YEREVAN (Azatutyun) — Dozens of Christian chaplains have been removed from the Armenian army ranks after reportedly refusing to back Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s controversial attempts to oust the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Catholicos Karekin II.
Defense Minister Suren Papikyan confirmed over the weekend that he effectively abolished the army’s Spiritual Service that had been jointly set up by the Armenian government and the church nearly three decades ago. Papikyan, who is a leading political ally of Pashinyan, gave no reason for his move widely linked to the ongoing campaign against Karekin.
As of last week, the service included 42 chaplains serving at military units across Armenia. Thirty-four of them are priests and deacons appointed by the church’s Mother See in Echmiadzin.
The eight others are young deacons who have engaged in chaplaincy as part of their compulsory military service. Papikyan’s order made them directly subordinate to military officers in charge of army morale, suggesting that they will now be hardly different from other conscripts.
Karekin’s office was quick to condemn the order. Ara Zohrabyan, a lawyer representing the church, said it is illegal and will have a negative impact on military personnel.
Zohrabyan argued that an Armenian law regulating the church’s relationship with the government entitles it to “permanent spiritual presence in army units.” He also cited the 2000 charter of the Spiritual Service stipulating that it cannot be disbanded without the Catholicos’ consent.
