Alexander Pracht
Catholicos Karekin II of the Armenian Apostolic Church was unable to attend the funeral of Georgia’s Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on Sunday due to a travel ban imposed by Armenian authorities.
The Armenian Apostolic Church said in a statement on Friday that Karekin II had intended to travel for the funeral and that his lawyer had submitted a petition to authorities requesting the ban be lifted. On Saturday, the lawyer announced that the motion had been rejected, describing the decision as harmful to Yerevan’s international standing.
Armenia was represented at the funeral by President Vahagn Khachaturyan.
The charge against Karekin II stems from a broader criminal investigation involving Gevorg Saroyan, who was removed from his position as a diocesan primate in January after siding with the government during its months-long confrontation with the Church.
Saroyan challenged his dismissal in court, which ordered his temporary reinstatement. The Church has not complied with that ruling, prompting authorities last month to accuse Karekin II of obstructing a court order.
The developments come amid an ongoing standoff between Church authorities and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who in May launched a campaign calling for what he described as the “cleansing of the church” and urged Karekin II to step down.
Since then, several senior clerics have faced legal action on charges ranging from preparing an armed coup to coercing subordinate clergy to join anti-government demonstrations and calling for a violent change of government. Those cases remain ongoing.
In November, a group of senior clerics, including Saroyan and several other regional church leaders, issued a joint statement urging Karekin II to resign.
Also read: Religious leaders, including Artsakh Bishop, urge Karekin II’s exit
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