Armenian head demands resignation of Catholicos, accusing him of threatening national security

The conflict between secular and spiritual authorities in Armenia has reached a climax: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan openly accused the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, of posing a «threat to national security» and demanded his immediate resignation. In response, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin stated that the Primate has no intention to leave his post, as he is elected for life.

According to the Anadolu Ajansı piece, on December 3, 2025, the Armenian Prime Minister made a harsh statement to the head of the AAC. «Ktrich Nersisyan must go. There are no other options,» Pashinyan said, claiming that the Catholicos is causing serious damage to both the Church and the state. The head of the government emphasized that he would not accept a church leader who might be influenced by «external structures.» With these statements he also explained the recent visits of the National Security Service officers to clergymen, who were asked not to mention the name of the Catholicos at liturgies in the presence of the Prime Minister.

For its part, the Armenian Apostolic Church took a firm stance. Representatives of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin said that Garegin II does not intend to resign despite the unprecedented pressure. The Church’s statement emphasized that the Catholicos is elected for life by the National Church Assembly, and his voluntary resignation amid political demands would be tantamount to «desertion.»

The confrontation between the prime minister and the Catholicos has deep roots and began back in 2020. Back then, Etchmiadzin called on Nikol Pashinyan to resign because of his policy on Nagorno-Karabakh. Current events indicate that the conflict is moving into an open phase, where the government is campaigning for the removal of the country’s lifelong elected spiritual leader.

Earlier it was reported that amid the escalating internal conflict and confrontation with the Armenian authorities, Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II announced the convening of the Council of Bishops. The emergency meeting of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) top clergy will be held in Echmiadzin from December 10-12 to discuss the current crisis, which, according to a number of hierarchs, has no analogues in modern history.