Supreme Spiritual Council: Armenian Authorities Are Attempting to Create an Artificial Agenda Around the Armenian Church

Arminfo. A meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council, Armenian bishops and diocesan heads was held in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin under the chairmanship of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

As reported by the press office of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the agenda included issues concerning the administrative, canonical and pastoral affairs of the Church and the Church’s mission. Church-state relations and the current situation were also discussed.

Following the meeting, a statement was issued in which the Supreme Spiritual Council expressed deep sorrow over the unacceptable conduct of Nikol Pashinyan’s “Civil Contract” faction in the newly formed National Assembly in recent days.

“It is perplexing that, amid the various challenges and dangerous external pressure facing the Homeland, the ruling authorities, while discussing the government program, have once again targeted our Holy Church, blatantly violating the country’s fundamental laws and ignoring internationally recognized rights. This policy will inevitably lead to a deepening of the existing tensions and confront our people in the homeland and the Diaspora with new divisions,” the statement said.

The Supreme Spiritual Council drew attention to the fact that, in an attempt to discredit the Church, defame the clergy and create the appearance of a crisis, the authorities are bringing clearly false accusations against the Armenian Church, accusing it of being an “agent of foreign influence” and a “state within a state,” as well as a “party of war” and a “security threat,” because it mentions Artsakh in prayers, raises issues concerning the rights of Armenians in Artsakh, the preservation of spiritual and cultural heritage, and the liberation of Armenians being held hostage in Baku.

“Every effort is being made to create artificial grounds for interference in the internal life and order of the Church, as well as to restrict the autonomy of the Armenian Church through fabricated accusations and unfounded and targeted criminal prosecutions against the See, the Catholicos of All Armenians and the clergy, thereby violating the right of believers to freedom of religion and conscience. Emphasizing that these actions deserve condemnation, the Supreme Spiritual Council stresses that an attempt is being made to form an artificial agenda around the Armenian Church,” the statement further said.

In this regard, the Church emphasized that the government has no authority or constitutionally guaranteed powers to include Church reform in the state program or to impose “proposals” and demands on the clergy at its discretion.

“The National Assembly is neither a competent nor an appropriate platform for discussing internal Church matters. Reform of the Armenian Church cannot be carried out through external pressure, threats and similar arbitrariness. The authorities’ true anti-Church intentions are also confirmed by the exclusion of the subject from the general education curriculum, the elimination of spiritual leadership in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, the suspension of the clergy’s spiritual service in correctional institutions, and the imposition of additional taxes on the Church through unjustified fines and sanctions,” the Supreme Spiritual Council stated.

In conclusion, it was emphasized that the Armenian Church, remaining faithful to its divine mission, has always been guided and continues to be guided by the interests of the Armenian state and the Armenian people throughout the world. “The Armenian Church will continue to be the defender of our identity and an advocate of national unity, making every effort to ensure a peaceful, secure and progressive life for our people,” the AAC concluded.

It should be noted that the Armenian authorities in cluded in the five-year government program a provision related to the so-called reform of the AAC, which sets the goal of ousting the incumbent Catholicos.