Tensions between Armenia’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church have reached new heights after Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan publicly accused the Church’s spiritual leader, Catholicos Karekin II, of breaking his vow of celibacy and fathering a child.
The prime minister presented no evidence to support the claims but called for Catholicos Karekin’s resignation.
“Your Grace, go fool around with your uncle's wife. What do you want from me?” Pashinyan said.
The Church has not yet addressed the allegations directly, but a statement said the prime minister had attempted “to silence its voice.”
The accusations mark the latest episode in a long-standing divide between Armenia’s liberal government and the conservative Armenian Apostolic Church.
The Church has played a central role in Armenian culture and identity since the nation became the first in the world to adopt Christianity as its state religion in 301 A.D.
Relations between the government and the Church deteriorated following Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war with Azerbaijan, when Catholicos Karekin II joined public calls for Pashinyan to resign.
Armenia’s opposition parties and two former presidents have rallied in support of the Church.
Some analysts suggest the prime minister’s attacks on Church leaders may be a preemptive move ahead of Armenia’s 2026 general election.
In recent years, the Catholicos has advocated for the right of return for Armenians displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh—an issue that puts him at odds with the government’s position.
Although Church and state are legally separate in Armenia, the constitution recognizes the Armenian Apostolic Church as a national institution.