Definition of the term "Catholicos"

The Catholicos is the person who receives special consecration (anointing) which is one of the most elaborate ceremonies of the Armenian Church. Canonically, historically and traditionally the Catholicos of the Armenian Church has two major rights and privileges that belong exclusively to him:

a) The consecration of bishops;

b) The blessing of Muron (Holy Chrism).

These two rights are equally reserved to both the Catholicos of Etchmiadzin and the Catholicos of Cilicia.

Within the Armenian Church there are also two Hierarchical Sees known as Patriarchates: The Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The heads of these two Sees have the rank of Archbishop and enjoy a degree of internal autonomy, but their ecclesiastical rank is not equal to the Catholicos.