Courts rule that internal affairs of the Armenian Apostolic Church are beyond

Judges S. Abovyan and H. Melkonyan of the Court of General Jurisdiction of the First Instance of Armavir Province have dismissed civil proceedings initiated by former priests of the Aragatsotn Diocese, Stepan Asatryan (formerly Ter Aram) and Aramayis Takhmazyan (formerly Ter Tade). The former priests had asked the court to invalidate the Pontifical decrees issued by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, declaring them defrocked, and to reinstate them as spiritual pastors of Surb Hovhannavank and the Talin region, respectively.

Ara Zohrabyan, a lawyer representing the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, noted that in both cases, the courts upheld the Mother See’s legal position: matters concerning the defrocking of clergy are governed by the Church’s internal canon law and are not subject to adjudication in civil proceedings.

“The courts further affirmed that spiritual service cannot automatically be equated with an employment relationship and that the internal life of the Armenian Apostolic Church is protected from state interference. In both rulings, the courts ordered the lifting of previously imposed interim measures that had required the Mother See to ensure the continued service of the former priests.

These decisions are of significant importance not only in the context of the specific legal cases but also for protecting the autonomy of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and the constitutional guarantees of its hierarchical governance. The separation of Church and State means that state bodies, including courts, cannot assume the functions of ecclesiastical authorities or determine the canonical status of clergy under secular law.

At the same time, internal ecclesiastical matters must be resolved in accordance with the Church’s canons and the procedures prescribed therein. Protecting the Church’s autonomy also upholds the principles of freedom of religion and the rule of law,” Zohrabyan noted.