The Armenian Church Awaits the Election Results

The struggle for Etchmiadzin is turning into a confrontation between the state and the Church.

A real political storm is unfolding in the city of Etchmiadzin. The mayoral elections in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin), scheduled for November 16, have long gone beyond ordinary municipal voting, turning into a battle over the future of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The ruling Civil Contract party is attempting to install Argishti Mehaky an as mayor, the son of a hero of the first Karabakh war, but his campaign is surrounded by scandals: the opposition and local activists report the use of administrative resources, pressure on public-sector employees, and attempts at bribery.

Despite this, according to the ruling party’s internal polling, Mehakyan cannot surpass the 50-percent threshold. He is closely followed by the candidate from the Victory bloc, Sevak Khachatryan, who, thanks to his connections with political circles from the time of previous presidents and active support from the youth of Vagharshapat, has strong chances.

Third place is held by the representative of the Mother Armenia party, Grisha Harutyunyan, known for his consistent defense of spiritual and moral values and support of the AAC, which brings him respect within the local community.

Meanwhile, the diaspora has offered a sharp assessment of the situation: the chairman of the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe, Ashot Grigoryan, stated:

“We, Christian activists, are beginning our work to rid Armenia of Satan, whose embodiment is the head of the government, Nikol Pashinyan. We consider him a devil attacking the Armenian Apostolic Church, and his activity as prime minister – true satanism.”

For Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, these elections are an opportunity to deliver another blow to the Church. Etchmiadzin remains the center of resistance to the government’s attempts to change the traditional role of the Church in society. That is why Pashinyan’s visit to the city on election day was perceived by many not as a formality but as an effort to establish control over the process and prevent the victory of a non-systemic candidate.

“Church and state are separate for a reason and cannot interfere in each other’s affairs. However, in one of the Armenian Church’s cathedrals, Pashinyan forced the holding of a strange service, something like matins, and then addressed the parishioners as if God Himself were listening, discussing the issue of discipline in the AAC and the traditional Christian ceremony of foot washing. It is obvious that all his actions are anti-Christian, directed against the Church,” Grigoryan concluded.

The elections in Etchmiadzin have become not just a political event, but an arena for the struggle over the country’s symbolic heritage and spiritual identity. Their outcome will determine how steadfast the positions of the Armenian Apostolic Church will remain in the face of pressure from the secular authorities.

RRN