The Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin has issued a strong condemnation of recent developments involving state authorities, including law enforcement, intervening in church rituals.

The statement says these actions were carried out under the leadership of the prime minister, violating both church canons and Armenia’s Constitution, offending believers, and sowing division within the Church.

“By bypassing the spiritual authority of the diocesan primate and disregarding ecclesiastical order, the participation of any bishop in such services constitutes a serious canonical violation, as happened at the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (Yot Verk) in the Shirak Diocese,” the statement reads.

While refraining for now from applying strict disciplinary measures, the Mother See urged the bishops who breached canon law to cease their misguided conduct and refrain from making false and misleading public statements. They were called to return to the canonical framework, uphold centuries-old traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and act solely within the spiritual domain, with full awareness of their mission and duty as successors in the apostolic lineage.