The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople has condemned the launch of court proceedings against Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and six bishops, as well as their summons before secular courts, calling the move deeply offensive to the hierarchical dignity of the Armenian Church. In a statement, the Patriarchate said the stance adopted toward the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church has caused deep pain and offense among believers in Armenia and the diaspora, Sputnik Armenia reports.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has four hierarchical sees: the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople. All the hierarchical sees recognize the seniority and primacy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia and the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem have also issued statements previously.
“This pain is further deepened when the guarantees afforded to the Church’s mission under the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and the fundamental principles of human rights appear to be disregarded. Any step aimed at weakening the authority of the Mother See or violating its inviolability damages the bonds between the Church and the faithful that have been strengthened over centuries,” the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople said in its statement.
The statement also stressed that the Armenian Apostolic Church has been one of the indestructible pillars of the Armenian people. For this reason, the Patriarchate considers it inappropriate and offensive to seek criminal wrongdoing in statements made by the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Church hierarchy on matters concerning the Church.
The Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople expressed solidarity with the Catholicos of All Armenians and the bishops, urging all those responsible to safeguard the Armenian Church and refrain from turning decisions by official Church bodies into secular judicial disputes.
On February 14, it became known that criminal proceedings had been initiated against the Catholicos of All Armenians on charges of obstructing the enforcement of a court ruling involving Arman Saroyan, the defrocked former primate of the Masis Diocese. The Catholicos was also prohibited from leaving Armenia.
On August 7, the Armavir Regional Court of First Instance held the first preliminary hearing in the criminal case involving the Catholicos and six bishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council. Judge Hakob Manukyan, who was hearing the case, recused himself.
