Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II did not attend the opening of…

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II did not attend the opening of the first session of the newly elected Armenian parliament for the first time.

Consensus

• The Catholicos of All Armenians, Garikin II, did not deliver a welcome speech at the opening session of the Armenian parliament.
• Only the President of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, delivered a speech at the opening session.
• This was the first time in modern Armenian history that a new parliamentary session began without the Catholicos's participation.
• The absence of the Catholicos triggered criticism from opposition lawmakers, including members of the 'Strong Armenia' faction.
• There is an ongoing conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church.
• Four church hierarchs and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan were detained in Armenia, which the church and diaspora view as unlawful persecution.
• An investigation was opened against Catholicos Garikin II for obstructing the execution of a court decision related to former bishop Arman Sariyan.
• The court had previously prohibited the church from hindering Sariyan's activities, and a criminal case was opened for non-compliance with the court order.

Points of divergence

• The presiding elder deputy, Prince Gasanov, threatened to use measures in case of continued disorder. — kommersant
• Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called for the Catholicos's resignation, accusing him of being a threat to national security, of having a wife and children (violating his vow of celibacy), and of having seized the patriarchal throne. — interfax
• A criminal case against Garikin II and six members of the Supreme Spiritual Council was transferred to court on July 29. — interfax
• The Catholicos's lawyer stated that travel abroad was prohibited for him. — interfax
• The court had previously banned the church from obstructing the activities of Arman Sariyan. — interfax
• The church and the Armenian diaspora consider the detention of four hierarchs and Samvel Karapetyan as unlawful persecution. — kommersant
• Arman Sariyan was removed from his position and stripped of his episcopal rank after joining the anti-church campaign led by Prime Minister Pashinyan. — interfax

Coverage (3 sources)

• Catholicos of all Armenians did not speak at the opening of the first session of parliament for the first time — Коммерсантъ
• Catholicos of all Armenians was not invited to the first session of the parliament of Armenia — Интерфакс
• Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II did not speak at the opening of the first session of the new term of the Parliament of Armenia. — РИА Новости (Telegram)

Key entities

• Armenia
• Garegin II
• Vagn Khachaturyan
• Moscow
• INTERFAX.RU
• Strong Armenia
• Sputnik Armenia
• Samvel Karapetyan
• Католикос
• Catholicos

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