Cancel the Episcopal Assembly Abroad: The Church's 'Reform' Council

The bishops and archbishops who joined the coordinating council formed by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan for the purpose of church reform have issued a statement regarding the upcoming Episcopal Assembly of the Armenian Church to be held in Austria next month.

The statement reads: “The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin has sent an 'invitation' to bishops to participate in the Episcopal Assembly of the Armenian Church scheduled from February 16-19, 2026, in the city of St. Pölten, Austria. It is noted that the decision to convene the assembly was made by the Supreme Spiritual Council, which met on January 13 this year. The Episcopal Assembly plans to discuss the 'latest developments' regarding the Armenian Church and 'issues related to internal church life.'

In response to this problematic notice, we declare: Today’s Supreme Spiritual Council is an invalid body, as it was elected by the church representative assembly in 2017 for a four-year term, which ended in 2021. Since then, dismissals and appointments of members have been made at the discretion of the person sitting on the throne of the Catholicos of All Armenians. Therefore, the decisions of this Supreme Spiritual Council are not canonical.

The seat of the Catholicos of All Armenians is the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, which is recognized as the center of the Armenian Church's hierarchy by both the Christian world and the hierarchies of the Armenian Church. As the spiritual center of the Mother Church, all bishops have been ordained here.

Given the circumstances of the independent Republic of Armenia, no reasons have been presented for not holding the Episcopal Assembly at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, and this decision lacks justification. No one has the right to transfer such an important assembly to a foreign country, undermining the authority of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and discrediting the Armenian State.

To the issues raised by the coordinating council and the church members associated with it, concerning the reform of the Armenian Church, several problematic and controversial incidents involving the actual head of our Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and other high-ranking clergymen, there has been no response from the Mother See so far. No canonical processes, assemblies, discussions, or investigations have been initiated regarding these matters. No meeting has been convened at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to clarify these issues and include them in the agenda of the Episcopal Assembly, nor to inform the invited bishops in detail beforehand.

The questions raised multiple times by the Prime Minister and other officials, specialists, and believers about the Armenian Church have gone unanswered. Especially regarding the serious accusations directed at the person occupying the seat of the Catholicos of All Armenians, there has been no response to the Prime Minister's proposal to meet and discuss the matter.

For the above-mentioned reasons and without adequate preparation, the convening of such an assembly is unfounded and impossible. The biased decisions that would be made by a destructive assembly convened in such a situation are not canonical and cannot be acceptable. Moreover, none of the high-ranking clergymen from the Reform Coordinating Council will participate in the assembly planned in Austria.

Thus, the council calls for: a. the cancellation of this divisive decision to hold the Episcopal Assembly abroad; b. finding realistic ways to end the destructive confrontation between the church’s hierarchy and the state; c. uniting all forces and capabilities to bring the long-awaited reform of the Armenian Church to life; d. all episcopal fathers to refuse to participate in this venture, which violates both the century-old tradition of the See of Holy Etchmiadzin and the sacred covenant of unbroken unity; e. not to succumb to moral and psychological pressures, nor submit to the anti-national and foreign powers still serving in the upper echelons of the Mother See, which divide the Armenian Church and provoke anti-state factions; f. to follow the established canonical order over the centuries, remaining faithful to the mission of our Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and to the teachings of Jesus Christ, being children of truth and light.

All this is the result of unilaterally and incorrectly managing the church without a clear charter, beyond canonical principles, persistently refusing reforms, and silencing voices of truth. Do not seek culprits elsewhere. 'And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.' - Mark 13:13,” the message states.

Earlier, it was reported that the Episcopal Assembly would be held in Austria.