Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan is attempting to create an alternative “Armenian Apostolic Church” by participating in an event organized by a priest separated from the Church — Stepan (Aram) Asatryan. This was stated by political analyst Vigen Hakobyan.
According to Hakobyan, Pashinyan has little choice and, during the pre-election period, is effectively creating a separate church for himself. By attending a mass organized under the name of Stepan Asatryan, the prime minister is essentially ordaining Asatryan as a priest himself, the analyst noted.
Hakobyan emphasized that the government’s propaganda machine presents this event as a mass conducted by a representative of the Armenian Apostolic Church. However, the real Church would call it a fake event, which would create the vision of two Armenian Apostolic Churches — on one side, the prime minister’s “Armenian Apostolic Church,” and on the other, the real one under the leadership of the Catholicos.
“This is the first step toward directly dividing the Armenian Apostolic Church — by creating a fake apostolic church with fake priests and so-called clergymen,” he said.
It should be noted that Father Stepan (Aram) Asatryan was defrocked on October 21, 2025. This decision was made by the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin following a report by the head of the Aragatsotn Diocese and the Disciplinary Commission of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC). The reason for his defrocking was that Father Aram, through his public statements and appearances, discredited the Armenian Apostolic Church and its leadership. Following this, 13 clergymen were detained, including Bishop Mkrtich Proshyan. The current authorities, in conflict with the Mother See of Etchmiadzin, supported the defrocked priest.
However, Father Aram Asatryan announced that, despite the church’s decision, he would remain at Ovanavank and conduct a service there on October 26, 2025. This Sunday service caused significant public attention — the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, officially stated that he would attend the liturgy to be conducted by Father Aram (secular name Stepan Asatryan).