Mother See Responds to Omissions in Commemoration by Clergy
On November 25, a meeting of the Bishops and Diocesan Primates of the Armenian Church took place at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, presided over by Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians.
Central to the discussion, alongside many other issues, was a recent phenomenon recorded by the Mother See: the omission of the names of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the Diocesan Primate by a number of clergymen during the Divine Liturgy (Sourp Patarag).
During the meeting, the Brotherhood of Bishops condemned such conduct, noting that the omission of the commemoration contradicts the centuries-old canonical order of the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the Mother See, such actions are subject to the severest punishment if the clergyman does not repent and restore his ecclesiastical standing in accordance with the established order. The assembly also issued a call to the clergy not to engage in schismatic steps or provocative actions, to maintain the internal unity of the Church, and to serve the spiritual strengthening of the communities.
It should be recalled that in recent weeks, cases were recorded where officiating clergymen omitted the parts directed toward the Catholicos during the liturgy.