ETCHMIADZIN — The first preliminary hearing in the criminal case involving Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six bishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council was held on August 7 at the court in Vagharshapat.
The judge assigned to the case recused himself, attorney Ara Zohrabyan told reporters.
“Judge Hakob Manukyan declined to hear this case. The judge had also previously worked as an attorney. In my opinion, that in itself was not grounds for recusal, but considering that it could raise doubts, the judge decided to recuse himself. I welcome the judge’s decision from the standpoint that he refused to become part of this disgraceful process,” Zohrabyan said.
Zohrabyan said three representatives of the Prosecutor’s Office attended the closed-door hearing. Gevorg Bishop Saroyan, also known as Arman Saroyan, who is recognized as the injured party in the case, was also present.
According to the attorney, the case against the Catholicos will now be reassigned to another judge. The newly assigned judge will convene another hearing and, barring grounds for recusal, will proceed with the case.
The legal dispute arose after Gevorg Bishop Saroyan, the former Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese, was removed from office.
In January 2026, Saroyan filed a lawsuit after being dismissed from his position by a decision of the Catholicos. The Armavir Regional Court of First Instance ruled that Saroyan should remain in office until the case was resolved and prohibited the Church from interfering with the exercise of his authority or his management of the diocese’s financial accounts.
Despite the court ruling and an official notification from the Compulsory Enforcement Service, Karekin II and the Supreme Spiritual Council decided to defrock Saroyan. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the Church leadership deliberately circumvented and violated the court’s order through that decision.
Catholicos Karekin II, Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Archbishop Haykazun Najaryan, Bishop Vahan Hovhannisyan, Bishop Edgar Hakobyan, and Bishop Artur Hakobyan have been named as defendants in the case and formally charged. Catholicos Karekin II has also been prohibited from leaving Armenia.
In March, clergy of the Masyatsotn Diocese expressed disagreement and concern over the interim ruling issued by the Armavir Regional Court of First Instance, saying it effectively required them to recognize former Bishop Gevorg Saroyan as their diocesan primate even though he had already been defrocked and, under Church canon law, had become a layman under the name Arman Saroyan.
By order of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Saroyan was removed as Primate of the Masyatsotn Diocese on January 10.
“The decision was based on instances of abuse of his position as primate, failure to fulfill his duties, and the use of coercion and pressure against clergy of the diocese,” according to a statement issued at the time by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin’s information service.
Saroyan is among ten bishops who have demanded the resignation of Catholicos Karekin II, held meetings with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and repeatedly issued public statements criticizing the Catholicos.
