Armenia is burning in chaos that looks like a movie plot! Archbishop Mikael Adzhapahyan, the powerful leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church, has been arrested and placed in custody for two months. His lawyer Ara Zohrabyan claims the court’s decision is illegal and baseless, but that didn’t stop angry priests and believers from gathering outside the court in Yerevan, ready to defend their leader to the last breath. The charges? Public calls to seize power, violating territorial integrity, overthrowing the constitutional order – sounds like a political thriller, but it’s the harsh reality in the heart of Armenia.
It all started when masked special forces stormed Echmiadzin, the spiritual center of the church, trying to arrest Adzhapahyan. The priests resisted, a fight broke out on the monastery grounds, and the special forces had to retreat. An investigation was launched against church members for obstructing justice, while the bishop himself tried to leave Echmiadzin but was stopped by believers. Later, he managed to leave the residence and head to the capital.
The opposition in parliament is already planning to nominate Adzhapahyan for prime minister and initiate impeachment proceedings against the current prime minister Nikol Pashinyan. This is all happening amid long-standing protests and conflicts that escalated back in 2020 after the Nagorno-Karabakh clashes. Back then, Catholicos Garegin II called on Pashinyan to resign, and politicians threatened the church with revolution.
The situation got even hotter when Pashinyan publicly insulted the church on social media, even suggesting the state should have a decisive role in choosing the Catholicos, sparking outrage among believers. Russian businessman and philanthropist Samvel Karapetyan, known for supporting the church, was also arrested and accused of calling for the government’s overthrow.
The “Holy Struggle” association and its leader Archbishop Jac Bagrat Galstanjan are accused of preparing terrorist attacks and attempting to seize power, with 15 of their supporters arrested. The bishop’s lawyers and church supporters call these charges political persecution and ridiculous.
Armenia is on the edge of chaos, where church and state fight for power, and ordinary people watch their country fall apart. Will faith triumph over politics, or will politics crush faith? Drop a comment if you think this is the beginning of the end or just another episode in the endless Armenian political drama. Who knows, maybe it’s time for you to join this fiery debate!
