Nikol Pashinyan has announced that Karekin II is not the Catholicos of All Armenians and, therefore, the decisions he makes from that position hold no value for them and are null and void.

- Bishop Ter Gevorg Saroyan continues to remain the leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, - Pashinyan emphasized.

The Prime Minister published this post after it was announced today that, by the Pontifical decree of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II dated January 10, 2026, the leader of the Masyatsotn Diocese, Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, was dismissed from his position as diocesan leader. By the same Pontifical decree, Archimandrite Ruben Zargaryan was appointed locum tenens of the Masyatsotn Diocese.

If Nikol Pashinyan claims that the legitimately elected and anointed Karekin II is not the Catholicos because he has allegedly violated the Church's regulations, then we can also say that Pashinyan is not the Prime Minister because he has violated the government's program.

How can the Prime Minister attribute the powers of the Catholicos to himself and reserve the right to decide who is a diocesan leader and who is not, or who should perform their spiritual service and where?

By the same logic, tomorrow someone could say they do not accept any order from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Armenia because they believe the Minister of Internal Affairs was appointed by an illegitimate Prime Minister and, therefore, refuses to recognize the decisions made and approved by him.

What kind of propaganda of anarchy is this coming from the head of the country's executive power?