Catholicos Karekin II delivers new year message on Dec. 31

Armenian Public Television on Wednesday claimed that the Holy See of Etchmiadzin did not want Catholicos Karekin II’s annual new year message to be aired, saying a church official had contacted the network with a request to not air the video of the pontiff’s speech.

In a statement issued on Wedenday, Armenia’s Public Television Board said that a Reverend Vahram Melikyan had contacted the channel asking that they not use the video of the Catholicos.

“On December 31, the Public TV Company planned to broadcast the address of the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II in one of the most watched segments, at the time set aside for the official addresses this year. The speech of the Catholicos should follow the speech of the President of Armenia, who is the head of the state according to the Constitution,” said the public TV’s statement.

“December 31, Father Vahram Melikyan, on behalf of the Mother See, informed the Council of the Public Broadcaster that they disagreed with the time scheduled for the messages and demanded not to broadcast or use the video recording of the Catholicos’ message, whose copyright belongs to the Mother See,” added the statement.

In its statement, the Public Broadcasting Board said that it was satisfied with the verbal communication from the Holy See, but did not indicate whether the Board officially reached out to Etchmiadzin for confirmation.

“This year, at the last minute, the Public Television Company informed, without any reason, that His Holiness’ New Year’s message will not be broadcast before midnight, as was traditionally customary,” the church’s Etchmiadzin-based Mother See said late on Sunday. It said it rejected the state-controlled broadcaster’s offer to air the message during an earlier news program, Azatutyun.am reported.