Armenian prime minister accused of “state-level terror” against church

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has come under intense criticism from senior clergy amid growing tensions between the government and the Armenian Apostolic Church, with accusations emerging of a "state-level terror" campaign targeting the Church and its leadership.

Cleric Hieromonk Asoghik Karapetyan issued a scathing public statement, accusing the authorities of preparing an orchestrated assault against the Armenian Church, while state institutions remain conspicuously passive, Caliber.Az reports, citing Armenian media.

Karapetyan's remarks follow a series of public attacks by Prime Minister Pashinyan against the Church, beginning on May 29. The Prime Minister has repeatedly condemned members of the clergy, declaring that any who have violated their vows of celibacy should be stripped of their religious titles and responsibilities.

The escalating rhetoric reached a critical point on June 9, when Pashinyan directly accused Catholicos of All Armenians, Karekin II, of fathering a child in violation of his monastic vows. “The Catholicos has a child,” the Prime Minister stated, adding that he is prepared to present evidence and urged the spiritual leader to abdicate his position. Pashinyan further called on the Armenian faithful to “liberate the patriarchal residence.”

In response, Hieromonk Karapetyan posted a passionate denunciation on social media, appealing to Armenia’s political class to intervene. “Are you so blind and deaf! Are you so pathetic, are your souls so corrupt that you turn the tables on the Holy Church and Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in your deceitful games?” he wrote. “Do you want to pour blood on the courtyard of the Holy Church?”

Calling on the authorities to cease their campaign, Karapetyan warned that no member of the clergy would stand by in silence. “There are no Judas in the Armenian Church ready to sell out and lead a mob against the anointed of God,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, PM Pashinyan has issued a direct and highly controversial call for the resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, alleging a grave breach of ecclesiastical discipline that, he argues, renders the Church leader ineligible to hold his office.

In a post on his official Facebook page, Pashinyan accused the Catholicos of violating his vow of celibacy and fathering a child—claims that, if substantiated, would represent a serious infraction of canon law within the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“Karekin II broke his voluntary vow of celibacy and has a child! This is a fact, and if Karekin II tries to refute it, I will prove it in the necessary format,” Pashinyan wrote. He asserted that under Church law, such a transgression would have disqualified Karekin II from becoming a bishop, archbishop, or ultimately the Catholicos.

“According to the canon law of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II could not be a bishop, archbishop, could not be elected and cannot be Catholicos. Ktrich Nersisyan should vacate the Patriarchal Residence,” the Prime Minister added, referring to the formal ecclesiastical residence of the Catholicos.

“As a devout follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as a person who treats with tenderness every treasure, every relic, every image and stone of our spiritual heritage, I declare: The Armenian Apostolic Holy Church must have a newly elected Catholicos whose integrity will be verified and confirmed before the election of the Catholicosate,” he stated.

He concluded by calling on the Church’s faithful to support what he described as a peaceful and spiritually motivated effort to reform its leadership.

“I urge the faithful followers of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church to unite around the agenda of liberating the Patriarchal Residence in a loving and Christian manner and electing a truly holy clergyman as Catholicos of All Armenians,” Pashinyan stated.

By Vafa Guliyeva