Bishop Armash Nalbandian from Damascus, Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan from Cologne and Bishop Oshakan Gyulgyulyan from Holy Etchmiadzin have issued a joint statement. They said the election of the Catholicos or his possible retirement should be decided solely by the competent bodies of the Church.

They also proposed convening an Episcopal Assembly at the Mother See in the near future, no later than mid-2027, expressing hope that Armenian authorities will ensure unhindered entry into Armenia for bishops serving in dioceses abroad and their return from Armenia to the countries where they serve.

“We, three bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, have reviewed the report published in recent days titled ‘On the crisis in the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church resulting from the activities of the de facto head of the Church and several senior clergy members, and ways to resolve it,’ prepared by the Public Relations and Information Center SNCO under the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia. After discussing the report, we deemed it necessary to issue the following joint statement.

“As senior clergy of the Armenian Church who share responsibility for the Church’s leadership and governance, we believe the published report should be approached neither through the prism of political passions or preferences, nor with the logic of blindly defending or completely rejecting it. We need a more difficult, but also more Christian path — one based on truth, justice, self-examination, repentance and responsibility.

“The report raises numerous issues and contains a number of allegations, at least some of which cannot be ignored. But it is equally important to adopt another principle: an allegation is not yet a proven fact. Many assertions in the report are based on public statements, media reports, and testimonies and rumors from various individuals. They may perhaps provide grounds for certain discussions, but, particularly in cases involving serious or criminal allegations, they cannot replace proper legal investigation and a court ruling. If there is evidence of a possible crime, violence, financial abuse or another criminal offense, it must be investigated solely by the competent authorities. Neither political authorities, nor Church leadership, nor public opinion, nor the media should assume the role of a court. Competent courts are expected to impartially examine every such allegation while, naturally, respecting the presumption of innocence of every accused person or clergyman.

“We clergy often state that the Church, as a sacred institution, is holy and infallible. This is a correct approach if we view it from an Orthodox theological or ecclesiological perspective. But we must also remember that the Church, as an institution operating in this world, consists of people and may have shortcomings, errors and even serious violations within its earthly structures. The holiness of the Church does not exempt us from the need for self-examination. On the contrary, it calls us to greater responsibility.

“While accepting the above, we want to emphasize clearly that the state or public authorities must also be careful not to cross a dangerous line. The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church is not an administrative subdivision of the state. The Church’s internal canonical life, the structure of spiritual authority and the activities of its canonical bodies must remain within the framework of the Church’s autonomy and its own canonical jurisdiction.

“Although the report declares as its starting principle that reform should be carried out by the Church through its clergy and faithful, while the state should act exclusively within its constitutional and legislative authority and refrain from interfering in the Church’s internal doctrinal and canonical autonomy, the same report contradicts itself by proposing the removal or retirement of the Catholicos of All Armenians, followed by the election of a locum tenens and preparations for the election of a new Catholicos.

“We unconditionally accept that the state has the authority and obligation to investigate possible violations of the law. At the same time, we emphasize that the state must not become the holder of the Church’s canonical authority or decide who should be the Catholicos of All Armenians. The election of the Catholicos or his possible retirement, if canonical grounds exist for it, must be carried out solely by the competent bodies of the Church, in accordance and conformity with the Church’s canonical order,” the statement said.

The bishops said it is very important to restore the normal functioning of the Church’s canonical bodies within the shortest possible timeframe.

“Today we face a great spiritual and national responsibility. Accordingly, we clergy and believers need something that perhaps is most lacking today — a willingness to love the truth and bow before it. We firmly hope that only through this path will it be possible to ease the current highly strained situation and find legal and canonical ways out of it.

“‘And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’ (John 8:32),” the statement said.