Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that if it turns out that Garegin II really broke the vow of celibacy and has a child, then he cannot be the Catholicos of All Armenians, since from the moment the fact in question arose, he could not be a celibate priest.
“I state this with all due respect to everyone’s right to privacy of personal and family life, but the Catholicos of All Armenians cannot have such a personal life. I raise this issue as a follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church, since I see the issue of spiritual security, I also say this as the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, since I see the issue of state security,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Pashinyan thinks that the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin should take a position on this situation, “after which further clarification of the issue will be carried out.”
On Pashinyan’s statements about the Church and the reaction
On May 29, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated in the government that all churches in Armenia are “closet-like,” explaining that all the most unnecessary things are stored in churches, including trash, someone’s clothes, shoes, and bed. He was also surprised at “how much one can be false, talk about the holy and be an atheist, trample on shrines.”
On May 30, the Prime Minister published several posts on his Facebook page, responding to the criticism of his statements about churches that arose in society, including among representatives of the clergy. He allowed the following expression: “Holy Father, go and continue having your aunt, what business is it of yours?” Pashinyan also wondered how many bishops are celibate, and stated that when it is discovered that a celibate confessor has violated the vow of celibacy, he is deprived of his position, rank, and phelonion.
Primate of the Syunik Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Makar Hakobyan noted that Pashinyan’s statement about the “closetization” of churches is not only an inappropriate and extremely unfortunate comparison, but also an offensive and disrespectful characterization of a structure that has been the spiritual light and source of national resilience for our people for centuries. He emphasized that the church has always been a holy abode of faith, consolation, and national unity, and this abode can never become a “closet” as long as its walls are strong in the hearts of people. The public center “Initiative of 5 Lawyers” stated that these recordings are preparations for the overthrow of the constitutional order, and their author has committed a serious criminal offense.