Armenian PM keeps pressing for Catholicos Garegin II’s removal

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has called on his supporters to be ready to vacate the residence in the Mother See of Etchmiadzin from Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.

“We will do this together. Be ready,” he wrote on his Telegram channel and once again accused the spiritual leader of all Armenians of violating his vow of celibacy, Caliber.Az reports.

The ongoing conflict between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Catholicos Garegin II, the spiritual leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, represents a significant escalation in tensions between the Armenian government and the Church, rooted in historical, political, and personal disputes. This confrontation, which has intensified since May 2025, centers on Pashinyan’s accusations against Garegin II, including claims of violating his vow of celibacy, and his broader campaign to challenge the Church’s authority, particularly at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the spiritual and administrative heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

By Khagan Isayev