During a February 22 service at Surb Hreshtakapetats (Holy Archangels) in Sevan attended by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the name of the Catholicos of All Armenians was not omitted.

The church’s spiritual pastor, Father Stepanos Ignatavosyan, said the ceremony was conducted in accordance with established practice and included the mention of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Sputnik Armenia reports.

“The liturgy was conducted as it should have been. As for the prime minister’s visit, I was not even aware of it in advance,” the priest said.

Those present said worshippers were surprised when Pashinyan’s security personnel entered the church during the service, followed by the prime minister himself and Gegharkunik Governor Karen Sargsyan.

Services attended by Prime Minister Pashinyan have usually omitted the Catholicos’s name at the authorities’ urging. In the Armenian Apostolic Church, “omitting” — that is, not mentioning — the Catholicos’s name during the liturgy is regarded as uncanonical.