VIDEO: Pashinyan Told the Catholicos That the Church Should Not Gain Strength, Says Archbishop Michail Ajapahyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the Catholicos that the church should not gain strength, as it would weaken the state. This was stated today, May 28, during a conversation with journalists at the Sardarapat Memorial Complex by Archbishop Michail Ajapahyan.

When asked when the relationship between the government and the church began to deteriorate, the Archbishop replied, “They started that from the moment they came to power. But when they were capturing the Cathedral, couldn’t they take steps as a state?”

He noted that the Catholicos and the Prime Minister had met before, but their relationship has never been good: “At their very first meeting, he said that the church should not gain strength, as it would weaken the state. This is an expression of a troubled mind. It is unwise, but it has become state policy. A strong church does not hinder a strong state. Our church is strong even beyond the borders of Armenia.”

When asked how the rupture occurred, Archbishop Michail said, “The rupture happened on their side, as they started to obstruct the church on all kinds of issues, starting with the removal of the subject of Armenian church history, ignoring the church in all other matters, even pushing it out of procedural issues and closing television broadcasting.”