Armenian Church Rejects Calls for Catholicos Garegin II to Step Down

Catholicos Garegin. Photo: verelq.am

YEREVAN — The Armenian Apostolic Church’s press office announced on Dec. 1, 2025, that Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II does not intend to leave the throne, despite growing pressure from a group of bishops and comments made by Armenia’s prime minister.

At a press conference, Abp. Arshak Khachatryan, head of the Church’s administrative office, said he sees “no grounds whatsoever for the Catholicos of All Armenians to renounce the throne.” He added, “He cannot leave simply because certain circles, including dubious ones, are pushing such an agenda. He cannot leave even when 10 bishops come forward with this demand.”

The statement followed an appeal issued by 10 senior hierarchs urging the Catholicos to voluntarily retire. The group recently met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has long called for “renewing the Church system” and replacing the Primate. Pashinyan has also alleged that Catholicos Garegin violated his vow of celibacy and has a child.

In their published appeal, the bishops wrote: “We expect that Garegin II, for the sake of love for our Church and our people, will soberly evaluate the situation, refrain from bringing unnecessary upheaval upon our nation and Church, and voluntarily retire. Only then will it be possible to organize new elections.”

Abp. Khachatryan stressed that the Catholicos is elected by the National Ecclesiastical Assembly, not by pressure from individual groups. Voluntarily stepping down, he said, would amount to “desertion.” He added, “I am certain the Catholicos will not make such a decision — he cannot act this way. He has an exceptionally deep awareness of his belonging to the Church.”

Previously, UOJ reported that Prime Minister Pashinyan had was reportedly forming a clerical group to push for the reorganization of the Armenian church.

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