The leader of the Armenian Diocese in Germany, His Grace Bishop Serovbe Isakhanyan, addressed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Facebook, stating that the latter “has no authority to interfere in church affairs but has a duty to at least provide a coherent response to Azerbaijani President Aliyev.”
He noted that unlike people, God sees us not only outwardly but also inwardly and knows who and what we are. “By the way, He also knows who and what you all are. We, like you, have nothing to prove or persuade God of. God knows not only our past and present but also our coming future. You are human, and so am I. Let us not judge one another; instead, let us use our right to criticize,” he wrote.
The bishop added that he wishes to believe Pashinyan’s claim of being a follower of the Armenian Church. “However, I do have questions. Claiming to follow the Armenian Church is not just words; it requires certain essential preconditions:
- Baptism. No one knows whether you are baptized or not. Do you have a certificate of Holy Baptism? What do you say about that?
- Acceptance of the doctrine and the hierarchical succession of the Armenian Church.
- Given your age and the fact that you live with a woman, a proper and sacramentally consecrated Holy Matrimony according to the Church’s canons is expected. What can you say about this?
- A duty to raise children in the Christian faith per the teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Are your children baptized? What is your response?
- Regular attendance of the Divine Liturgy and receiving Holy Communion. When was the last time you participated in the liturgy, confessed, and received communion?
There are other criteria, but I will not overload this message.
Based on these core standards, you must determine whether you are truly a follower of the Armenian Church. If yes, then you have the right to criticize us clergy, expect more from us, and hold us accountable to our vows—just like millions of other followers of the Apostolic Church. But your recent posts suggest otherwise.”
Referring to the most recent parliamentary elections, he noted that the majority of voting Armenian citizens gave Pashinyan’s political force a mandate to form the majority and lead the government.
“I’m sure you are well aware of your powers and responsibilities. Let me just remind you that you have no authority to interfere in the Church’s internal matters.
However, you do have the authority and duty to provide a proper or at least coherent response to the Sultan of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Citizens are not waiting for ‘spiritual meetings’ in public squares but rather expect you to respond to Aliyev’s latest absurd threats:
‘Azerbaijanis should not see the face of Armenian border guards,’ and ‘There will be no foreign operators or leasing on our territory.’
The church’s daily morning and evening prayers and especially Sunday Divine Liturgies are spiritual meetings—first with God, then with fellow believers. You too are welcome to join them, if you wish,” he concluded.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, when asked at a press conference about vacating the Catholicosate, stated that it would be “freed just like Armenia was freed from Serzh Sargsyan in 2018.” He later called for preparations for a “Great Spiritual Meeting in Echmiadzin’s central square.”
