Primate of Armenian Apostolic Church’s Western Diocese of North America ‘converts’ under pressure

· January 29, 2026

Hraparak daily of Armenia reported: Primate of the Western Diocese of North America of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, according to information, has “converted” under pressure from the American Armenian community and priests of his diocese.

They say that they exerted tremendous pressure on him, put him in front of a dilemma: either he continues to remain loyal to the Mother See [of Holy Etchmiadzin or they send a letter demanding to terminate his diocesan leadership. And only after that did he announce that he would participate in the Bishops’ Synod on February 16-19, which the Mother See has invited in Austria.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian is one of the 10 bishops who joined [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan. They had earlier announced that they would not participate in the Bishops’ Synod and had called on the Mother See to cancel the synod.

Archbishop Hovnan, however, has not announced that he is leaving the [Armenian Apostolic] Church Reform Council created by Pashinyan.

It is said that current and former Armenian ambassadors to the US Narek Mkrtchyan and Lilit Makunts have made persistent efforts to bring him to Pashinyan’s side.