In an escalating political crisis, Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan finds himself in a contentious standoff with the Armenian Apostolic Church, characterized by arrests, allegations of coups, and Pashinyan's surprisingly personal offer to demonstrate his Christian faith.
This week, Pashinyan took to Facebook, addressing his 1.1 million followers, where he proposed to expose himself to the church's leaders to counter claims asserting he had been circumcised, a point made by Father Zareh Ashuryan. The priest likened Pashinyan to Judas, suggesting he was no longer a true Christian.
This dramatic plea follows a significant erosion of the prime minister's relationship with the church, particularly since Armenia's defeat to Azerbaijan in 2020, which has left the church as a leading opponent of his government. The discord began earlier this year, when Pashinyan accused Catholicos Karekin II, the church's head, of breaching his vow of celibacy, insisting on Karekin's resignation.
Upon returning from a trip abroad, Karekin II was warmly welcomed by supporters in Yerevan, while he urged a spirit of unity amidst the rising tensions. However, the situation took a turn for the worse when law enforcement detained 16 individuals, including prominent church figure Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, on charges related to a purported coup plot.
Detailing these allegations, Armenia's Investigative Committee claimed the detainees intended to form various armed groups to disrupt the state's stability. Following arrest warrants, Bagrat Galstanyan has termed the government's actions as political repression, asserting that the charges are fabricated.
Adding to the complexity of the struggle, some government-affiliated media outlets implicated Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, a major church supporter, in the treachery. His subsequent arrest and demands for nationalizing his company sparked agitation within Armenia's wealthy diaspora in Russia, who pledged support for the businessman.
Amid the turbulence, the Armenian republic's spiritual and political realms collide. As Pashinyan gears up for critical elections, the interests of the church and state appear increasingly entangled, leaving the nation in a precarious position that could have lasting implications for its governance and identity.
