All four pontifical sees of Armenian Church voice concern over government pressure

By Lia Avagyan

All four pontifical sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church have publicly criticized what they describe as mounting state pressure against the Church, amid arrests of senior clergy and a security operation at the Church’s spiritual center in Etchmiadzin.

The separate statements, issued over recent days by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, and the Armenian Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople, reflect growing concern over the Armenian government’s actions targeting the Mother See.

The Mother See, located in Armenia’s town of Vagharshapat and considered the administrative heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church, issued its statement following a June 27 raid by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS), which attempted to detain Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, Primate of the Shirak Diocese. The operation drew strong condemnation from the Church, as well as criticism from many political groups and intellectuals.

“We strongly condemn these anti-church actions,” the Mother See said, calling the NSS’s entry into the cathedral grounds “an insult and desecration” of a sacred site and accusing the government of pursuing a “church-hating policy.”

Ajapahyan, who was later taken into custody and remanded for two months, is charged with inciting the violent overthrow of the constitutional order. His lawyer described the arrest as “a blatant legal outrage.”

Two days earlier, the authorities had arrested Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, head of the Tavush Diocese and a vocal critic of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Galstanyan was charged with plotting a coup and terrorist attacks. Both bishops deny the allegations.

In Jerusalem, the Armenian Patriarchate condemned “shameful and dishonourable actions” targeting the Mother See and voiced full support for Catholicos Karekin II. The June 28 statement called on Armenian authorities to “reaffirm mutual respect” toward the Church.

In Lebanon, the Catholicosate of Cilicia issued a similar condemnation. Catholicos Aram I said it was unacceptable for security forces to enter Etchmiadzin and urged state bodies to end “the wave of arrests” and approach disputes “with reverence and calm.”

Earlier, during a Sunday liturgy in Istanbul, Patriarch Sahak II Mashalian of Constantinople had warned against a growing rift between Church and state. “How can the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian state be in collision?” he asked. “When there was no state, we prayed for a thousand years for one.”

Escalating conflict

The Armenian Apostolic Church, which operates under four ancient and independent sees, has rarely witnessed such simultaneous statements of concern. Though worded differently, each statement criticized what the sees view as a pattern of intimidation and overreach by the government.

Tensions have grown sharply in recent weeks. Prime Minister Pashinyan accuses the Catholicos of violating his vow of celibacy and demands his resignation. 

On June 24, Pashinyan responded to a clerical insult by offering via Facebook to expose himself to the Catholicos to prove he was not circumcised. “I am ready to accept Ktrij Nersisyan [Catholicos Karekin II] and his spokesperson and prove the opposite,” he wrote. 

Last week, the government arrested Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire and major benefactor of the Church, just one day after he publicly expressed support for the Catholicos and the Armenian Apostolic Church. He is accused of calling for the violent overthrow of the government.

Pashinyan has since announced the nationalization of Karapetyan’s company, the Electricity Networks of Armenia (ENA). Critics say the move appears politically motivated. The ruling Civil Contract party has already prepared draft legislation to seize control of the utility.

As for the Archbishop Galstanyan, the Investigative Committee has accused him and his supporters of plotting bombings, cyberattacks, and infrastructure sabotage. Audio recordings of conversations allegedly including Galstanyan were published by pro-government media, though their authenticity has not been independently verified.

The Church has denied the allegations and called the charges politically driven.

Lawyers for both detained bishops said they will appeal the court rulings. Archbishop Ajapahyan is barred from contact with anyone except close relatives and legal counsel. His case was assigned to a judge formerly affiliated with a political party allied with Pashinyan’s government.The Mother See said it will pursue “all lawful means” to defend the rights of its clergy and called on the faithful to remain steadfast. “We call upon the sons and daughters of our nation to stand with unwavering devotion alongside the Mother Church,” the statement said.