Armenian court orders  Armenian Apostolic Church to reinstate  defrocked clergymen Stepan Asatryan and Aramayis Takhmazyan

ArmInfo.A court has ruled to apply an interim measure regarding the lawsuits of two  defrocked clergymen, Stepan Asatryan (formerly Father Ter Aram, spiritual pastor of Hovhannavank) and Aramayis Takhmazyan (formerly Father Ter Tade, spiritual pastor of the Talin region).

The court ordered the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin  to restate them to their  previous positions despite their loss of clerical rank. This  information was reported on the Datalex judicial portal.

Earlier, on February 5, the defrocked clergymen petitioned the court  to invalidate Patriarchal Decree No.  1042, issued by His Holiness  Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. The decree finalized their  defrocking; the plaintiffs are seeking both the annulment of the  decree and restoration to their former posts.

Initially, judges Sima Abovyan and Pargev Melkonyan returned the  applications, citing failure to meet Civil Code requirements  regarding form and content. However, after the plaintiffs addressed  these deficiencies within a three-day window and refiled, the court  accepted the cases for consideration alongside motions for  precautionary measures.

Stepan Asatryan's petition requested that the court obligate the  defendant and other parties to fully and without hindrance ensure the  plaintiff's tenure as the spiritual pastor of the St. Hovhannavank  parish and prohibit any actions that would obstruct his duties as  established by the Charter of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) and  other applicable norms.

The court partially granted the motion  ordering the Armenian  Apostolic Holy Church and associated parties to ensure Stepan  Artakovich Asatryan remains in his post as spiritual pastor of the  St.  Hovhannavank parish until a final legally binding verdict is  reached in the civil case.

Aramayis Tahmazyan (Father Tade) has made similar demands, requesting  that the court ensure his continued tenure as the spiritual mentor of  the Talin region. The court has demanded that the AAC present  evidence supporting the factual basis of Patriarch Karekin II's  decree regarding the defrocking, internal and individual legal acts  referenced in the decree and  contracts or agreements regulating the  professional activities of both Asatryan and Takhmazyan.