The Armenian Church responded to calls for the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II

The Armenian Apostolic Church has officially announced that Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II does not intend to resign from his post. The statement was a response to growing pressure from a group of high-ranking bishops and criticism from Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who have called for the Catholicos’s voluntary resignation.

According to the Armenian Church press service, Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan, head of the Armenian Church Chancery, emphasized at the press conference that he sees «no grounds for the Catholicos of All Armenians to abdicate.» He also characterized the possible departure of the Primate under pressure as «desertion,» saying that Garegin II cannot leave the throne only at the request of individual, including «dubious» circles or even ten bishops.

The statement was preceded by an appeal by ten hierarchs of the Armenian Church, who called on the Catholicos to leave voluntarily. In their appeal, the bishops expressed hope that Garegin II «in the name of love for our Church and our people will soberly assess the situation, will not bring our nation and Church to unnecessary upheavals and will voluntarily retire.» In their opinion, this will allow organizing new elections of the Primate.

The situation escalated after the meeting of this group of bishops with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The head of the government has long advocated the need to «renew the church system» and change the Catholicos. Pashinyan has also publicly made accusations against Garegin II, claiming that the latter has allegedly broken his vow of celibacy and has a child.

In response to this pressure, Archbishop Khachatryan reminded that the Catholicos is elected by the National Church Assembly and not at the request of individuals or political figures. «It is certain that the Catholicos will not make such a decision, he cannot do so. He has an extremely high degree of awareness of belonging to the Church,» concluded the representative of the Armenian Church, confirming the firm position of the Primate.

Recall, earlier we reported that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated the continuation of the campaign aimed at removing Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II from the throne. The head of the government stressed that the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church (AAC) should return to a «pro-state and state-oriented direction,» which, in his opinion, is impossible without the departure of the current Catholicos. Pashinyan called the initiative a «spiritual and apolitical agenda» but linked it to state security issues, accusing the Church of a centuries-old «imperial logic» that continues under the current Catholicos.