Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan today called on Armenian Apostolic Church adherents to organize a coordinating council designed to “to liberate the Patriarchate of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and organize new Catholicos elections.”

Pashinyan’s Facebook post follows his post yesterday in which he alleges that Catholicos Karekin II has broken his vow of celibacy and has a child.

The prime minister yesterday noted that if Catholicos Karekin II tries to deny this, he would present evidence to the contrary.

Pashinyan today specified five requirements for membership in the envisaged coordinating council.

They are:

1. a) believe with all their hearts in our living Lord, Jesus Christ,
2. b) have read the Bible from beginning to end at least once,
3. c) have observed Great Lent at least once in the last five years,
4. d) pray every day,
5. e) believe that the agenda for the renewal of the Mother See stems from the interests of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, our people, our state, and is in accordance with the sacred tradition of our ancestors.

Pashinyan writes that he will be responsible for selecting the first ten members of the council. He doesn't specify how many members the council will have.

He writes that while it will be difficult to verify the above requirements, “ but with God’s help in contacts and conversations, it is possible to find out, it is possible to see with the eyes of the soul.”

Pashinyan calls on potential members to forward their contact information to him via an email address.

“During our activities, many words of temptation will be heard, we will be accused of various sins. Look at all this with the eyes of your soul, listen to the voice of our living Lord, Jesus Christ, and be guided accordingly,” Pashinyan writes.