Catholicos Aram I says, “Stay away from nation-destroying attempts to divide the Church”

Your Holiness Aram I,

I share your concern for the unity and vitality of Holy Etchmiadzin and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Yet, with equal reverence, I must respectfully challenge the assertion that reform and constructive engagement amount to “nation‑destroying attempts” or seeds of division.

The strength of the Church has always rested not on silence, but on its ability to renew itself in the face of challenges. To equate reform with division risks discouraging the very dialogue that can heal wounds and restore trust.

While the independence of the Church must be safeguarded, it is also a national institution with profound influence on public life. Engagement with state authorities, when conducted constitutionally and respectfully, is not interference but a safeguard against mistrust and stagnation.

Support for the Catholicos of All Armenians is vital, but loyalty must coexist with accountability. To rally blindly around leadership without addressing legitimate grievances risks alienating the faithful. True devotion demands transparency and responsiveness.

Alarmist warnings of “self‑destruction” or “nation‑destroying” inflame rather than calm. Reform does not destroy the Church; refusal to engage with legitimate concerns does. The language of fear should give way to the language of responsibility and renewal.

The preservation of Holy Etchmiadzin – the Mother Church lies not in resisting reform, but in embracing it. Constructive criticism is not division — it is the path to unity, vitality, and trust.