Armenian archbishop voices support for PM Pashinyan, calls for church-state unity

Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan, head of the Armenian Diocese of the Baltic States, publicly expressed support for Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, emphasising the need for close cooperation between the Church and the state.

“We are grateful to the Prime Minister (Nikol Pashinyan — ed.) for being honest enough to voice problems that have existed for years,” said Archbishop Mirzakhanyan, according to Armenian media cited by Caliber.Az.

“Rather than us joining him, it is he who has supported us, because these issues concern our spiritual security, and we are confident they are linked to the security of our state!

The problems the Prime Minister referred to have been raised within the Church by us over many years — not suddenly. But when we see that these issues remain unresolved, we turn to our society for support… Our actions are not against Etchmiadzin or the Patriarchate, but in the name of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Study history (to the journalist). Did you like it when the Russian Empire, Persian shahs, or sultans interfered in the affairs of our Church…? Today, we have a government elected by our people. The Church and the state must stand together!” he said.

In recent years, Armenia has witnessed a growing confrontation between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, reflecting deep political, social, and cultural tensions. This dispute has emerged as one of the country’s most significant internal conflicts, involving public criticism, arrests of senior clergy, and allegations of political interference by the Church.

The tension traces back to Pashinyan’s rise to power following the 2018 Velvet Revolution, which brought a reformist government to Armenia. The conflict intensified after the 2020 Karabakh war, when segments of the Church publicly criticised the government’s handling of national defence and territorial losses, contributing to a widening political rift.

A civic movement known as “New Armenia, New Catholicos” emerged, demanding reforms in the Church’s leadership and the resignation of Catholicos Garegin II, accusing him of alleged abuses and ties to oligarchic networks — claims rejected by Church authorities.

In 2024–2025, senior church figures, including Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, mobilised political movements that called for Pashinyan’s resignation, blurring the line between religious and political action. The government accused Church leadership of political interference, while the Church criticised the authorities for undermining spiritual institutions.

Mid-2025 saw raids and arrests of high-ranking clergy and Church supporters, with security forces entering the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. Authorities framed these actions as necessary to prevent threats to the constitutional order, while Church leaders labelled them politically motivated attacks on religious freedom.

Despite dialogue efforts, tensions remain unresolved, with both sides accusing the other of undermining Armenia’s stability and identity. The conflict continues to polarise public opinion, reflecting a broader struggle over the balance between secular governance and religious authority in Armenia.

By Vugar Khalilov