Armenian Government Sets Removal of Catholicos Karekin II as Official Policy Goal in 2026-2031 Program

Armenia’s government has made the removal of Catholicos Karekin II an official policy goal, embedding the issue into its five-year national program for 2026-2031. Approved by the Cabinet and set for parliamentary review, the document outlines a structured process beginning with the departure of the current Catholicos of All Armenians and culminating in the election of a new leader.

The plan calls for the first step to be the “removal — retirement — of the de facto head” of the Armenian Apostolic Church. While Karekin II is not explicitly named, the reference is clearly to him. Following this, a locum tenens would be elected under existing church procedures to temporarily lead the church. The government also proposes the adoption of a new church charter, emphasizing financial transparency, clergy conduct, and adherence to church principles.

The program includes provisions for integrating clergy into Armenia’s state system of social guarantees and increasing transparency in church finances. These measures aim to align the church more closely with state interests and ensure compliance with national frameworks.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan defended the policy, stating that the church had been pushed beyond its canonical boundaries under Karekin II. He referred to the Catholicos by his birth name, Ktrich Nersisyan, and described the situation as an agenda that must be addressed. “The agenda is written in the election platform and in the government program,” Pashinyan said.

The proposed measures align with policy ideas that Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party introduced during its election campaign. The document does not specify the “external forces” it accuses of using the church for hybrid warfare, though a senior party member hinted at Russia. Vahagn Aleksanyan, a National Assembly Vice President and member of the ruling party, suggested the allegations involve Archbishop Yezras Nersisyan, Karekin II’s brother and head of the Diocese of Russia and New Nakhichevan.

Aleksanyan did not name Russia directly but implied the country in question was well known to the public. His comments reflect the government’s broader narrative that the church has become a tool for foreign influence, a claim that has fueled tensions between the state and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

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