Karekin II No Longer Recognized as Catholicos by Prime Minister: “Ktrich Nersisyan Must Vacate the Catholicosate”

YEREVAN — Karekin II is no longer considered the Catholicos of All Armenians by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The Prime Minister has stated that Ktrich Nersisyan must vacate the Mother See. Following an unanswered personal jab directed at the Catholicos — “Do you have a child?” — Pashinyan now addresses him using his secular name and surname.

“Karekin II has violated the vow of celibacy he took voluntarily and has a child. This is a fact, and if Karekin II attempts to deny it, I will prove it in the appropriate format. According to the Constitution of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II could not have been a bishop, archbishop, or elected Catholicos—and cannot currently serve in that role. Ktrich Nersisyan must vacate the Catholicosate,” said Pashinyan.

Now in its 11th day, Pashinyan’s anti-Catholicos campaign continues, this time with a clear assertion that the Church must have a new Catholicos whose moral integrity will be verified prior to election. To achieve this, the Prime Minister made a call to the faithful:

“I call on the devout followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church to unite around the agenda of peacefully and Christianly liberating the Mother See, and electing as Catholicos a truly sacred and spiritual clergyman.”

Pashinyan has not yet detailed the steps to “peacefully and Christianly liberate” the Mother See, nor has he explained how he came to know that the Catholicos has a child.