Pashinyan: The Catholicos is "Defrocked," His Decisions Are Void

Nikol Pashinyan has responded to the Catholicos's statement that, according to the Canons, a defrocked priest cannot offer a liturgy. Referring to the same Canons, the Prime Minister insists that before that, the Catholicos himself had de facto been defrocked.

"Ktrich Nersisyan cannot be the Catholicos of All Armenians because he has broken his vow of celibacy, and by that fact, he is defrocked; therefore, a defrocked person cannot defrock another; therefore, Father Aram Asatryan can offer a liturgy at Hovhannavank, and I, like last Sunday, will also participate in the liturgy at Hovhannavank this Sunday," said the RA Prime Minister.