Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to Facebook to respond to criticism from married priests over his earlier remarks and again called for the removal of Catholicos Karekin II, positioning himself as an ally of married clergy.

“If the Catholicos does not step down, we will remove him together, as brothers, dear married priests,” Pashinyan wrote.

He clarified that his earlier statement was not a question but a declaration.

“Some married priests, under orders and pressure from their superiors, tried to dispute my statement that all married priests of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church are my brothers, because they do not deceive the people or God.”

“Dear Fathers, I made a statement, not a question, and I reaffirm: you are all my brothers, including those who made negative comments, because you do not lie to the people or to God.”

He continued, “If you have children and so does Ktrich Nersisyan, why does he hold a higher status in the Church than you, despite deceiving the people and God, while you do not? He vowed marriage to the Church and betrayed that vow. His high status stems from that vow he broke.”

“Why should an adulterous ‘celibate’ prevail over you and lead you, when that authority is based solely on a vow of celibacy which he has defiled?”

“Ktrich Nersisyan is also my brother. But he is not a Catholicos and must leave the Mother See. If he does not leave, we will remove him together, dear married priests,” Pashinyan declared.

Married priest Narek Antonyan responded on Facebook: “As a married priest, I have no brother in the ‘prime minister.’ If he considers us brothers, let him explain why he ordered a security raid on Holy Etchmiadzin—the spiritual birthplace of us all.”

Earlier, Pashinyan had stated: “Married priests are my brothers.”