Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan announced that law enforcement will continue maintaining public order at Hovhannavank Monastery, if necessary. She made the statement during discussions of the 2026 draft state budget. According to her, the police are already present and will remain stationed there if the need arises, reports Panorama.am .
Sargsyan emphasized that police presence at religious events is not unusual. “There are numerous religious events where the police provide public order and security,” she noted. “On the same day, the police ensure public order and safety at the Mother See as well. But it seems we ignore all other situations and only focus on the example of Hovhannavank.”
She further stated that the police will continue acting in accordance with the law: “The police will lawfully continue to maintain public order and security at Hovhannavank. Which unit’s representatives are deployed is a matter of service organization. The police themselves decide how to manage the deployment. Officers could be brought in from Yerevan or from Lori Province.”
On October 26, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attended a liturgy at Hovhannavank delivered by Father Aram, who had been suspended and banned from performing religious ceremonies by the Mother See. The liturgy was declared illegal by the church, which called it a “spiritually destructive initiative” and accused Pashinyan of attempting to create division within the Church. Pashinyan’s defense and economy ministers stood beside him, with the health minister behind them. On November 2, Pashinyan attended another liturgy at Hovhannavank.
