All Four Pontifical Sees of Armenian Church Voice Alarm Over Pashinyan Government’s Crackdown

A crisis is deepening in Armenia as the government escalates its attacks on the Armenian Apostolic Church—one of the world’s oldest Christian institutions and a pillar of Armenian national identity. In a rare and historic show of unity, all four pontifical sees of the Armenian Apostolic Church have spoken out against what they call mounting pressure and persecution by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s government.

The coordinated criticism comes amid a wave of arrests targeting senior clergy, including two high-ranking bishops, and a violent raid by Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) on the Church’s sacred center, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The incident has sparked outrage across Armenia and the Armenian diaspora, with many seeing it as an attack not just on the Church, but on the soul of the Armenian nation.

On June 27, Armenian security forces entered the grounds of Holy Etchmiadzin—considered the spiritual and administrative heart of the Armenian Church—attempting to detain Archbishop Mikayel Ajapahyan, Primate of the Shirak Diocese. The act was condemned as a “desecration” by the Mother See, which called the government's actions “anti-church” and accused authorities of pushing a “church-hating policy.”

Archbishop Ajapahyan, later placed in two-month pre-trial detention, was charged with inciting the violent overthrow of the government. His defense attorney has called the charges legally outrageous and politically motivated. Ajapahyan is now being held in near isolation, allowed contact only with his legal team and close family.

Just days earlier, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan—leader of the Tavush Diocese and a prominent critic of the Prime Minister—was also arrested. He faces even more severe charges, including plotting a coup, planning bombings, and organizing cyberattacks.

Government-friendly media have released alleged wiretaps to support the accusations, though none have been independently verified. The Church has dismissed the charges as politically driven.

Church Leaders Worldwide Speak Out

What makes this crackdown even more shocking is the unprecedented reaction from the global Armenian Church. The four ancient sees—Etchmiadzin in Armenia, Cilicia in Lebanon, and the Patriarchates of Jerusalem and Constantinople—each issued public statements condemning the government’s actions.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia called the use of force against the Church “unacceptable” and urged the authorities to stop the arrests and act with reverence. The Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem labeled the government’s actions “shameful and dishonourable,” while Patriarch Sahak II of Constantinople warned of a dangerous rupture between Church and State.

The warnings are not symbolic. For centuries, the Armenian Church has not only preserved the faith of the Armenian people but has also defended Armenian identity during times of statelessness and genocide. For the heads of all four branches of the Church to speak in one voice against the Armenian government is a moment of grave concern.

Government Escalates Its Campaign

Rather than backing down, Prime Minister Pashinyan appears to be escalating. On June 24, in response to a clerical insult, he posted a vulgar message on Facebook, offering 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,”

Pashinyan wrote, in a message widely condemned as obscene and disrespectful.

A day after one of Armenia’s most prominent Church benefactors, billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, voiced support for the clergy, he was arrested and charged with inciting government overthrow. The government then announced plans to nationalize his company, the Electricity Networks of Armenia—a move widely viewed as politically retaliatory. Draft legislation is already in place to allow the state to seize control of the utility.

Even the judiciary appears complicit. The judge overseeing Archbishop Ajapahyan’s case has known political ties to a party aligned with the ruling Civil Contract party, raising concerns over judicial independence.

Church Calls on the Nation

Despite the pressure, the Mother See has vowed to continue resisting through lawful means. In a strong message to the faithful, it called on all Armenians to support the Church in this critical moment. “We call upon the sons and daughters of our nation to stand with unwavering devotion alongside the Mother Church,” the statement said.

This is not merely a political feud. It is a national crisis that pits a centuries-old Church, deeply intertwined with Armenian identity, against a government accused of authoritarian overreach. As the faithful pray and protest, and as Church leaders appeal for calm, many fear that the very foundation of Armenian unity is under threat.

The Church is not perfect. But in a country still healing from war, displacement, and political turmoil, the arrest of archbishops and desecration of sacred grounds signal a dangerous path. Armenia must decide: Will it protect its ancient institutions, or will it allow them to be crushed under the weight of power and politics?

The world is watching. So is the Armenian nation.

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