Bishops’ Assembly opens in St. Pölten
PanArmenian
On February 17, the Bishops’ Assembly of the Armenian Apostolic Church opened in St. Pölten, Austria, bringing together 25 archbishops and bishops of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, including representatives from the Armenian Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople, the Mother See reported.
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II delivered his pastoral address and message to participants online.
Messages were also conveyed by Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, and Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Archbishop Sahak Mashalian.
Archbishop Hovnan Terteryan, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, is also participating in the assembly. He had earlier announced that he would join the “church reform” campaign, Aysor.am reports.
Invitations had also been sent to other bishops who joined the prime minister’s proclaimed “church reform agenda,” but among them only Hovnan Terteryan confirmed his participation.
After discussion and approval of the agenda, the presidium was elected, assuming responsibility for organizing and conducting the further work of the assembly.
On the same day, an evening service was held at St. Pölten Cathedral with the participation of the bishops. On the occasion, a greeting was delivered by Alois Schwarz, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Pölten.
The Bishops’ Assembly will continue until February 19.
Karekin II is not personally attending the assembly, as it became known on February 14 that he had been barred from leaving Armenia. Lawyer Ara Zohrabyan stated that the Prosecutor’s Office had initiated criminal proceedings against the Catholicos of All Armenians on charges of obstructing the execution of a court act concerning Arman Saroyan (Bishop Gevorg).
The criminal case was initiated under Article 507, Part 2 of Armenia’s Criminal Code. The offense is punishable by a fine of up to twenty times the base amount, community service ranging from 80 to 150 hours, restriction of liberty for up to two years, short-term imprisonment for up to two months, or imprisonment for up to two years.
