Mother See Demands Father Aram to Hand Over Hovanavan and Apartment Keys

The Armenian Apostolic Church has filed two lawsuits against defrocked priest Stepan Asatryan (Father Aram) on January 22, 2026. This was reported by Hetq.

“In one of the lawsuits, the Church demands that Stepan Asatryan be obligated to return the apartment located on Arshakunyats Avenue in Yerevan, which belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church by ownership rights (including the apartment keys), by evicting Stepan Asatryan (and those living with him) from the aforementioned apartment. The second lawsuit requests that Stepan Asatryan be obligated to return the Hovanavan Church located in the community of Ashtarak, Aragatsotn Province, which also belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church (including the church keys), and prohibits Stepan Asatryan from entering the Holy Altar, the vestry, and the courtyard of Hovanavan Church. Additionally, the Church demands the recovery of court costs, including the previously paid state duty. The interests of the Church are represented in court by lawyer Ara Zohrapyan.

It is recalled that on October 21, 2025, by the directive of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Father Aram Asatryan was defrocked. According to a communication from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the directive was based on a report from the Diocese of Aragatsotn and the conclusion of the commission on Awards and Disciplinary Issues of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to it, Father Aram Asatryan discredited the Armenian Church, the diocesan bishop, and fellow clergymen through public speeches and statements, disregarding the bishop's appeals and instructions, and persisted in insubordinate conduct.

Aram Asatryan does not accept the directive of defrocking by the Catholicos. He continues to conduct services at Hovanavan Church in the village of Ohanavan. Aram Asatryan is among the priests who have joined Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's initiative to 'reform' the church. He refuses to hand over the keys to the apartment obtained from the church for use, which has become the basis for the lawsuit.

The case of handing over the apartment has been assigned to Judge Ruben Buniatyan of the Yerevan General Jurisdiction Civil Court, while the case regarding the church keys has been assigned to Judge Manuk Margaryan of the Aragatsotn Province General Jurisdiction Court. The issue of accepting both cases into proceedings has yet to be determined,” the news outlet reports.