STATEMENT
The Mother See firmly condemns the “Liturgies” organized in the dioceses by the authorities, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, carried out through coercive pressure by law enforcement bodies and accompanied by gross violations of ecclesiastical order, as well as of the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia, which offend the spiritual sensibilities of the faithful and sow division.
The participation of any bishop in such “Liturgies,” bypassing the spiritual authority of the diocesan primate and disregarding the established ecclesiastical order, constitutes a grave canonical violation, as occurred in the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God (Seven Wounds) of the Shirak Diocese.
While refraining at present from applying strict measures, the Mother See calls upon the bishops who have contravened the canons to abandon their misguided course and cease public statements founded on false or fabricated claims; to return to the bounds of canonical order, uphold and preserve the centuries-sanctified traditions of the Holy Church, act solely within the spiritual sphere, and maintain a profound awareness of legality and unity — the solemn duty, sacred mission, and calling of a bishop endowed with apostolic succession.
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