Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan demonstratively supported the split in the Armenian Church

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accompanied by the country’s top officials, including President Vahagn Khachaturyan and Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan, visited the Church of the Holy Mother of God («Seven Wounds») in Gyumri. The visit included a liturgy attended by several bishops who had previously expressed disagreement with the actions of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

According to Sputnik Armenia, among the participants of the service were Archbishop Navasard Kchoyan (head of the Ararat Diocese), Bishop Gevorg Saroyan (head of the Masiatsotn Diocese), Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan (head of the AAC Diocese in the Baltic States) and Bishop Sion Adamyan (head of the AAC Diocese of Armavir). According to the source, the service was conducted by Priest Mkrtich Mushadyan from Armavir Diocese, which, as noted, is in violation of the canonical order of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

This event takes place against the backdrop of the escalating confrontation between the Armenian authorities and the Armenian Apostolic Church. The conflict intensified after Nikol Pashinyan criticized the clergy and his initiative to change the procedure for electing the Catholicos, which implies more active participation of the state. Earlier, the heads of several dioceses were arrested on various charges, as well as businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who stood up for the Church.

The situation took a new turn on November 27, when a group of hierarchs of the Armenian Apostolic Church published a statement accusing Catholicos Karekin II of trying to cover up Archbishop Arshak Khachatryan’s «sacrilegious act» allegedly related to the appearance of intimate videos online. Two days later, on November 29, ten signatories of the statement called on the Catholicos to voluntarily abdicate, accusing him of arbitrary rule and political interference.

Recall, the conflict between the Armenian government and the Armenian Apostolic Church reached a new peak after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan publicly admitted that the National Security Service (NSS) interferes in church services. He justified these actions on state security grounds, calling the head of the church, Catholicos Karekin II, a threat to the country.