Mother See Issues Statement Regarding Hovhanavank

The Mother See has issued a statement: “By the directive of His Holiness the Catholicos of All Armenians dated October 21, 2025, and based on the conclusion of the Committee for Granting Awards and Disciplinary Issues of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Rev. Father Aram Asatryan, spiritual servant of the Aragatsotn Diocese, has been defrocked due to exhausting all reasonable opportunities to return to the canonical domain, including his repeated refusal to appear before the committee. He has been announced as defrocked and referred to as the layman Stepan Asatryan.

Following this decision, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has duly informed Stepan Asatryan, prohibiting him from performing ecclesiastical rituals and sacraments according to the Church’s canons, as well as any other actions reserved exclusively for the Church’s servants. He has also been required to vacate Hovhanavank by October 23 of this year and return the keys to the church to the president of the administrative council of the Aragatsotn Diocese, Rev. Shnorhk Abed Paloyan, and to vacate the residence provided to him by the Mother See for service purposes by January 15, 2026.

At the same time, Stepan Asatryan has been informed that from now on the rituals at Hovhanavank will be conducted by the resident priests, and he has been urged to refrain from obstructing any of the rituals, including the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, which constitutes not only a gross canonical violation but also a criminal act.

It should be noted that Stepan Asatryan, ignoring the lawful demands of the Mother See, refuses to surrender the keys to the church and vacate the territory of Hovhanavank. We regret that the disciplinary measures and the decision of defrocking taken by the Mother See due to Father Aram's rebellious conduct are being improperly exploited by representatives of the ruling political force. It is particularly condemnable that supported by the Prime Minister, Stepan Asatryan has initiated an event under the name of the Holy Eucharist at Hovhanavank. This is yet another attempt by the leader of the ruling political force to divide the Church, manifesting all illegal and anti-church traits.

The churches, monasteries, and other sacred sites are the heritage of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, and regardless of the ownership rights to these historical and cultural values, the canonical right to perform religious rituals and blessings is exclusively reserved for the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church.

We wish to emphasize that the actions undertaken by the former clergyman obstruct the rightful service of the resident priests at Hovhanavank and defile the sanctity of the place, implicating participants in unacceptable actions in the perpetration of anti-canonical acts. We urge law enforcement agencies to prevent illegal activities and ensure the normal service of the resident priests at Hovhanavank and the spiritual-prayerful atmosphere of the sanctuary,” the statement reads.