Armenian Parliament Convenes Without Church Leader Karekin II

Armenia's newly formed parliament held its opening session without an invitation extended to Catholicos Karekin II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The absence marks a notable departure from historical protocol, as the Catholicos has traditionally participated in or been formally acknowledged at major state occasions. The omission signals potential tensions between Armenia's secular government and the church hierarchy.

The new parliament was sworn in following recent elections. Details regarding the reasoning behind the Catholicos's exclusion were not immediately clarified in official statements. Church-state relations in Armenia have occasionally been subject to political considerations, and this development may reflect ongoing discussions about the role of religious institutions in Armenian civic life.