Pashinyan's Latest Statement

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has written on his Facebook page: "Dear faithful followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, as one of you, I am reaching out to you. We must take effective steps to free the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and organize a new election for the Catholicos. At this stage, we need to create a Coordinating Group to regulate the organizational issues of the aforementioned agenda.

Members of the Coordinating Group can be followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church who: a) fully believe in our living Lord, Jesus Christ; b) have read the Bible from start to finish at least once; c) have fasted at least once in the past five years; d) pray every day; e) believe that the agenda for the renewal of the Mother See aligns with the interests of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, our people, our state, and corresponds to the sacred tradition of our ancestors.

Both men and women, laypeople and clergy can be members of the Coordinating Group. For celibate clergymen, it is mandatory that they have not violated their vow of celibacy. I will take responsibility for selecting the first 10 members of the Group based on conversations regarding the mentioned criteria. Subsequently, the Group will determine its expansion procedures, structure, and other possible issues.

I understand that many of the aforementioned criteria for membership in the Coordinating Group cannot objectively be verified, but it is possible to discern these things in conversations, by looking with the eyes of the spirit, with God's assistance.

If you meet the aforementioned criteria, please send your name, surname, and phone number to [email protected], with "Coordinating Group" in the subject line. Please also briefly include your profession and/or occupation.

The formation of the Coordinating Group will take place in a working manner until the Group itself decides to announce anything about itself. During our activities, there will be many tempting words, and we will be accused of various sins. Look at all of this with the eyes of your soul, listen to the voice of our living Lord, Jesus Christ, and act accordingly."