Catholicos Aram I Calls Government Attacks on Clergy “Unacceptable” as Cilicia Platform Warns of National Division

The leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church are speaking out about the growing hostility that Armenia’s state authorities are showing toward the country’s clergymen. During an important online meeting of the Cilicia Analytical Platform, chaired by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, church leaders and experts warned that this toxic environment is increasing social tensions at a time when unity is badly needed.

“The atmosphere created by the Armenian authorities toward clergymen is unacceptable,” said Catholicos Aram I in a strong statement. He emphasized that public attacks on senior religious leaders are not a path to solving problems, but rather a cause of deeper divisions within Armenian society.

The meeting, held on Friday, June 6, included church leaders, analysts, and Armenian community representatives from around the world. It opened with a detailed report about the international efforts to preserve the spiritual and cultural heritage of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

Participants reviewed a major conference recently held in Bern, Switzerland, where experts highlighted ways to defend Artsakh’s identity and history, especially in the face of Azerbaijan’s ongoing attempts to erase it. The group praised initiatives in Switzerland aimed at protecting the legal rights of Artsakh’s people.

At the same time, the session reaffirmed the importance of keeping Artsakh’s state institutions active, even in exile. Participants stressed that this is critical for maintaining Artsakh’s legal and political standing on the international stage.

The meeting also reviewed Catholicos Aram I’s recent visit to Greece, where he met with both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense. Discussions focused heavily on Turkey’s increasingly aggressive role in the South Caucasus and Eastern Mediterranean.

Greek leaders shared their concerns about the multiple threats posed by Turkey’s government, both through military pressure and through supporting Azerbaijan’s actions against Artsakh and Armenia.

This cooperation between Armenian and Greek leaders was hailed as an important example of building alliances to defend shared interests and regional stability.

But the most urgent topic of the meeting was the troubling campaign now being waged by some members of Armenia’s government and media against the Armenian Church.

Church leaders condemned what they called a coordinated effort to discredit and shame high-ranking clergymen through public accusations and inflammatory rhetoric.

“The manner in which these issues are being raised is not only inappropriate — it is harmful,” said the statement issued after the meeting. “It does not contribute to solutions. Instead, it creates division and internal tension at a moment when our nation should be focused on solidarity and survival.”

Many believe that these attacks on the Church are politically motivated and part of a wider campaign by certain factions to weaken traditional Armenian institutions that have played a central role in defending Armenian identity throughout history — especially during times of national crisis.

Finally, the Cilicia Analytical Platform announced that it had published the official proceedings of its important conference last year on the genocide committed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh.

These documents include expert legal and political analyses that are now being used to support international advocacy on behalf of the displaced and persecuted people of Artsakh.

“The materials will serve as a valuable guide for Armenian activists, lawyers, and policymakers as they continue to fight for the rights of our people,” the statement said.

As Armenia faces unprecedented external threats and internal challenges, His Holiness Aram I called on all Armenians to reject efforts to sow division and instead focus on the core values of faith, identity, and unity.

“This is a critical moment for the Armenian nation,” he said. “We must stand together — Church, state, and people — to defend our history, our culture, and our future.”

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