Armenian bishops call on authorities to stop Church persecution

A meeting of the bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Photo: Sputnik.

On February 19, 2026, hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church, gathered in Austria, confirmed their loyalty to Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians and appealed to the Armenian authorities to end the persecution of the Church and its clergy, reports the Novosti-Armenia news agency.

The meeting of bishops took place from February 16 to 19 in the city of St. Pölten and was convened by the Catholicos. Following the meeting, the hierarchs declared their devotion to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin as the symbol and guarantor of the unity, harmony, and peace of the Church.

The document expresses concern that, in connection with the criminal prosecution, Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians and six bishops were banned from leaving the country, which forced them to participate in the meeting only via video link. The hierarchs emphasized that the Armenian Church remains faithful to the Armenian people and their statehood and does not serve external interests.

The participants in the meeting called on the authorities to release the detained clergymen, respect the autonomy of the Church, and build relations on the basis of law, mutual respect, and national interests. They also expressed concern over the court proceedings in Baku against the leadership of Artsakh and appealed to the international community to help secure the release of detained Armenians.

Earlier, in Etchmiadzin, the criminal prosecution of the Catholicos was described as politically motivated. The conflict between the Prime Minister of Armenia and the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church in 2025 was accompanied by public criticism of the Church and sharp polemics between the sides.

Previously, the UOJ reported that bishops of the Armenian Church held a meeting in Austria without the Catholicos.

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