Russian Orthodox Church expresses support for AAC amid Armenian  authorities` campaign against it 

ArmInfo. Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for  External Church Relations, responded to an official letter from  Konstantin Zatulin, coordinator of the board of the international  "Lazarev Association" under the Government of the Russian Federation  and State Duma deputy, in response to the appeal of the Lazarev Club  Council following its extended meeting on August 7 in Sochi.

"The Russian Orthodox Church is closely monitoring the development of  church-state relations in Armenia. Representatives of the Moscow  Patriarchate have repeatedly expressed support for the Armenian  Apostolic Church, given the pressure being exerted on it and the  obvious interference in church affairs by the country's authorities.

We hope for a swift resolution of the crisis and a normalization of  relations between the state and the church in Armenia," states the  letter, signed by Metropolitan Volokolamsk, Chairman of the  Department for External Church Relations.

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 has targeted both clergy and  citizens who support the Church. In February of this year, the  Armenian Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case against  Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, and he is banned from leaving  the country. The case was opened on charges of obstructing the  execution of a judicial decision related to the defrocking of Arman  Saroyan. Khachatur Galstyan was appointed prosecutor in the criminal  case. Several other high-ranking clergy are also involved. On August  7, Judge Hakob Manukyan, who was scheduled to preside over the first  hearing of the case against the Catholicos of All Armenians and six  bishops, recused himself. Another judge sent the case to Yerevan for  the hearing on August 28.