MP accuses authorities of targeting Church

PanARMENIAN.Net - MP Tigran Abrahamyan of the I Have Honor faction wrote in a Facebook post that “the authorities are attempting to orchestrate a campaign against the Church through inciting internal divisions and conflicts.”

He argued that the Armenian Apostolic Church enjoys overwhelming public support, which, he believes, will play a decisive role.

“This is a traditional tactic of the authorities, which became evident in 2018 and during subsequent periods of heightened tension.

The outcome of this approach was Armenia’s defeat in war, the surrender of Artsakh, the weakening of statehood, and the emergence of a dependent status for the Republic of Armenia.

Yet for this government, the number one priority is not public security, sovereignty, or territorial integrity.

The goal is to maintain power at any cost, and everything is sacrificed for that,” Abrahamyan wrote.

Earlier, a group of bishops who met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan issued a new statement urging people to join them on December 18 at the Mother See to call on Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II to step down. In response, clergy from the Aragatsotn Diocese announced that a joint prayer service initially planned at St. Hovhannes Church in Byurakan would instead be held at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

This was followed by calls from citizens, including public and political figures, to gather at the Mother See at 15:30 in support of the Church and the Catholicos.