The illegal practices adopted by the Civil Contract party are detrimental to the nation and absolutely unacceptable – Mother See

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin strongly condemns the inclusion of unacceptable provisions concerning the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in the pre-election program of the Civil Contract party.

“The inclusion in the party’s pre-election program of a mandatory Church reform agenda, revision of the statute, removal of the Catholicos of All Armenians, and the holding of new Catholicosate elections is a clear violation of the constitutional order, the Church’s right to self-governance, and fundamental international principles of freedom of conscience and religion.

These pre-election promises to continue actions that are clearly illegal against the Church once again reveal the anti-Church essence and intent of the ruling political force’s ideology.

The millennial mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, its sacred traditions, and spiritual life must not become subjects of political speculation. As the Mother See has repeatedly emphasized, the election of the Catholicos and any reforms within the Church hierarchy are exclusively within the spiritual-canonical domain and therefore lie beyond the authority of political parties and state institutions.

The adopted unlawful practices are nationally harmful and absolutely unacceptable. They contradict the interests of Armenians worldwide, threaten the foundations of the national value system, and undermine spiritual security,” the statement of the Mother See reads.