Archbishop Hovnan Derderian to participate in Bishops` Conference in  Austria

ArmInfo. The Primate of the Western Diocese of North America, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, will participate in the Bishops' conference to be held in Austria, as noted in a statement issued by the Western Diocese of the USA.

 "We hereby inform the Diocesan  faithful that at the invitation of  His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All  Armenians, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the  Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, will  participate in the Bishops' Synod which will be held in the city of  St. Polten, Austria, from February 16-19.

Thereafter, His Eminence will also take part in the meetings of the  Supreme Spiritual Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,  which will likewise convene in the same city on February 20-21.  We  ask the faithful to remember these important assemblies in their  prayers. Under God's guidance, may the assemblies be blessed and  fruitful, for the welfare and prosperity of our Homeland and for the  edification and radiance of the Armenian Apostolic Church," the  statement reads.

Recall, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian is one of 10 clergy who have  joined RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's initiatives to "reform"  the Armenian Apostolic Church. Meanwhile, ten high-ranking schismatic  clergymen who had demanded the Catholicos' resignation had previously  announced they would not participate in the Bishops' Conference. It  appears that a schism has begun among the "reformers" of the Armenian  Apostolic Church themselves.