The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast The government of Armenia takes on the Apostolic Church
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Jul 16, 2025 Olesya Vartanyan, an independent analyst specializing in South Caucasus politics, dives into Armenia's escalating church-state crisis. She discusses the arrest of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan amid accusations of plotting against the government, highlighting his influence on national issues. Vartanyan explains how the Armenian Apostolic Church, essential to national identity, faces diminishing public support due to corruption claims. She further examines the complex geopolitics linking church factions to Russia, reflecting on the potential for clergy to become political challengers.
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Unprecedented Church-State Crisis
- This is the biggest crisis in Armenia's post-independence history because the civilian government has openly confronted the church.
- Several high-ranking clerics are jailed and tensions continue to escalate as the prime minister demands the Catholicos resign.
Galstanyan's Mobilisation Of Locals
- Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan mobilised major protests after local border demarcation with Azerbaijan stirred locals.
- His mass mobilisation became the largest recent protest and left a lasting precedent of clerical political power.
Church As Conservative Social Anchor
- The Armenian church gathers conservative segments of society and often opposes Prime Minister Pashinyan's policies.
- Public trust in the church has fallen recently amid allegations of clerical links to illegal activities.