The Armavir Court of First Instance, presided over by Judge Edgar Hovhannisyan, has terminated proceedings in a lawsuit filed by Arman Saroyan, formerly Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, seeking reinstatement as head of the Masis Diocese. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan announced the decision in a Facebook post.
Arman Saroyan had sought to invalidate the Pontifical Decree issued by the Catholicos of All Armenians removing him as head of the Masis Diocese and to secure his reinstatement to that position.
The court upheld the central legal position of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, affirming that the appointment and dismissal of diocesan leaders fall exclusively within the authority of the Catholicos and constitute an integral part of the Church’s self-governance and internal affairs.
The court determined that such matters are governed by internal ecclesiastical rules and canon law, and that the dispute is not subject to examination under civil procedure.
The court also lifted previously imposed interim measures that had restricted the Mother See’s ability to implement decisions concerning the administration of the Masis Diocese.
The lawyer noted that the Catholicos and six bishops had been designated as defendants in criminal proceedings over allegations that they obstructed the implementation of the court order imposing those interim measures.
“The formation of the Church’s spiritual authority and the appointment and dismissal of clergy cannot be equated with ordinary employment relationships or subjected to oversight by secular courts while disregarding the Church’s canon law.
Church autonomy is not a privilege but a fundamental guarantee protected by the Constitution and international law,” the post stated.
Bishop Gevorg Saroyan was removed as head of the Masis Diocese on January 10, 2026. As part of his lawsuit, the court had imposed interim measures pending a final ruling in the case. On January 27, Saroyan was defrocked.
In a separate criminal case involving the Catholicos and six clergymen, the defense filed a motion during the September 18 hearing to terminate the criminal prosecution and dismiss the proceedings. The next hearing in that case is scheduled for October 30.
