The Pope of Rome made a special reference to the tradition of the Armenian Church at St. Paul's Cathedral


The Holy Father, during the closing ceremony of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, announced that this year’s prayers have been prepared by the Churches of Armenia. He believes that they are a testimony to the courageous Christian faith that the Armenian people have demonstrated throughout their history. The Pope emphasized that Armenia, as the first Christian nation, very early accepted the Gospel, thanks to the fearless preachers of the Word of Salvation. From that country, the faith spread to the East and the West, becoming a seed of unity and peace.

Diocesan leaders have been appointed by the patriarchal direction of the Catholicos of All Armenians


By the pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, Bishop Partev Barseghyan, having been relieved of his post as Primate of the Gegharkunik Diocese, was appointed Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Switzerland. By another order, the spiritual inspector of penitentiary institutions, Father Isahak Poghosyan, was concurrently appointed Vicar of the Gegharkunik Diocese.
 

St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, the Primate's seat, was re-consecrated in Baghdad


After a year-long renovation, the St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, the Primate's seat of the Iraqi-Armenian Diocese, was reopened in Baghdad on December 20. The church, built in 1957, has never undergone such an extensive and comprehensive renovation.

 

The holding of the Episcopal Assembly in Austria is conditioned by the situation in Armenia


The planned Episcopal Assembly in Austria is conditioned by historical, canonical and situational circumstances, with the aim of ensuring the free, legal and full course of the conference. This decision stems from historical experience and the current situation, the aim of which is to ensure the free course of the conference and the full adoption of decisions, without external pressure.

The number of clergy defrocked during the reign of His Holiness Karekin II, the Patriarch of All Armenians


Some of the clergy voluntarily left the spiritual sphere, unable to bear the heavy burden of the church. Some did not justify the hopes of their spiritual leaders. According to statistics, in fact, 38 clergy left the sphere by their own application, 27 voluntarily left the place of service, 15 were defrocked based on petitions submitted by diocesan leaders, and 21 were directly defrocked by His Holiness the Patriarch.

 

The first Liturgy was served in the church of the village of Ararat under the leadership of Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan


By the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, the Primate of the Diocese of Masyatsotn, Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, was dismissed from his post due to abuse of the position of Primate, failure to fulfill his duties, and coercion and pressure on the clergy of the diocese. Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan was appointed the Vicar of the Diocese of Masyatsotn. The diocese was facing crises of governance and internal division, and the need to restructure its spiritual life.

Clergymen have made statements in support of Catholicos of All Armenians


Amid the slanderous attacks against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, hundreds of public statements of loyalty and support have been made by the church system. They have been made individually, by united dioceses, and officially.

Our prayer is that all the captives return to their homeland as soon as possible. Catholicos of All Armenians


The Catholicos of All Armenians, addressing the topic of the return of the captives, wished that with the blessing of the Lord and the support of the entire people, they will restore the peaceful and normal course of their lives.

The circulating thesis of “intra-church contradictions” is artificial. SSC


Considering the accusation of the Church’s involvement in politics as unfounded and unacceptable, the Supreme Spiritual Council rejected the attempts by the ruling power to involve the Armenian Church in political processes by forming artificial agendas, which creates new divisions and contradictions in national life.

 

Father Ruben's appointment was not a simple administrative decision, but rather a sign of trust


The newly appointed vicar of the Masyatsotn Diocese, Father Ruben, was born in 1979 in the city of Hrazdan. He received his secondary education in the secondary schools of Hrazdan and then in the village of Aratashen.

Persecution of the Church Completely Contradicts the Constitution of Armenia


The high-ranking clergy of the Armenian Church have been targeted in an attempt to deprive the church of its independence and intensify systemic oppression. What is particularly troubling is that the persecution of the church completely contradicts the Constitution of Armenia.

Religious ties of non-religious people and non-believers with the Armenian Apostolic Church: A new book


Historian Stepan Stepanyants has addressed the religious ties of non-Armenian and non-religious people with the Armenian Apostolic Church in the 19th and 20th centuries in a new work. The 620-page collection of documents was published by the Publishing House of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The author compiled, translated, annotated the collection and wrote a foreword. The documents collected show that many Jews living in the Russian Empire in the 19th century decided to be baptized and convert to Christianity.