In a significant escalation of state-church tensions, the Armenian government has officially included the removal of the Catholicos of All Armenians and structural reforms of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) in its five-year governance agenda for 2026–2031, reported on 26/08/2026 from Yerevan OCP News Service.
Approved by the Cabinet and sent to the National Assembly, the new government program clearly outlines a plan to change the leadership and management structure of the nation’s historic institution.
The official document deems the reforms necessary to “return the Church to the canonical field and eliminate its politicization.” It also claims that state intervention is needed to ensure “spiritual security” and to prevent external forces from turning the Church into a “stronghold for hybrid struggle.”
Leadership Removal: The state plans to ensure the retirement or removal of the current AAC head, followed by the election of a temporary locum tenens.
Charter and Transparency: A new Church charter will be adopted to regulate clergy conduct, uphold established principles, and enforce strict financial transparency.
Social Integration and Re-election: Clergy will be integrated into the state social security system, leading to the election of a new Catholicos of All Armenians.
Defending this policy, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan argued that under its current leadership, the institution had strayed from its canonical purpose. Pashinyan notably referred to the Catholicos by his secular name, Ktrich Nersisyan.
“The church, under Ktrich Nersisyan, has been taken outside the canonical framework, and there is an agenda here that must be addressed,” Pashinyan stated after the Cabinet’s approval.
The move formalizes proposals previously raised during the ruling Civil Contract party’s electoral campaign. When questioned by reporters about the government’s claims of “external forces” using the Church for hybrid warfare, senior ruling party officials pointed to geopolitical pressures and past allegations involving senior clergy.
Source: OCP News Service.
Illustrative photo: pexels-valeria-drozdova-2148646707-35185014
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