Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has addressed followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) on social media calling on them to demand the resignation of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. It is noteworthy that in his post he called the clergyman by his secular name - Ktrich Nersesyan. The appeal also touched upon the clergy, who, according to Pashinyan, remain "faithful to the values of the church."
"Holy Etchmiadzin is the epicenter of our national morality. When it is led by people who have broken their vow before God and have a moral character that is unacceptable even by the standards of secular life, our very morality is called into question," Pashinyan emphasized.
The head of government noted that he himself is a "follower of the church," prays daily and periodically observes fasts. At the same time, he is convinced that an uncontested moral “imperative” corresponding to the church charter should prevail in Echmiadzin.
“There is no other option,” Pashinyan categorically concluded.
Earlier, the Armenian Prime Minister and members of his family have repeatedly criticized the AAC. In particular, at a government meeting on May 29, Pashinyan spoke negatively about the state of a number of churches, calling them “closets filled with garbage.” The next day, he published a post in which he accused one of the archbishops of the Apostolic Church of immoral behavior. Later, his wife Anna Hakobyan, in her speech, called Garegin II “the main mafioso,” and his supporters “the main pedophiles of the country.” On June 9, the Prime Minister of Armenia stated that he had evidence that the Catholicos had violated his vow of celibacy and had a child. In addition, according to Pashinyan, Russia ordered the Armenian Apostolic Church to fight the authorities. He claimed that Moscow ordered the clergy to make anti-government statements.
On June 19, a court in Yerevan arrested Russian businessman, billionaire, and head of the Tashir Group of Companies Samvel Karapetyan for two months. He had previously publicly stood up for Catholicos Garegin II. Karapetyan was accused of publicly calling for the seizure of power in Armenia.
