ArmInfo. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has responded to the previously released statement by 10 bishops who joined Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's anti-church campaign, where they expressed their outrage over the decision of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to change the composition of the Supreme Spiritual Council (SEC).
Specifically, they stated that the Catholicos of All Armenians failed to provide reasons for the suspension of some SEC members (including bishops who supported Pashinyan's anti-church campaign - ed.), and accused His Holiness of violating church rules. Moreover, they once again called for Karekin II's resignation.
In this regard, the press office of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) recalled that after 2017 (the "velvet revolution" which brought Nikol Pashinyan to power in Armenia in 2018 - ed.), it was impossible to convene the Church Representative Assembly for objective reasons.
The Catholicos of All Armenians, in accordance with Article 7 of the AAC Charter, made changes to its composition. The changes, as clarified by the Church, were due to the frequent absences of council members, health issues of certain members, and the fact that several high-ranking AAC members are deprived of liberty. Furthermore, as the AAC noted, the changes are due to the fact that the new diocesan heads have replaced their predecessors by force of law, as in the case of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of the USA, the Armenian Diocese of France, the Artsakh Diocese, and the Armenian Diocese of Georgia.
Recall, the Mother See of Etchmiadzin previously dismissed claims that the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church (AAC) lacks a charter as groundless. At the same time, the Mother See explained the reason for postponing the National Church Assembly, scheduled to take place every seven years. The AAC noted that the assembly was postponed due to the pandemic and the war in Artsakh.
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