Political analyst says Pashinyan’s church remarks have crossed 'red line'

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s latest remarks suggesting that protest during a church liturgy could be permissible have crossed a “red line” and risk politicizing religious worship, political analyst Suren Surenyants said on Saturday.

Pashinyan said earlier on Saturday that expressing protest during a church service could be “possible and acceptable”, particularly if the name of Catholicos Karekin II (lay name Ktrich Nersisyan) is mentioned. He also said he expected that the Catholicos’ name would not be voiced during a liturgy he plans to attend at the Holy Mother of God Church in Garni on Sunday.

Surenyants said in a social media post the statement went far beyond a personal opinion or the position of an individual believer and should be viewed as a political message directed at the Armenian Apostolic Church.

“The issue is, first and foremost, legal,” the analyst wrote. He cited Article 17 of Armenia’s constitution, which enshrines the separation of church and state, arguing that the head of the executive branch has no constitutional authority to determine what is allowed or prohibited during a religious service.

“When the prime minister publicly evaluates what is acceptable during a liturgy, this is no longer about freedom of opinion but about an attempt by state power to politicize and control church rites,” he said.

Surenyants also warned of a broader political subtext, arguing that Pashinyan’s remarks effectively legitimize disruptive behavior in churches and could serve as a signal for organized provocations amid deep political polarization in the country.

According to the analyst, recent actions by the prime minister, including proposals to reform church statutes, participation in alternative religious services and public discussions about imposing elements such as the national anthem, amount to repeated interference in church affairs and undermine the principle of state neutrality.

“These steps risk turning places of worship into arenas for political confrontation,” Surenyants said, adding that the Armenian Apostolic Church remains an autonomous institution with its own canonical law and internal order.

Announcing his planned attendance at the Garni church service, Pashinyan said some worshippers have expressed a desire to protest during liturgy when Karekin II’s name is mentioned and argued such reactions should be considered legitimate.