The Mother See Issues a Statement

The Mother See has issued a statement. On November 28, a meeting of the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council residing in Armenia was scheduled at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians. However, the legitimate session could not be convened due to the absence of Archbishop T. Navasard Kchoyan, Archbishop T. Abraham Mkrtchyan, Archbishop T. Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, Bishop T. Vartan Abrahamyan, and Bishop T. Gevorg Saroyan.

Nonetheless, the present members of the assembly privately addressed the statement published on November 27, signed by nine bishops. It was noted that the statement distorts the work of the ad hoc committee created regarding Archbishop T. Arshak Khacharyan's case. The committee, in fact, has not convened any meetings and did not even provide an opportunity for Archbishop Arshak to meet with them, and the conclusions drawn by the committee members presented to the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos were not formulated in compliance with the proper procedure.

It was also mentioned that no official request had been made to the Investigative Committee for an examination of the video attributed to the bishop. Furthermore, the conclusion obtained by a separate member of the committee was obtained in clear violation of the law, was not exhaustive or complete, and could not serve as credible evidence, thus could not be accepted by the head of the Armenian Church.

It was informed that on November 24, the chair of the committee, Archbishop T. Khajak Parsamyan, considering the difficulties in the committee's effective work, had written to the Supreme Patriarch suggesting the establishment of a new committee composed of three members to ensure a fair examination of the matter, which could also discuss the temporary suspension of the bishop’s service until the committee's work is completed. The members of the existing committee were informed about and agreed to the new committee's proposal on November 25.

Thus, it is evident that the accusations directed at the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos in the statement are completely unfounded and fabricated, and targeting the bishop's persona and forming biased opinions is unacceptable.

Condemning and rejecting this stance, the assembly members consider it imperative for the clergy to return to the canonical field and address their concerns in the highest ecclesiastical assembly bodies, without disrupting the unity of the Church.