By Ardashes “Ardy” Kassakhian
A deeply troubling crisis is unfolding in Armenia — one that many inside and outside the country barely notice, and one met with an unsettling silence from much of the public. Those who closely follow Armenian affairs know exactly what I’m referring to: the mounting campaign by the authorities against the Armenian Apostolic Church. In recent months, priests and archbishops have been detained, tried, and at least one senior clergyman has already been sentenced to prison. They stand accused of everything from corruption to attempting to overthrow the government — charges that one can’t help but think are politically motivated.
The escalation began after Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan of the Tavush Diocese led mass protests in Yerevan against the government’s decision to hand over four border villages to Azerbaijan and publicly called for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s resignation. The movement did not result in a “velvet counter-revolution,” as some had hoped or feared, but it clearly unsettled the authorities. The rallies kept alive a flame of dissent that no amount of government media messaging could extinguish. And ever since, the state has intensified its pressure on clergy, culminating in the arrests and prosecution of multiple church leaders and prominent private citizens who have spoken out against these actions.
Now there is something deeply wrong with the Armenian nation when Azerbaijan bulldozes Armenian churches in Artsakh and, at the same time, the Armenian government seems determined to bulldoze the dignity of the Armenian Church in Armenia. One attack destroys what was built of stone and our Christian heritage; the other attempts to break the spirit of a nation by claiming to be doing God’s work. Two different methods but united in achieving the same tragic result — severing the Armenian nation from its spiritual roots.
And yes, I can already hear the chorus from overconfident, polished, self-appointed “analysts” and government-friendly commentators: “Here go the diasporans again, meddling, emotional, out of touch.”
I’ve lived long enough, and heard that line enough times, to know it’s not an argument but more of an ad hominem attack intended to distract the community and validate this undemocratic campaign of harassment. Before recent events, this argument was usually deployed by the same pro-West color revolutionaries who treat the Church like a fancy fashion accessory – something to dust off for a special ceremonial occasion to show off to others and then quickly shove back in a closet while lecturing the rest of us about “progress.”
