Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin condemns inclusion of provisions  regarding AAC in ruling party`s election program

ArmInfo. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has condemned the inclusion of unacceptable provisions regarding the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) in the ruling Civil Contract party's election program.

As noted in a statement issued by the AAC press office, this  specifically concerns the mandatory agenda of church reform, revision  of the Statue, removal of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, and   holding new elections. The Mother See of Etchmiadzin called these  actions a clear violation of constitutional order, the right of the  Church to self-government, as well as the fundamental international  principles of freedom of conscience and religion.

" The entire anti-church essence and objective of the ruling  political force's ideology is once again demonstrated by pre-election  promises to continue its obviously illegal actions against the  Church. The thousand-year-old mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy  Church, its sacred traditions and spiritual life should not become  the subject of political speculation. As the Mother See has  repeatedly confirmed, the election of the Catholicos and any reforms  in the church hierarchy are exclusively in the spiritual-canonical  domain, and therefore are beyond the jurisdiction of political  parties and state authorities," the statement reads.

The Apostolic Church warned that the adopted law-breaking style of  work is nationally damaging and absolutely unacceptable. "It  contradicts the interests of our people throughout the world,  endangers the foundations of the national value system, and  undermines spiritual security," the Armenian Church concluded.