Pashinyan on the Catholicos's Statements About Having a Child

I have not declared war on the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Mother See, and I could not have done so. The war has been declared by those who violate the regulations of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the vow of celibacy, and our traditions. This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a conversation with reporters in the National Assembly, addressing the tense relations between the church and the government.

According to him, his issue as a devoted representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church is to restore the church’s spiritual values and conditions.

“The situation in the region is very complicated; since the beginning of these events, I have not particularly addressed domestic political issues, but that does not mean that others should use that passivity to launch brazen attacks, and these brazen attacks will receive appropriate responses,” Pashinyan said.

Referring to his claim that the Catholicos has a child, he stated: “If I speak, I have evidence; do you not notice that they do not dispute it? I suggested that if they dispute it in any way, they can take legal action, and that evidence will be presented, or other forms of evidence will be presented. My positions are entirely based on the rules of the Armenian Apostolic Church.”

When asked if this situation could lead to clashes within the country, the Prime Minister responded: “I consider discussions of clashes to be absurd; we are exclusively raising a spiritual issue, and its realization can only occur based on actions rooted in spiritual, Christian principles.”