By Arshaluys Barseghyan
As Armenia celebrated the holidays, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has published a statement envisioning a ‘reform’ of the Armenian Apostolic Church, renewing calls for the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II. In turn, the Church responded that reforms should not be entrusted to a “self-declared council.”
Pashinyan read the statement at his residence, where he hosted 10 senior clergy members who had called for the resignation of the catholicos.
A video of Pashinyan delivering the statement and the accompanying singing was published on his official social media accounts on Sunday evening.
The document declared the launch of reforms in the Armenian Church, a roadmap for the implementation of reforms, including removal of Karekin II, as well as the formation of a ‘Coordinating Council’ composed of the signatories. The latter is to be entrusted with the organizational functions related to the reform.
The reforms stem from their concern over the “failure” of Karekin II and members of his close circle “to live according to and preach the principles of the gospel, the disruption of spiritual life, and the manifestation of tolerance toward the glaring facts of moral corruption.”
