Armenian government hails expanding movement to reform Church

A senior aide in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s office said the movement to reform the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church is gaining momentum and will continue to expand.

On January 10, Taron Chakhoyan, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, wrote on Facebook that “the renewal of the Church is unstoppable: like a rolling snowball, it will grow and expand day by day — just like the 2018 revolution.”

He added: “I express my respect and support to the clergy who have joined the process of renewing the Church in recent hours.”

Chakhoyan’s remarks came shortly after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that the number of clergy participating in the renewal initiative had reached 16.

Pashinyan shared the update earlier in the day on his Facebook page, writing: “I express words of fraternal support, solidarity, and sincere respect to all the priests who have already joined or are preparing to join this process.”

Addressing the clergy directly, he continued: “Dear Fathers, with your blessing and active participation, the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church will be renewed.”

Pashinyan also urged the wider public to stand behind the initiative, adding: “I also call on all our communities and regions, our entire beloved nation, to support, inspire, encourage, and protect all the priests who have joined or are preparing to join the process of renewal.”

By Tamilla Hasanova