Armenian Church Council: Government has no right to reform the Church

Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Photo: armenianchurch.org

The Supreme Spiritual Council of the Armenian Apostolic Church rejected the legality of government interference in the Church’s internal affairs. The bishops condemned what they described as the government’s smear campaign and pointed to systematic violations of the country’s Constitution.

The episcopate held an emergency meeting at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin under the chairmanship of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. Participants discussed the escalating tensions between the state and the Church and subsequently issued an official statement. They stressed that the secular authorities are attempting to impose external administrative changes on the clergy by force.

“The government has neither the authority nor the constitutionally established competence to make reform of the Church part of its program or to impose any demands on the clergy at its own discretion,” the Council stated.

The bishops cited a series of what they called hostile decisions as evidence of the authorities’ anti-Church intentions. In particular, the government removed the subject “History of the Armenian Church” from the school curriculum, abolished the military chaplaincy service, and ended pastoral ministry in prisons. The authorities have also imposed what the Council described as excessive taxes on religious communities and introduced unjustified fines.

The Spiritual Council categorically rejected government accusations that the Church poses a threat to national security. The bishops stressed that they would continue to defend national unity and the rights of believers despite pressure and what they described as politically motivated criminal prosecutions.

As the UOJ previously reported, the Armenian authorities included the resignation of the Catholicos and reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church in the government’s program.

Read also