CANON LOW
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By Rev. Fr. Lucas Zakaryan Member of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin
COUNCILS
In the course of time different problems emerged and began to trouble the Christian Church which was increasing and spreading day by day. In order to give the answers to the questions which the Church faced, some principles for convening councils were worked out and adopted. The first council of the Christian Church took place in Jerusalem and was called Apostolic. Later on the followers of the Apostles kept this tradition while convening councils in Palestine, Asia Minor, Rome, Osrohene (Edessa), Carthage, etc. In later ages the Church preserved her way of making decisions according to those principles.
These councils were later divided into two classes: 1. Ecumenical Councils – the decisions of these councils referred to the whole Universal Church 2. Local or particular councils – the decisions of which were of particular nature, they did not refer to the Universal Church but only to some churches. The Armenian Church in her turn made the third division within her structure depending on her specific development. The third group is called “Armenian Church Councils”. The decisions of these councils refer only to the Armenian Church. It should be mentioned that the councils convened by the Armenian Church could only accept or reject the decisions of the other Church Councils.
Ecumenical Councils
Ecumenical Councils are those which took place before the first division of the Christian Church. Almost all the bishops (Primates) of the time participated in these councils; the decisions and canons adopted by the council were recognized by the Universal Church. Armenian Church recognizes the Ecumenical Councils of Nicaea (325), Constantinople (381), and Ephesus (431). The decisions and the dogmatic formulations of these councils are the basis of the theological thought of the Armenian Church which help her to protect herself against different sects and religious denominations which threatened her in the past as well as today. Some councils recognized by Latin and Byzantine Orthodox Churches as Ecumenical were denied according to the councils of the Armenian Church. The councils which were not recognized by the Armenian Church as Ecumenical are the following: the Council of Chalcedony (451), the second (553) and the third (681) Councils of Constantinople and the Second Council of Nicaea (787).
Local Councils
The councils which were of local nature and the decisions of which didn’t refer to the Universal Church but were ratified only by one or several churches belonging to the Universal Church are called local or particular councils.
The local councils recognized by the Armenian Church
Some local councils which are recognized together with their canons by the Armenian Church are the following: the Councils of Ankiuria (314), Neocaesarea (approx. 319), Gangra (approx. 340), Assyrian (or of Assyria) Antioch (341), Laodicean of Phrygia (343-381 (360)), Sardica (a. 343).
Armenian Church Councils
Following the experience of convening councils by Christian Church in the previous centuries, the Armenian Church in its turn used that experience when she needed to convene a council. These councils were of local nature and at the same time bore the name of the place they were summoned in. After the first three Ecumenical Councils it is through these councils that the Armenian Church expressed her official viewpoint on the theological, rite, canonical, administrative-organizational and other issues of the church.
National Ecclesiastical Assembly
The National Ecclesiastical Assembly is the highest body of the Armenian Church which mainly holds the Elections of the Catholicos of All Armenians.
Catholicosal Elections
Since Gregory the Illuminator the highest Executive Power of the Armenian Church bore the title of “Catholicos”. After proclaiming Christianity as the state religion of the Armenian Kingdom of Arshakunies the right of becoming Catholicos was reserved only to the dynasty of St. Gregory the Illuminator (from 301 to 439). This was mutually agreed by the high ranking clergy, government officials and the king. In the later centuries until 1932 the Catholicos was elected by the clergymen and laymen.
The formation of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly
It is known that not only clergy participated in the Catholicosal Elections of the Armenian Church and the Catholicos was always considered to be “elected by the nation”. Thus in 1925, being anxious about the health of Catholicos Gevork IV, the Supreme Spiritual Council tried to replace the “Polojenia” (regulations), which worked before the Soviet Union and was declared invalid by the same Soviet Union, with new regulations about the Catholicosal Elections and other issues. The new of regulations which was drawn up for holding the next Catholicosal elections approved by Catholicos Kevork V on October 22, 1925, for the first time in history was called “National Ecclesiastical Assembly”. According to the regulations of this Council, the reviewed version of which was re-approved in the third session of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly convened in 1945, the Council had the following rights: 1. To elect Catholicos of All Armenians. 2. To elect members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. 3. To approve the National Ecclesiastical Constitution. 4. To discuss and make decisions concerning other canonical and general issues. 5. To regulate church economy.
The First National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1932) According to the regulation established by Catholicos Gueorg V. Sooreniants the First National Ecclesiastical Assembly was summoned on November 10, 1932. The necessity of convening the Assembly was conditioned by the necessity of holding Catholicosal Elections in Armenia.
80 clergymen
and laymen arrived to the Mother See to take part in it. During the National Ecclesiastical Assembly the Catholicosal Elections are held behind the closed door of the Mother Cathedral. But before entering the Mother Cathedral the first session of the Assembly takes place during which the deputies themselves decide the order of holding the Catholicosal Elections. The members presiding over the meeting (chairmen, secretaries) Review Board and other committees if necessary are elected. Then the order of elections is decided. The elections are conducted during the next session of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly. According to the accepted order Divine Liturgy is offered in the Mother Cathedral. At the end of the ceremony the celebrant bishop has the deputies take an oath before the Altar of Descent to participate in the elections conscientiously, impartiality, with the call of duty, and without private interests. The results of the first ballot of the Catholicosal Elections of 1932 were the following: Archbishop Khoren – 51 votes Archbishop Mattheus – 12 votes Archbishop Mesrop – 10 votes Archbishop Bagrat – 2 votes Patriarch Torgom – 1vote Archbishop Karekin – 1vote Archbishop Gueorg – 1 vote By the second ballot Archbishop Khoren Mouradbekian polled 60 votes and Archbishop Mattheus Matthevosian – 19 votes. Archbishop Khoren Mouradbekian was elected Catholicos of All Armenians for those difficult years for the Armenian Church. He later became a martyr Catholicos. The Ecclesiastical Assembly convened from Nov. 10 to Nov. 12 besides brought up several other questions for discussion in the agenda the Catholicosal Elections. These questions were: 1) the activity and the report of the Supreme Spiritual Council, the financial needs of the Mother See and the draft of the Armenian Church regulation, 2) the improvement (accomplishment) of the Armenian Church, 3) The election of the members of the Supreme Spiritual Council (beginning with the first session of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly the authorities of the Supreme Spiritual Council members were ceased, the Assembly elected new members of the Supreme Spiritual Council. The latter began its activity only after the closing of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly). 4) The message of greeting and gratitude of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly to the government of Armenia. The First National Ecclesiastical Assembly found the existence of the Supreme Spiritual Council important and necessary. The Council had to consist of four clergy and two lay members, presided over by the Catholicos of All Armenians. In case any of the members resigned or passed away the Council elected a new one.
The Second National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1941) The Second National Ecclesiastical Assembly convened on the occasion of the Catholicosal Elections took place in 1941. The session lasted from April 10 to 13. Under the chairmanship of Locum Tenens Archbishop Gueorg Chorekchian 49 members participated in the meeting with the right of 77 votes. Considerable number of the members was not present at the meeting because of the war situation of the time (wartime events). After electing the chairmen, secretaries and the members of the Review Board the meeting was considered authentic and the issues of the agenda were decided: 1) the report of the Locum Tenens about the activity of the Supreme Spiritual Council in 1932-1940. 2) the financial account of Archbishop Arsen Ghltjian, the member of the Supreme Spiritual Council, about the estimate for 1941, 3) the election of the Catholicos of All Armenians and the staff of the Supreme Spiritual Council. After the three-day sessions it was decided to postpone the Catholicosal Elections taking into consideration the absence of the bishops (out of twelve bishops who had to be present during the consecration and anointment of the Catholicos only three were present). Archbishop Gueorg Chorekchian was proclaimed a nation-elected Locum Tenens and additional members of the Supreme Spiritual Council were elected by the Assembly. Archbishop Arsen was elected the Grand Sacristan of the Mother See.
The Third National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1945) In 1945 the Third National Ecclesiastical Assembly was convened on the occasion of new Catholicosal Elections. The first session of the meeting was opened on June 16 in the great hall of the Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin under the chairmanship of Karekin I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The chairmen, secretaries and the members of the Review Board were elected during the first session. Then the Locum Tenens presented his four-year financial account. During the next sessions of the Assembly the regulation of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly of 1925 was moved for discussion. It was reviewed, amended and put into execution. The Assembly ratified the motion of Stephanus Malkhasian to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the historical event of moving the Catholicosal See to Holy Etchmiadzin in 1441, as a national holiday, and later on ranging it among the church feasts to observe that celebration on the Feast of Ascension. The Assembly which was anxious about the financial situation of the Mother See accepted the suggestion of Karekin I Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia to contribute the four percent of the church profits to the Mother See as the “Illuminator Fund” On Friday, June 22, after midday 113 deputies entered the Mother Cathedral after signing a special document for voting. His Eminence Archbishop Gevorg Chorekchian polled 110 votes and became Gevorg VI Catholicos of All Armenians.
The Forth National Ecclesiastical Assembly (NEA)(1955) The first session of the forth NEA was opened on September 29, 1955 and was presided over by Archbishop Vahan Kostanian. 140 deputies took part in it. By the first session of the NEA the chairmen and the secretaries were decided. In the afternoon of the next day the second session of the NEA was opened for the purpose of electing the Catholicos of All Armenians. As a result of these elections Bishop Vazken Paljian got 126 votes, Patriarch Karekin Khachatourian – 6 votes Archbishop Vahan Kostanian – 2 votes Archbishop Mambré Sirounian – 1 vote Archbishop Mambré Galfayan – 1 vote Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan – 1 vote The Assembly elected Bishop Vazken Paljian as Vazken I Catholicos of All Armenians. The third and the forth sessions of the Assembly took place on October 5 and 7 under the chairmanship of the newly elected Catholicos. During the last two sessions together with the other issues discussed the Assembly elected the new membership of the Supreme Spiritual Assembly. After that it made a decision of sending a letter of greeting to the local authorities, to the president of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union and to the government of Armenia for supporting the organization of the National Ecclesiastical Assembly. So all the questions moved for the discussion during the session were considered discussed and the session was declared closed by the final speech of the Supreme Patriarch.
The Fifth National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1962) The fifth NEA was summoned by Vasken I Catholicos of All Armenians. On July 7, 1962 the Pontifical Encyclical declared the convocation (calling) of the forthcoming NEA. By this encyclical His Holiness predetermined the issues to be discussed in the coming session: a. The report of the seven-year activity by the Supreme Patriarch b. The report on the financial activity c. The issue of developing the Armenian Church Regulation d. The issue of strengthening the unity of the Armenian Church e. The election of the Supreme Spiritual Council and the Review Board f. The plans of the coming construction activities of the Mother See. The opening of the NEA took place on September 30, Sunday. During its four sessions the Assembly was guided by the above mentioned procedure. The NEA closed on October 5, Friday at 4.00 p.m. by the blessing of the Supreme Patriarch.
The Sixth National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1995) The sixth NEA was convened in 1995. The first session of the Assembly took place on April 3. Out of 421 elected deputies 398 were present at the session. After making some improvements in the Church Regulation, the regulation of the assembly was accepted. After that it was suggested that the chancellery of the session should be elected. Chairmen and secretaries were decided. The newly elected chancellery substituted the temporary one and decided to begin the second session of the NEA next morning. During this session the candidates for Catholicosal Elections were decided and the following Committees were formed.
After that His Eminence Archbishop Torgom Manoukian, the Locum Tenens represented his report on the six-month activity of his holding that office. The NEA unanimously accepted the report of the Locum Tenens with the sense of gratitude and appreciation. After the above mentioned report the deputies moved to the Mother Cathedral where the Catholicosal Elections were to take place by secret ballot. The first voting took place at midday with the following results:
The candidates who received the majority of votes were to take part in the second round of elections which showed the following results:
According to the Church Regulation the voting in the second round of elections should have taken place between His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia and Archbishop Karekin Nersissian but the latter withdrew his candidature and congratulated His Holiness Karekin II on becoming the Catholicos of All Armenians. On the next day, on April 5, the fourth session of the NEA took place under the chairmanship of His Holiness Karekin I Catholicos of All Armenians. During the last session of this NEA, after the speech of the Supreme Patriarch different deputies represented a number of questions to be solved, the most important of which are presented below. 1. To make improvements in the system of rites within Church and change it into Modern Armenian. (Archbishop Khajak Parsamian) 2. To establish equality among the deputies during Catholicosal Elections irrespective of the size of the Diocese (the Diocese of Gougark) 3. To erect a monument in the territory of the Mother See in the memory of the Armenian clergy who fell victims to the tyranny of the Soviet Union. (Diocese of Gougark) 4. To Create an Advisory Committee (a committee for making suggestions) (Archbishop Grigoris Bouniatian) 5. To cease the previous order of convening NEA and establish a new one by the Catholicos of All Armenians (Archbishop Grigoris Bouniatian) 6. To canonize all the victims of the Great Armenian Genocide of 1915 (Archbishop Aghan Paleozian) 7. To make some improvements in the sphere of celibacy (Archbishop Mesrop Grigorian) 8. To raise the level of the Theological Seminary to an academic degree (Hakob Papazian, member of the Supreme Spiritual Council) 9. To return all the territories which formerly belonged to the Church and had been expropriated to the Mother See (Senior Archimandrite Haikazoon Najarian) 10. To improve the economic condition of the Mother See Brotherhood (Senior Archimandrite Haikazoon Najarian) 11. The merited persons should become priests without giving the vow of celibacy and should be permitted to marry in future. (Din Shahinian, Eastern Diocese of the USA) 12. To move the body of Catholicos Khoren I Mouradbekian of blessed memory from Gayané Church to the Mother Cathedral (Archbishop Housik Santourian) 13. In agreement with the Ministry of Education to introduce Religious subjects in schools as compulsory. (Svetlanna Petrossian, Araratian Pontifical Diocese) 14. To conduct marriages only by Church (Svetlanna Petrossian, Araratian Pontifical Diocese) The NEA was closed by the blessing and prayer of the Supreme Patriarch.
The Seventh National Ecclesiastical Assembly (1999) The seventh NEA was convened in 1999. The first session took place on October 27, Wednesday. Out of 455 elected deputies 451 were present at the meeting. First of all His Eminence Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian, the Locum Tenens presented his four-year report. Then the chairman of the NEA Organizational Board His Eminence Archbishop Vatché Hovsepian presented the process of the meeting and the issues to be discussed. By the next step the election of the chancellery (chairman, vice-chairman and secretaries) of the meeting took place. Then the list of the Catholicosal candidates was approved. As a result two candidates remained when the others withdrew their candidacy, they were Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian and Archbishop Karekin Nersissian. At 14.30 p.m. all the deputies gathered in the Mother Cathedral. 450 deputies were present. Three committees were immediately formed: a) Review Board, b) Advisory Committee c) the committee for gratitude and appreciation. After all this the deputies took an oath, and then the voting took place. The results were the following Archbishop Nerses Pozapalian – 163 votes Archbishop Karekin Nersissian – 276 votes void – 11 votes total – 450 votes The second session was held on the next day of the Catholicosal Elections on October 28 under the chairmanship of the newly elected Catholicos. The brutal assassination that had taken place the previous day in the National Assembly of the RA shook all Armenians. These events had their impact on the further process of the NEA. The second session of the meeting opened by the prayer “Our Father” immediately after which the Supreme Patriarch uttered a prayer for the repose of the souls of those who fell victims to the massacre of the previous day. Then the issue of the Church Regulation was discussed, after which taking into consideration the case of emergency His Holiness declared the NEA closed. The meeting ended in the prayer “Our Father” and the “Saving Prayer” of the Supreme Patriarch. Thus, summing up all this we may conclude that the National Ecclesiastical Assembly per se, with its special regulation, was put into execution in the Armenian Church after being ratified by Catholicos Gueorg V (On October 22, 1924). Though being the highest legislative body of the Armenian Church with its regulation, the main function and historic role of the NEA was the realization of the Catholicosal Elections in the Armenian Church, also presenting some other suggestions connected with the improvement of the further activity of the Armenian Church.
The Elections of the Catholicos of All Armenians The Elections of the Catholicos of All Armenians are held according to the regulation ratified by the National Ecclesiastical Assembly in 1945. When the Catholicos passes away the Council of Bishops elects a Locum Tenens. The latter in cooperation with the Supreme Spiritual Council must hold the Catholicosal Elections within the term of six months. According to the above-mentioned regulation each diocese organizes the elections of the NEA deputies due to its own rules which mustn’t be at variance with the Special Regulation for Convening NEA. The diocese containing up to 25.000 members elects one representative. If the number of the members exceeds the above mentioned number, one deputy is elected out of each 25.000 members of the diocese. The deputies of the NEA are: a. The members of the Supreme Spiritual Council of Holy Etchmiadzin b. All the bishops and primates of the Armenian Church c. The deputies elected in the Diocese. The Catholicosal Elections are held in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin by secret ballot. All the bishops of the Armenian Church are considered candidates for Catholicosal Elections. After the elections the ceremonies of the Catholicosal consecration and enthronement take place. The ceremony of ordination and consecration must be held by twelve or at least by three bishops.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Catholicos In the Armenian Church the Catholicos of All Armenians is considered to be the highest executive power. Only he reserves the rights to: a. preside over the ceremony of blessing the Holy Chrism b. preside over the ceremony of the consecration of bishops. c. present orders on behalf of the Armenian Church. The Catholicos of All Armenians may also summon a National Ecclesiastical Assembly, appoint or dismiss Diocesan Primates or ratify their election, defrock clergymen who violate church rules. The Catholicos is the protector of the purity of the Armenian Church teachings. He cannot make theological decisions alone or make changes in the theological principles adopted by the Armenian Church. The Catholicos may be defrocked only in case of theological deviations. As the embodiment of the Supreme power only the Catholicos has the right of wearing Catholicosal Staff and Epigonation. The office of the Catholicos is lifelong.
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