powers and priority of national interests,

– put an end to repressive measures based on fabricated accusations and slander against clergymen and the nationally elected Catholicos of All Armenians,

– release four detained bishops, a priest and Armenian faithful who spoke in defense of the Church,

– act exclusively within the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia, national legislation and international law, and remain faithful to proclaimed democratic principles by guaranteeing freedom of conscience, religion and belief while ensuring social solidarity instead of division,

– resolve existing issues and disagreements in a spirit of dialogue without preconditions, refraining from futile ultimatum rhetoric.

The participants also urge eight errant bishops to:

– act in awareness of their vow of loyalty to Holy Etchmiadzin and the Catholicos of All Armenians and of their pastoral calling,

– raise and resolve issues related to internal church life exclusively within the Church’s authorized bodies,

– refrain from anti-canonical actions, divisive steps and separatist manifestations that threaten to cause schism and weaken the Church’s mission in the life of the faithful people.

In this framework, they state that omitting the name of the Supreme Patriarch during the commemoration in the Divine Liturgy is ecclesiologically unacceptable under any justification and constitutes a direct blow to the unity of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Armenian Church.

Deeming unacceptable any reform movement under external coercion, the bishops consider it imperative to address challenges facing the Armenian Church and carry out improvement efforts exclusively within the Assembly of Bishops and the Church’s highest canonical bodies.

The bishops reaffirm their loyalty to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and to the Catholicos of All Armenians as the visible symbol and guarantee of the Church’s unity, reconciliation and harmony, for “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Cor. 14:33), the statement concludes.

It is also noted that the Church must steadfastly continue its sacred mission regardless of external pressures, remaining faithful to the Holy Gospel and the orthodox doctrine of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The statement was joined by Archbishops Khajag Parsamyan, Hovnan Terteryan, Vigen Aykazyan, Aram Ateshyan, Yezras Nersisyan; Bishops Ashot Mnatsakanyan, Armash Nalbandyan, Ararat Galtaghchyan, Markos Hovhannisyan, Hovakim Manukyan, Tatev Hakobyan, Narek Berberyan, Abgar Hovakimyan, Serovbe Isakhanyan, Daniel Fıntıgyan, Tiran Petrosyan, Oshakan Gyulgyulyan, Theodoros Zakaryan, Mesrop Parsamyan, Koryun Baghdasaryan, Kirakos Davtyan, Aren Shahenyan, Grigor Khachatryan, Parthev Barseghyan and Khoren Arakelyan.

On February 14, it became known that the Investigative Committee had chosen a travel ban as a preventive measure against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. The Investigative Committee stated that public criminal prosecution had been initiated against the Catholicos on charges of obstructing the execution of a judicial act.