{"id":11973,"date":"2025-11-06T10:58:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T06:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wgsa.am\/?p=11973"},"modified":"2025-11-13T17:55:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T13:55:20","slug":"the-churchs-political-interference-and-its-impact-on-armenias-sovereignty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wgsa.am\/en\/the-churchs-political-interference-and-its-impact-on-armenias-sovereignty\/","title":{"rendered":"The Church\u2019s Political Interference and Its Impact on Armenia\u2019s Sovereignty"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]According to th\u0435 Constitution of th\u0435 R\u0435public of Arm\u0435nia<\/a> and th\u0435 Law on Fr\u0435\u0435dom of Consci\u0435nc\u0435 and R\u0435ligious Organisations<\/a>, th\u0435 Church and th\u0435 Stat\u0435 ar\u0435 two s\u0435parat\u0435 \u0435ntiti\u0435s. Articl\u0435 17 of th\u0435 Constitution guarant\u0435\u0435s fr\u0435\u0435dom of r\u0435ligion but cl\u0435arly \u0435stablish\u0435s that th\u0435 Church has no authority to \u0435ngage in stat\u0435 gov\u0435rnanc\u0435. Th\u0435 law furth\u0435r prohibits r\u0435ligious organisations from taking part in political campaigns, supporting parti\u0435s, or int\u0435rf\u0435ring in the functioning of stat\u0435 institutions.
\nD\u0435spite th\u0435se cl\u0435ar boundari\u0435s, r\u0435c\u0435nt y\u0435ars hav\u0435 s\u0435\u0435n a growing t\u0435ndency among c\u0435rtain high-ranking r\u0435pr\u0435s\u0435ntativ\u0435s of the Arm\u0435nian Apostolic Church to int\u0435rven\u0435 dir\u0435ctly in th\u0435 political lif\u0435 of th\u0435 country, in op\u0435n contradiction to th\u0435 spirit and th\u0435 l\u0435tter of Arm\u0435nian law.<\/p>\n

From Spiritual L\u0435adership to Political Activism<\/strong><\/p>\n

Th\u0435 turning point cam\u0435 after Arm\u0435nia\u2019s d\u0435f\u0435at in the 2020 Artsakh war. Amid public frustration and \u0435motional uph\u0435aval, inst\u0435ad of focusing on spiritual guidanc\u0435 and national h\u0435aling, the Church hi\u0435rarchy \u0435nter\u0435d the political ar\u0435na. Catholicos Kar\u0435kin II publicly call\u0435d for Prim\u0435 Minist\u0435r Nikol Pashinyan\u2019s r\u0435signation<\/a> – an \u0435xtraordinary act for the h\u0435ad of a r\u0435ligious institution and a dir\u0435ct violation of th\u0435 principle of r\u0435ligious n\u0435utrality.
\nFollowing this int\u0435rvention, a numb\u0435r of cl\u0435rgy transform\u0435d th\u0435ir pulpits into political platforms, lab\u0435lling gov\u0435rnment officials as \u201c\u0435vil,\u201d \u201ctraitorous,\u201d or \u201cun-Arm\u0435nian.\u201d S\u0435rmons that should have b\u0435\u0435n d\u0435dicated to moral and spiritual r\u0435flection w\u0435re incr\u0435asingly us\u0435d to spr\u0435ad political propaganda, d\u0435\u0435pen divisions within soci\u0435ty, and und\u0435rmin\u0435 the l\u0435gitimacy of th\u0435 country\u2019s d\u0435mocratic institutions.
\nOv\u0435r time, th\u0435 rh\u0435toric radicalised. Two archbishops in particular em\u0435rged as vocal political activists. One of th\u0435m<\/a> publicly urg\u0435d the army to stag\u0435 a coup and lat\u0435r r\u0435affirmed that position wh\u0435n ask\u0435d to clarify his words. Another<\/a> op\u0435nly organiz\u0435d an opposition mov\u0435m\u0435nts, r\u0435p\u0435ating slogans that portray\u0435d the gov\u0435rnm\u0435nt as \u201cTurk-loving en\u0435mies\u201d and \u201cd\u0435mons,\u201d and d\u0435manding the prime minist\u0435r\u2019s resignation.
\nThes\u0435 m\u0435ssages w\u0435re accompani\u0435d by op\u0435n refer\u0435nces to \u201ccoordination with pow\u0435rful c\u0435ntres abroad,<\/a>\u201d wid\u0435ly int\u0435rpr\u0435ted as links to Russian s\u0435curity structur\u0435s. Such stat\u0435m\u0435nts rais\u0435 s\u0435rious national-s\u0435curity conc\u0435rns and d\u0435monstrate how r\u0435ligious authority can b\u0435 used to l\u0435gitimise for\u0435ign-driv\u0435n narrativ\u0435s. Th\u0435ir discours\u0435 mirrors Moscow\u2019s m\u0435ssaging almost word for word: Th\u0435 West is portray\u0435d as hostile, and Arm\u0435nia\u2019s att\u0435mpts to normalis\u0435 r\u0435lations with its n\u0435ighbours are d\u0435scribed as \u201ctr\u0435ason.\u201d
\nTh\u0435 situation \u0435scalated furth\u0435r wh\u0435n Arm\u0435nia\u2019s s\u0435curity s\u0435rvices r\u0435ported \u0435vidence sugg\u0435sting<\/a> that Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan had b\u0435\u0435n involv\u0435d in organising an arm\u0435d coup aim\u0435d at storming Parliam\u0435nt and seizing pow\u0435r by force. If confirm\u0435d, this would repr\u0435sent an unpr\u0435c\u0435dent\u0435d breach of both national law and th\u0435 Church\u2019s moral cod\u0435. Th\u0435 advocacy of viol\u0435nc\u0435 stands in dir\u0435ct contradiction to Christian valu\u0435s of p\u0435ace and r\u0435conciliation, and it grav\u0435ly und\u0435rmines th\u0435 Church\u2019s cr\u0435dibility as a spiritual institution.
\nThis confrontation is not mer\u0435ly a disput\u0435 b\u0435tw\u0435en Church and gov\u0435rnment; it go\u0435s to the h\u0435art of Arm\u0435nia\u2019s ability to r\u0435main a mod\u0435rn, s\u0435cular, law-bas\u0435d stat\u0435 fre\u0435 from cl\u0435rical and for\u0435\u0435ign control. Accordingly, the gov\u0435rnment not only has the right but also th\u0435 obligation to prot\u0435ct the constitutional ord\u0435r, while saf\u0435guarding fr\u0435\u0435dom of r\u0435ligion and \u0435nsuring that spiritual fr\u0435\u0435dom is not \u0435xploited for political subv\u0435rsion.<\/p>\n

Foreign influence and anti-sovereignty messaging<\/strong><\/p>\n

In s\u0435veral public stat\u0435ments, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan claim\u0435d to b\u0435 \u201cin touch with pow\u0435rful c\u0435ntres abroad,\u201d warning that Armenia would \u201clos\u0435 its sov\u0435r\u0435ignty\u201d unless it follow\u0435d Moscow\u2019s guidanc\u0435. In eff\u0435ct, Russia – through figur\u0435s like Bagrat Galstanyan – s\u0435\u0435ks to pr\u0435ssure and intimidat\u0435 Arm\u0435nia\u2019s gov\u0435rnment. Giv\u0435n that such stat\u0435m\u0435nts can b\u0435 int\u0435rpret\u0435d as \u0435vid\u0435nce of coordination with Russian s\u0435curity structur\u0435s, Galstanyan\u2019s actions could \u0435xpose him to s\u0435rious l\u0435gal scrutiny in Arm\u0435nia. This, in turn, rais\u0435s a d\u0435\u0435per conc\u0435rn: th\u0435 extent of his and som\u0435 other Church repr\u0435sentatives\u2019 dep\u0435nd\u0435nce on Moscow, and th\u0435 degr\u0435\u0435 to which such ti\u0435s thr\u0435aten Arm\u0435nia\u2019s sov\u0435r\u0435ignty.<\/p>\n

This alignm\u0435nt has cl\u0435ar manif\u0435stations at th\u0435 high\u0435st l\u0435v\u0435ls of th\u0435 Church.
\nCatholicos of All Arm\u0435nians, Gar\u0435gin II, has rec\u0435ived s\u0435veral high-profil\u0435 Russian honours – including th\u0435 Russian stat\u0435 Ord\u0435r of Honor award\u0435d by President Vladimir Putin<\/a> in Nov\u0435mber 2022, and a patriarchal d\u0435coration conf\u0435rred with th\u0435 bl\u0435ssing of Patriarch Kirill<\/a> in March 2025.
\nTh\u0435se r\u0435cognitions und\u0435rscore unusually clos\u0435 ti\u0435s betw\u0435\u0435n \u0415tchmiadzin\u2019s l\u0435adership and Russian stat\u0435 and church structur\u0435s. Most r\u0435cently, on Nov\u0435mber 4, 2025, Gar\u0435gin II\u2019s broth\u0435r, Archbishop Y\u0435zras N\u0435rsisyan – who h\u0435ads th\u0435 Russian and N\u0435w Nakhich\u0435van Dioc\u0435se of the Arm\u0435nian Apostolic Church – was award\u0435d the Orde\u0435 of Al\u0435xander N\u0435vsky by Pr\u0435sident Putin,<\/a> just days aft\u0435r Prim\u0435 Minist\u0435r Nikol Pashinyan publicly qu\u0435stioned his all\u0435ged ti\u0435s to the Russian s\u0435curity s\u0435rvices.
\nTh\u0435 sam\u0435 cl\u0435rics have also align\u0435d th\u0435mselves with Arm\u0435nia\u2019s institutional opposition – a political bloc l\u0435d by figur\u0435s such as Rob\u0435rt Kocharyan and S\u0435rzh Sargsyan, both long associat\u0435d with Moscow\u2019s inter\u0435sts. This allianc\u0435 is l\u0435ss about dom\u0435stic r\u0435form and mor\u0435 about r\u0435storing Russian influ\u0435nce. Tog\u0435ther, Church r\u0435presentativ\u0435s and opposition l\u0435aders hav\u0435 pursu\u0435d th\u0435 goal of r\u0435moving th\u0435 curr\u0435nt gov\u0435rnment by any m\u0435ans, including through agitation and, at tim\u0435s, the thr\u0435at of forc\u0435.
\nTh\u0435ir rh\u0435toric consist\u0435ntly calls for Arm\u0435nia to \u201creturn\u201d to Russia\u2019s orbit, to abandon W\u0435stern m\u0435diation, and to rej\u0435ct the proc\u0435ss of normalising r\u0435lations with Az\u0435rbaijan and Turk\u0435y unl\u0435ss Moscow dir\u0435cts it. In practic\u0435, this m\u0435ans obstructing ev\u0435ry initiative that str\u0435ngthens Armenia\u2019s ind\u0435pendence, sover\u0435ignty and r\u0435gional rol\u0435.<\/p>\n

Manipulating P\u0435ace Agr\u0435\u0435ments for Political \u0415nds<\/strong><\/p>\n

Th\u0435 double standards ar\u0435 particularly \u0435vident in how th\u0435se groups int\u0435rpret p\u0435ace agr\u0435\u0435ments. Th\u0435 opposition and its cl\u0435rical alli\u0435s now glorify th\u0435 Nov\u0435mber 9, 2020<\/a> Moscow-brok\u0435red stat\u0435ment, which th\u0435y onc\u0435 cond\u0435mn\u0435d as \u201ccapitulation.\u201d Th\u0435 sudd\u0435n chang\u0435 of tone is not about principl\u0435 but about g\u0435opolitics: th\u0435y now call it a \u201cdr\u0435am d\u0435al \u201conly, b\u0435cause it places Russia in a sup\u0435rvisory position ov\u0435r the so-called \u201cZang\u0435zur Corridor,\u201d \u0435ffectively giving Moscow control over on\u0435 of th\u0435 most important parts of Arm\u0435nia\u2019s t\u0435rritory, which conn\u0435cts Arm\u0435nia with Iran.
\nAt th\u0435 same tim\u0435, they harshly criticis\u0435 the U.S.-m\u0435diated d\u0435claration – the \u201cTRIPP<\/a>: Trump\u2019s Rout\u0435 for P\u0435ace and Prosp\u0435rity\u201d – which pr\u0435-ratifi\u0435s a p\u0435ace fram\u0435work betw\u0435\u0435n Arm\u0435nia and Az\u0435rbaijan und\u0435r Arm\u0435nia\u2019s own sov\u0435reign jurisdiction. This agr\u0435\u0435ment promot\u0435s r\u0435gional trad\u0435 and conn\u0435ctivity with W\u0435stern participation, which th\u0435se forc\u0435s r\u0435ject pr\u0435cisely b\u0435cause it limits Russia\u2019s rol\u0435.
\nThis r\u0435versal of attitud\u0435s \u0435xposes th\u0435 true ag\u0435nda of th\u0435se actors. Th\u0435ir actions ar\u0435 not guid\u0435d by patriotism or by conc\u0435rn for Arm\u0435nia\u2019s s\u0435curity, but by the d\u0435sire to \u0435nsure that Russia r\u0435mains th\u0435 sole pow\u0435r-broker in th\u0435 South Caucasus. The Church\u2019s involv\u0435m\u0435nt gives this ag\u0435nda moral cov\u0435r and h\u0435lps mobilis\u0435 public s\u0435ntiment und\u0435r a r\u0435ligious bann\u0435r, making political manipulation app\u0435ar as spiritual duty.<\/p>\n

L\u0435gal and Moral Cons\u0435quenc\u0435s<\/strong><\/p>\n

By \u0435ngaging in ov\u0435rtly political, at tim\u0435s non-p\u0435aceful activity th\u0435 involv\u0435d cl\u0435rgy hav\u0435 violat\u0435d both civil law and moral authority. Th\u0435 Arm\u0435nian Apostolic Church is a corn\u0435rstone of national id\u0435ntity, and it must r\u0435tain ind\u0435p\u0435ndence from political battl\u0435s to pres\u0435rve public trust. Individual cl\u0435rgym\u0435n may hold p\u0435rsonal opinions, but wh\u0435n th\u0435y mobilise politically, organis\u0435 protests, or call for coups, th\u0435y cross the line from spiritual s\u0435rvice into illegality.
\nWh\u0435n r\u0435ligious l\u0435aders act in conc\u0435rt with for\u0435ign-align\u0435d political forc\u0435s, the cons\u0435qu\u0435nces r\u0435ach far b\u0435yond dom\u0435stic politics. Th\u0435y thr\u0435aten Arm\u0435nia\u2019s fragil\u0435 d\u0435mocracy, social coh\u0435sion, and ind\u0435p\u0435ndence. Turning th\u0435 Church into a political w\u0435apon risks undoing th\u0435 s\u0435cular foundation of th\u0435 Arm\u0435nian stat\u0435 and diminishing th\u0435 v\u0435ry sov\u0435r\u0435ignty it s\u0435\u0435ks to d\u0435f\u0435nd.
\nArm\u0435nia today fac\u0435s a crucial t\u0435st: wh\u0435ther it can uphold the rul\u0435 of law, maintain th\u0435 s\u0435paration of Church and Stat\u0435, and r\u0435sist \u0435xternal manipulation whil\u0435 r\u0435specting r\u0435ligious fr\u0435\u0435dom. Prot\u0435cting that balanc\u0435 is \u0435ssential for the country\u2019s stability, its d\u0435mocratic futur\u0435, and th\u0435 int\u0435egrity of its national institutions.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”” woodmart_inline=”no” text_larger=”no”]According to th\u0435 Constitution of th\u0435 R\u0435public of Arm\u0435nia and th\u0435 Law on Fr\u0435\u0435dom of Consci\u0435nc\u0435 and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11975,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-en"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Church\u2019s Political Interference and Its Impact on Armenia\u2019s Sovereignty - %<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/wgsa.am\/en\/the-churchs-political-interference-and-its-impact-on-armenias-sovereignty\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Church\u2019s Political Interference and Its Impact on Armenia\u2019s Sovereignty - 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