Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07YEREVAN349
2007-03-23 07:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Yerevan
Cable title:
ARMENIA GRANTS LEGAL STANDING TO THE ARMENIAN CHURCH
how-toVZCZCXRO3308 RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHYE #0349 0820757 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 230757Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5151 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHDC 0030 RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0289
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000349
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL
E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA GRANTS LEGAL STANDING TO THE ARMENIAN CHURCH
UNCLAS YEREVAN 000349
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL
E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA GRANTS LEGAL STANDING TO THE ARMENIAN CHURCH
1. The Armenian Church, which counts among its fold the vast
majority of Armenians both in the homeland and in the diaspora,
until earlier this month had no legal standing in Armenia. A law
signed March 14 by the president granted legal standing, but did not
grant the Church status as the only state church. The law stems
from the November 2005 constitutional referendum, which determined
that there should be a formal agreement between the church and the
state.
2. According to Fr. Ktrij Devejian, spokesman for the Mother See of
Echmiadzin, the law institutionalizes the Armenian Church as the
national church of Armenia. For the first time, the Church's
marriage rites will be legally binding in Armenia; before, couples
had to pay a prenuptial visit to the civil registration office to
legalize their unions. The law also establishes confessor-penitent
confidentiality, and assigns the Church and the state joint
SIPDIS
responsibility to preserve national historic churches. The law does
not exempt the Church from taxes, nor does it establish any state
funding for the Church, which mainly lives off donations from the
Diaspora. The law does not grant the Church property rights.
3. According to Fr. Ktrij, the Church advocated for the bill because
Catholicos Karekin II believed it was important to establish state
authority over the Church, and to end 15 years of operating without
legal standing.
4. COMMENT: Though the Church operated in legal limbo for 15 years,
its relationship with the government has been generally free of
strife. This law primarily serves to acknowledge the role the
Church already plays in Armenian society.
GODFREY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/CARC, DRL
E.O. 12958; N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM AM
SUBJECT: ARMENIA GRANTS LEGAL STANDING TO THE ARMENIAN CHURCH
1. The Armenian Church, which counts among its fold the vast
majority of Armenians both in the homeland and in the diaspora,
until earlier this month had no legal standing in Armenia. A law
signed March 14 by the president granted legal standing, but did not
grant the Church status as the only state church. The law stems
from the November 2005 constitutional referendum, which determined
that there should be a formal agreement between the church and the
state.
2. According to Fr. Ktrij Devejian, spokesman for the Mother See of
Echmiadzin, the law institutionalizes the Armenian Church as the
national church of Armenia. For the first time, the Church's
marriage rites will be legally binding in Armenia; before, couples
had to pay a prenuptial visit to the civil registration office to
legalize their unions. The law also establishes confessor-penitent
confidentiality, and assigns the Church and the state joint
SIPDIS
responsibility to preserve national historic churches. The law does
not exempt the Church from taxes, nor does it establish any state
funding for the Church, which mainly lives off donations from the
Diaspora. The law does not grant the Church property rights.
3. According to Fr. Ktrij, the Church advocated for the bill because
Catholicos Karekin II believed it was important to establish state
authority over the Church, and to end 15 years of operating without
legal standing.
4. COMMENT: Though the Church operated in legal limbo for 15 years,
its relationship with the government has been generally free of
strife. This law primarily serves to acknowledge the role the
Church already plays in Armenian society.
GODFREY