Catholicos invites Armenia authorities to Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral re-consecration

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, despite his disagreements with the incumbent Armenian authorities, has invited them to the re-consecration ceremony of the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the Armenian Apostolic Church sources have informed Sputnik Armenia.

The blessing of the Holy Chrism (Myron) will take place on September 28, and the re-consecration of the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral—on September 29.

At the end of August, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office reported that they had not received an invitation yet from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to participate in the blessing of the Holy Myron and the re-consecration of the Holy Etchmiadzin Cathedral.

The disagreements between the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and Pashinyan’s government began to be discussed immediately after he came to power in Armenia in 2018. Some analysts assumed that the incumbent authorities incited the movement against Karekin II. The problems between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the serving Armenian authorities worsened after the 44-day war in 2020, when the Armenian clergy demanded the resignation of Pashinyan and his political team.