Armenia’s Prime Minister blames the church leader of the father’s child in febrile political order

The Liberal Government of Armenia has never been an ally of the deeply conservative Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC), but when Prime Minister Nicole Pashinyan made exceptional accusations against an unnamed senior priest, he opened a deep division.

“Your grace, you go a fool with your uncle’s wife. What do you want from me?” said Pashinyan.

He also accused the supreme spiritual leader – Catholicos Karekin II – in breaching his vow of celibacy and father of a child, urging him to resign. The BBC turned to the church for comment, but had no answer.

So far, the church and the government have found a way to exist, but the order is threatening to divide the already polarized Armenian society to influence the result of the election next year.

This could also harm peace negotiations that have the potential to form the entire region of the South Caucasus after the bitter defeat of Armenia in war against Azerbaijan.

Armenia is believed to be the first nation to turn Christianity into state religion after his king was named in 301ad. Although there is a division of the church and the state by law, the Armenian constitution recognizes AAC “as a national church.”

The church did not turn to the allegations, but said the prime minister had sought “to silence his voice.” He reiterated that the government did not have a word on the rule of the church.

If true, Pashinyan’s claim would make Catholics unfit for office. According to the by -laws, only Catholicos can be selected from celibacy.

On these grounds, Pashinyan now requires Karekin’s resignation, although there is no jurisdiction over the church. He did not present any evidence, but threatened to release him.

Pashinyan also attacked other high priests, including blaming an archbishop of having an affair, with the exceptional claim to “mislead” with his uncle’s wife.

Opposition parties and two of Armenia’s former presidents, Levon Ter-Petrosian and Setz Sargsian, gathered behind the church and condemned Pashinyan’s movement against him.

The government’s connection to the church worsened after the defeat in the 2020 war against the neighboring Azerbaijan, when Karekin II joined calls from various political factions so that the prime minister could withdraw.

Pashinyan remained in power and the church became a prominent anti -government voice.

Recently, Karekin II has requested the right to return to the Armenians who fled the Nagorno-Karabach, a region of Azerbaijan, which he seized in 2023.

The Prime Minister’s allies are dissatisfied with such interventions, as they contradict the government’s position in continuing peace talks.

Pashinyan insists on a quick peace treaty that will see both parties reject their mutual claims. But the Azerbaijani media took advantage of the nationalist opposition as proof that Armenia was not ready for peace.

The Armenian Church has taken advantage of becoming a hub for disagreement. With the personal rivalries between the leaders of the opposition parties, he is attracted to those who are not subjected to dissatisfaction with the authorities.

Political analysts in Armenia suggest that this may be a real reason for the government’s sudden attack against the church leader.

The next general election is scheduled for June 2026, and the campaign against a church can be a preventive strike against the fortress of conservative opposition.

The Prime Minister himself connects his position with the policy: “We have returned the state to the people. Now we have to return the church to the people.”

When a powerful benefactor spoke in support of the church this week, the government quickly moved against him.

The Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetian has threatened to “intervene in the campaign against the church in our way” if opposition politicians fail to protect it.

Hours later, his residence was attacked and on Wednesday was accused of “making public calls for the overthrow of the government.” He denies the fee.

The conflict between the political and the spiritual leader of Armenia is a very sensitive issue, far beyond its national borders, since the church has hundreds of parishes in the diaspora, from Russia and Ukraine to Western Europe, the Middle East and America.

While rumors of the alleged secret family of Karekin have long been distributed in tabloids, for years more serious accusations have been made by the parishes of the diaspora.

They claim that church leaders are blackmailing monthly payments and micro -control dioceses that enjoy surgery autonomy.

In 2013, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem accused Karekin II of having no spiritual values ​​and only cared for his material well -being. The church said the allegations were incorrect.

Until recently, Nicole Pashinyan remained largely over the fight. “I believe that the government has no place in the internal problems of the church,” he said shortly after taking office in 2018. After years of observing this bet, the prime minister may have changed his mind.

Whatever the result of this order, it is likely to deepen polarization in a society that has already been destroyed, not only through political struggle, but also by the wedge’s questions about whether to be an ally with Russia or the West and from the tensions between the residents of Armenia and the Ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabah.