Attempted Takeover at Armenian Etchmiadzin Cathedral Thwarted by Faithful
Supporters of Armenian PM Pashinyan attempted to storm Etchmiadzin Cathedral amid calls for the Catholicos’s resignation but were blocked by parishioners and security.
ETCHMIADZIN, ARMENIA — On December 19, 2025, tensions flared at the Etchmiadzin Cathedral as supporters of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan attempted to enter the spiritual heart of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The incident occurred during the Divine Liturgy led by Catholicos Karekin II of All Armenians.
A group of rebellious clergy and their supporters, calling for the Catholicos’s resignation, tried to forcibly open the cathedral doors. Faithful parishioners blocked their entry, and the attackers were ultimately pushed out. Police and plainclothes security intervened to prevent violence, while the situation remained tense for several hours.
The attempted intrusion follows public calls on December 17 by rebellious hierarchs urging citizens to demand the Catholicos’s retirement. This unrest is part of broader controversy over Pashinyan’s proposed “renewal” of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which would increase state oversight of its activities. Catholicos Karekin II denounced the events as another encroachment on the independence of the Church.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Pashinyan had vowed to lead "cleansing" of Armenian clergy.
