The Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey has expressed deep concern regarding the unprecedented criminal prosecution against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and six bishops.
The scandal surrounding the defamed clergyman has moved to the judicial level, leading to the ban on the exit of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and receiving strong reactions from spiritual centers.
In its official statement, the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey expressed full support to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, emphasizing that it is the basis of the spiritual union of the Armenian people. The Patriarchate called on those responsible to protect the church and not turn intra-church issues into legal disputes.
“Summoning His Holiness the Pope and bishops to the courts and accusing them insults the honor of the church,” the statement said, emphasizing that such processes ignore constitutional guarantees.
The court proceedings started on August 7 in the Vagharshapat court, where the first session of preliminary hearings in the case of Garegin II and six bishops who are members of the Supreme Spiritual Council was held, which ended with the judge recusing himself.
In addition to the Catholicos, Archbishop Nathan Hovhannisyan, Haykazun Archbishop Najaryan are involved as defendants. Shield Bishop Hovhannesian, Edgar and: Bishop Arthur Hakobyans. All of them were charged, and the Catholicos of All Armenians was officially banned from leaving Armenia.
The legal conflict arose in January 2026, when Bishop Gevorg Saroyan (Arman Saroyan), leader of Massyatsotn Diocese, was removed from his position by the decision of the Catholicos. The information system of the Mother See clarified on that occasion. “The materials for abusing the leader’s position, dereliction of duty, coercion and pressure on the clergymen of the diocese served as a basis for the directorate.”
However, Saroyan appealed to the first-instance court of general jurisdiction of Armavir region, which decided that he should continue to hold office and manage the finances until the end of the investigation of the case.
Despite the interim decision of the court and the notification of the Enforcement Service, Garegin II and the Supreme Spiritual Council decided to finally excommunicate Saroyan. The Prosecutor’s Office described this step as a deliberate violation of the court’s request. For their part, the clergy of the Massyatsotn Diocese expressed their opposition to the decision of the secular court, which actually forces them to recognize a person who has become a layman as their spiritual leader.
It is also known that former bishop Saroyan was among the clergy who demanded the resignation of the Catholicos, had meetings with the Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan with and regularly publicly criticize the head of the AAP.
—