Trial of Karekin II calls into question state-church relationship in  Armenia

ArmInfo.  The trial of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II calls into question the  relationship between the state and the Church, which for centuries  has represented one of the main forms of preserving Armenian  identity. This is stated in a statement by the Forum of Armenian  Associations in Europe, published in an article by the Italian  website Farodi Roma.

The article notes that the statement was signed by former Slovakian  Prime Minister Jan Carnogursky, former National Council Presidents  Frantisek Miklosko and Pavol Hrusovsky, as well as former Deputy  Prime Minister and European Commissioner Jan Figel.

The signatories of the appeal recalled their historical and personal  ties to Armenia and emphasized the role of the Armenian Apostolic  Church in shaping the country's national identity and preserving its  spiritual heritage. Their concern is also linked to the memory of the  persecution suffered by the Church in communist Europe: the  experience of Czechoslovakia, they recall, was marked by the  persecution and arrest of bishops and other representatives of the  Catholic Church.

Former Slovak politicians emphasize that respect for pluralism,  fundamental rights, justice, and democratic principles is  particularly important as Armenia declares its intention to  strengthen relations with the European Union and continue its path to  European integration.

"In this context, it is difficult to completely separate the judicial  dimension from the political one. The fact that the first trial of a  Catholicos in the history of independent Armenia is beginning in the  midst of an institutional crisis between the government and the  Church inevitably imbues this case with enormous symbolic  significance. For millions of Armenians, the Armenian Apostolic  Church is, in essence, more than just a religious denomination. Its  history is closely intertwined with the history of the Armenian  people, with the preservation of language, culture, and national  memory throughout centuries marked by invasions, persecution,  deportations, and the diaspora. Etchmiadzin is not only the seat of  the Catholicos: it is one of the symbolic places in Armenian  history," the Slovak politicians noted in their statement.

For this reason, the signatories of the statement are convinced that  the trial against Karekin II risks becoming a site of conflict over  the very definition of the relationship between Church and state in  modern Armenia.

"On one side is the government, which defends the state's right to  enforce its judicial decisions and ensures that no institution can  consider itself above the law. On the other is the Church, which  defends its autonomy and interprets the judicial offensive as part of  a political attempt to change leadership and limit its influence. In  the middle are Armenian society and the diaspora, which is  particularly sensitive to any changes in the Church's role. The most  obvious risk is a new radicalization of the conflict," the statement  reads.

It is noted, however, that ultimately, the real issue lies not only  in the personal fate of Garegin II, but concerns the limits of  political power and religious autonomy in a Republic seeking to  rethink its place in the world. "If the trial ends in harsh  sentences, polarization risks further deepening and fueling a crisis  of trust in institutions. However, if a mediation approach prevails,  the path to a new balance between state and church may open. For now,  however, the signal from Etchmiadzin suggests that the conflict  appears far from resolved.

And the very fact that the Catholicos of All Armenians is now  appearing before the court of the Republic of Armenia represents,  regardless of the outcome of the trial, a historic turning point.  Because in Armenia, it's not just the court that's at stake: it's the  relationship between the state authorities and the Church, which for  centuries has been one of the main sources of preserving Armenian  identity," reads a statement published on the Italian newspaper's  website.

As a reminder, since May 2025, the Armenian authorities have launched  an active anti-church policy and are seeking the resignation of  Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, who is elected to this  position for life. This campaign targets both clergy and citizens who  support the Church. It should be noted that, according to the  Constitution, Armenia is a secular state, with separation of church  and state. The "exclusive mission" of the Armenian Apostolic Church  (AAC) in preserving national identity is recognized.

Furthermore, as was reported on August 19, the issue of removing the  Catholicos is included in the Pashinyan government's program for  2026-2031.