Armenian premier’s `roadmap for church reform’ is high treason — Pan-Armenian Council for Preservation of Armenian Church
The Pan-Armenian Council for the Preservation of the Armenian Church has called the “roadmap for improvement” of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), signed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and 10 bishops who have joined the country’s government’s anti- church campaign, an act of treason.
As noted in the Council’s statement, the creation of the so-called “Coordination Council” and the proposed “roadmap” represent an attempt at an illegal and unconstitutional coup within the Church. The Pan- Armenian Council expressed its conviction that what is happening is not simply interference, but an open declaration of war against the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), the foundations of national identity, and statehood. “We declare without equivocation: this is a step tantamount to high treason on a spiritual level. An attempt is being made to undermine the authority of the Armenian Church, devalue the institution of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, and transform the AAC into a government ‘office.’ This attack on centuries-old sacred sites is fraught with irreversible consequences, such as national schism and clashes,” the statement reads.
The Council condemned the authorities’ actions, calling the Armenian Prime Minister’s statements encouraging citizens to desecrate church rites unacceptable and immoral. “This is spiritual terror against the faith of their own people. Attempts to erase the boundaries between the state and the AAC lead to a dictatorship, where even a person’s conscience and faith must be subordinated to political expediency. We also note with particular disgust the behavior of bishops who, having forgotten their oath before God, have become instruments of political intrigue,” the statement emphasizes.
Furthermore, the Pan-Armenian Council condemned the actions of Father Gusan Alchanyan, the rector of the Armenian Diocese in Switzerland, who joined this anti-church campaign, calling them a betrayal. “No one believes your version of events; you understand perfectly well that by accepting the schismatic ‘roadmap,’ you are not reforming, but rather striking a blow to the Mother Church. History and future generations will not forgive this renunciation,” the Pan-Armenian Council asserts.
In light of the above, the Council demanded that the Armenian Prime Minister and his regime distance themselves from the Armenian Church. “Stop playing dirty and using state levers of influence on the spiritual structure.
Every step you take aimed at dividing the Church is considered a crime against statehood,” the Council emphasized.
Furthermore, the Pan-Armenian Council for the Preservation of the Armenian Church called on the clergy to be sober. “Leave this self-proclaimed group before it’s too late. Don’t become the cause of schism; don’t sell your soul to the devil. Otherwise, you will bear full responsibility before both the earthly and heavenly courts,” the Council urged.
In conclusion, the Pan-Armenian Council called on the Armenian people to awaken, noting that this is not politics, but a struggle to preserve national identity. “Our silence today will be our destruction tomorrow. We will not allow national traitors to desecrate the temple of our faith. Anyone who raises a hand against the church will remain under the rubble,” the Council concluded.
As a reminder, in May, the Armenian Prime Minister launched a campaign against the Armenian Apostolic Church. As part of this campaign, on January 5, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed the so-called “roadmap for the improvement” of the Armenian Apostolic Church with 10 rebellious bishops the night before. The “roadmap” consists of ten points: publicly announcing a reform program; removing the current Catholicos of All Armenians; electing a locum tenens of the patriarchal throne; adopting a Church Charter, which should establish “mechanisms for maintaining established principles, ensuring financial transparency and proper conduct of the clergy”; and electing the Catholicos of All Armenians “in accordance with the established procedure.” It should be noted that, according to the Constitution of Armenia, the Armenian Apostolic Church is separate from the state. Moreover, the Catholicos is elected by the National Spiritual Council for a life term.
