Archimandrite Asoghik Karapetyan, Director of the Archives and Museums of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, stated in a Facebook post that Catholicos Garegin II “bears the painful words and deeds of his misguided children with fatherly grace.”

He emphasized the Catholicos’ role as an irreplaceable leader, highlighting his spiritual mission and selfless character.

“We are living through dark and troubling days as a nation, a state, and a Church. Naturally, every individual and group seeks to overcome or adapt to the situation in their own way. Yet it is only the Armenian Church, with nearly two thousand years of wisdom and experience, that calmly and resolutely continues to protect the sacred national heritage, spiritual identity, and homeland legacy—across the Armenian Highlands and diaspora—thus supporting our statehood.

In this sacred mission, the leadership of His Holiness Garegin II is exceptional and irreplaceable. His righteous and wise words and deeds are a living testimony.

In the midst of this chaotic, senseless noise and darkness, I consider it my spiritual duty to testify to all—from humble citizens to the highest state officials—that through divine providence, the Catholicos carries the heavy cross of our faith and tirelessly thinks, speaks, and labors solely for the Homeland and the Faith.

Having studied in detail the history and personalities of the Armenian Church, I affirm with confidence that His Holiness Garegin II is one of the great, patriotic, and nation-building Catholicoi of our people. Like his predecessors, he bears his children’s painful actions with fatherly love—praying, advising, warning, and acting always for the good of the Church, Nation, and Homeland.

We, his spiritual children, are also prepared to bear the bright crown of martyrdom for the truth we profess and preach, for the sake of the Homeland and God. For we glory only in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world is crucified unto us, and we unto the world (cf. Gal. 6:14).

Let us therefore be silent and serve each other with love—for the glory of Almighty God, our beloved Homeland, our glorious Nation, and our wondrous Church,” he wrote.

*The statement comes amid a public clash between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the clergy. Following a cabinet remark likening churches to storage rooms, Pashinyan made several controversial Facebook posts criticizing church figures. His wife Anna Hakobyan echoed the attacks in her own posts, referring to clergy as “the country’s chief pedophiles” and making derogatory remarks.

Pashinyan has also asserted that the state should play a central role in selecting the Catholicos and questioned whether Garegin II had upheld his celibacy vow.

He wrote: “If it turns out that Garegin II has violated his vow of celibacy and has a child, he cannot be the Catholicos of All Armenians, as such a violation would disqualify him from being a celibate priest.”

The Mother See responded that these actions serve the goals of foreign anti-Armenian forces and echo slanders from Azerbaijani propaganda against the Armenian people and Church.*