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Turkey’s Armenian Patriarchate Backs Catholicos Karekin II, Warns Criminal Case Harms Church
The Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey has joined growing criticism of criminal proceedings against Catholicos Karekin II and senior Armenian clergy, warning that bringing Church leaders before the courts threatens the dignity and independence of the Armenian Apostolic Church. In a statement, the Istanbul-based Patriarchate said the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin remains central to the spiritual unity of Armenians worldwide and argued that disputes involving Church governance sh
The Armenian Report Team
7 days ago
‘Painful,’ ‘Humiliating’ and ‘Something That Should Never Have Happened’: Supporters Condemn Karekin II Court Case as ‘Terror Against a 1,725-Year-Old Institution’
INTERVIEWS: As Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II appeared in court in an unprecedented criminal case Friday, supporters gathered outside described the moment as painful, humiliating and deeply unsettling for a nation whose church has survived centuries of war, foreign rule and political upheaval. The Armenian Report spoke with filmmakers, activists and political figures outside the Vagharshapat courthouse, where the first criminal proceedings against a sitting Catholicos
Armenian Church Leaders in Lebanon, Jerusalem and U.S. Condemn Criminal Case Against Catholicos Karekin II
Senior Armenian Apostolic Church leaders in Lebanon, Jerusalem and the United States condemned the criminal case against Catholicos Karekin II on Friday, rallying behind the Church’s spiritual leader as he was due to appear in court as a defendant. Catholicos Aram I, head of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Lebanon, called Karekin II’s summons to court “unacceptable and condemnable.” He said he had personally urged the Catholicos not to attend the h
Judge Withdraws From Criminal Case Against Catholicos Karekin II Minutes Into First Hearing
A judge withdrew Friday from the criminal case against Catholicos Karekin II just minutes after the first hearing began, delaying proceedings against the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and six senior clerics. Judge Hakob Manukyan recused himself after initially closing the hearing to the public. A new hearing will be scheduled once another judge is assigned to the case, defense attorney Ara Zohrabyan told reporters outside the courthouse. The case charges Karekin II wi
Armenia’s Catholicos Absent From Parliament Opening After Not Receiving Invitation, a First Since Independence
For the first time since Armenia declared independence, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church was absent from the opening of a newly elected parliament after authorities failed to send him an invitation. Catholicos Karekin II’s absence from the National Assembly’s inaugural session on Sunday immediately drew objections from opposition lawmakers and deepened the public confrontation between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government and the church. After President Vahagn
World’s First Christian Nation Breaks Tradition, Excludes Catholicos From Blessing New Parliament for First Time Since Independence
For the first time since Armenia regained independence, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II has not been invited to attend the opening session of the country’s newly elected parliament, breaking with the longstanding tradition of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church offering a prayer and blessing for each newly formed government. The unprecedented exclusion reflects a deepening confrontation between the government and the Armenian Apostolic Church in a country that ta
The Armenian Report Team
Jul 29
Catholicos: An Attack on the Church Is an Attack on Armenian Identity and Faith
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II said peace must be based on justice and should not come at the expense of the Armenian people’s interests during a press conference held on June 2 at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The nearly hour-long press conference focused on relations between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian government, criminal proceedings launched against church figures, the activities of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, internal disagreements with
Catholicos Aram I and Armenian Clergy Sing “Cilicia” in the Vatican With Pope Leo XIV Standing Alongside Them
On May 20, 2026, Pope Leo XIV presided over the regular Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, where he publicly welcomed Aram I during the Armenian Catholicos’ official visit to the Vatican. The meeting was on the ongoing efforts toward closer ties between the Catholic Church and the Armenian Apostolic Church while also focusing attention on growing concerns over violence and instability in the Middle East. Aram I attended the audience together with
The Armenian Report Team
May 20
Armenian Catholicos Aram I Meets Pope Leo XIV at Vatican, Raises Artsakh Return, Armenian POWs and Christian Unity
On the morning of May 18, 2026, a private meeting took place at the Vatican between Aram I and Pope Leo XIV, where the two religious leaders discussed a wide range of issues concerning the global Christian community, regional conflicts, and humanitarian concerns. According to the Armenian Catholicosate, the meeting focused first on several major topics related to Christian unity and cooperation. Aram I raised the issue of establishing a unified date for Easter among Christian
The Armenian Report Team
May 18
Armenian Court Lifts Travel Ban on Catholicos Karekin II as Government-Church Clash Continues
An Armenian court has lifted a travel ban that had been placed on Karekin II earlier this year, in a case that shows the deepening tensions between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. The restrictions were introduced about two months ago by law-enforcement authorities and applied not only to the Catholicos but also to six bishops. The move came after charges were filed in connection with Karekin II’s decision in January to defro
The Armenian Report Team
Apr 13
Pashinyan’s Party Promises New Catholicos by 2031, Puts Church Leadership at Center of Election Agenda
Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party has made a major and controversial promise to voters ahead of upcoming elections, saying that by 2031 the country will have a new Catholicos. The pledge is included in the party’s pre-election program, placing the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church alongside major state development projects as part of its political agenda. The program outlines several national goals, including the TRIPP project, the creation of an academic city,
Armenian Authorities Block Catholicos Karekin II From Traveling to Ilia II Funeral
The investigator has rejected a motion that would have allowed the Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, to travel to Georgia, according to lawyer Ara Zohrabyan. The decision prevents the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church from attending the funeral of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, who passed away on March 17 at the age of 93. The Georgian Church had officially invited the Catholicos to attend the funeral ceremony and take part in the Divine Liturgy
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 23
Catholicos Karekin II Removes Archbishop Abraham Mkrtchyan as Primate of Vayots Dzor After Joining Pashinyan’s Anti-Church Campaign
By the directive of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, Abraham Mkrtchyan has been relieved of his duties as Primate of the Vayots Dzor Diocese. The decision was announced by the press service of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. According to the official statement, the decision was made through a Pontifical directive issued by the Catholicos on March 16, 2026. “By a Pontifical directive dated March 16, 2026, His Holiness Karekin II,
The Armenian Report Team
Mar 16
Armenian Government Opens Criminal Case Against Catholicos Karekin II, Imposes Travel Ban Before Bishops’ Assembly
Two days before the upcoming Bishops’ Assembly in Austria, Armenia’s Prosecutor’s Office launched a criminal case against the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and imposed a travel ban on Karekin II, preventing him from leaving the country. Attorney Ara Zohrabyan confirmed that the Prosecutor’s Office has initiated criminal prosecution against the Catholicos of All Armenians and that an investigator attempted to question His Holiness. According to Zohrabyan, the Catholico
The Armenian Report Team
Feb 14
Catholicos Aram I Issues Strong Warning to Armenian Authorities Over Threats to Church Unity
Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia has issued a strong warning to Armenia’s authorities, calling on them to stop any actions that could undermine the unity of the Armenian Apostolic Church. He delivered this message during a liturgy in Cyprus, where he spoke about his concerns regarding the growing tensions around the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Aram I said that church leaders have been watching the situation with increasing concern in recent months. He expla
The Armenian Report Team
Dec 8, 2025
Catholicos Karekin II Returns to Armenia and Addresses Growing Tensions Between Church and Government
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II returned to Armenia on Saturday evening after completing a visit to Switzerland and France. His arrival at Zvartnots International Airport took place at a tense moment for the Armenian Apostolic Church, following the recent arrest of one of its senior clerics. A group of citizens gathered at the airport to welcome the Catholicos, chanting “Ve-ha-par”. The Armenian Report’s Ani Khachatryan was at Zvartnots Airport covering the return. Spe
The Armenian Report Team
Dec 6, 2025
Catholicos’s Brother and Nephew Jailed as Pashinyan’s War on Karekin II Intensifies
The conflict between Armenia’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church has entered a new and tense stage. Law enforcement authorities have arrested the brother and nephew of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, intensifying the standoff between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s government and the Church leadership based in Holy Etchmiadzin. According to lawyer Ara Zohrabyan, both Gevorg Nersisyan, the Catholicos’s brother, and his son Hambardzum Nersisyan were detained
The Armenian Report Team
Nov 3, 2025
Catholicos of All Armenians Meets Pope Leo XIV in Castel Gandolfo, Extends Invitation to Visit Armenia
On September 16, His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, the Holy Father of Rome, at...
The Armenian Report Team
Sep 16, 2025
Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin: Thousands Gather as Catholicos Karekin II Warns of Threats to Armenia’s Unity and Urges Defense of Church, Nation, and Identity
On June 22, thousands of faithful from across Armenia and the diaspora gathered at the heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church to...
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 22, 2025
Armenian Minister Insists New Catholicos Will Be Chosen Lawfully, as Government Denies Undermining Church Authority
The Armenian government has stated that any process to elect a new Catholicos of All Armenians will be done strictly within the bounds of...
The Armenian Report Team
Jun 11, 2025
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