War for Faith: Armenian security forces tried to detain Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan

On Friday, June 27, employees of the National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia arrived at the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (the governing body of the Armenian Apostolic Church, AAC) to detain Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan. They were opposed by the clergy and citizens who came to the residence. Details can be found in the Izvestia article.

Scuffle at the residence of the Catholicos of All Armenians: what's going on

On Friday morning, June 27, masked security forces broke into the residence of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. The main purpose of the NSS special forces was to detain the head of the Shirak Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Mikael Ajapakhyan. As a result, there was a scuffle between the police on the one hand and the priests and parishioners on the other.

Later it became known that Mikael Ajapakhyan went out to the representatives of law enforcement agencies to avoid clashes and announced his readiness to follow them. Meanwhile, the priests asked him not to leave the residence.

"I've never hidden from anything. What is happening is lawless. I am not a threat to the country, the main threat is in the government. But since (law enforcement officers) have come here and are going to use force, I will go with them, accompanied by the clergy," Ajapakhyan said.

Believers and clergymen closed the gates to the residence, preventing Garegin II and Mikael Ajapakhyan from going out to the law enforcement officers. They also surrounded the NSC car to prevent the archbishop from being escorted out of the residence.

The situation in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin continues to be tense. The stampede between citizens and security forces is now subsiding, then escalating. The newcomers shout to law enforcement officials that "they will answer for this" and they "don't have a drop of dignity."

At one point, local media reported that the archbishop had been taken away by the National Security Service, but this information was later refuted. More police and NSS forces were called to the scene. Among the new forces that arrived at the scene are employees of the main directorate of the criminal police.

Garegin II, commenting on the events, promised to make every effort for the sake of justice and decide on further actions. He also noted that a meeting of priests was taking place at the residence regarding the detention: "Vladyka will now go with our lawyer, we will return to the residence where the meeting of priests was taking place. We will discuss our actions there and make a decision. We will make every effort for the sake of justice."

Bells are ringing in the Mother See of Armenia. This happens only when there is great danger threatening the Church and the country.

According to activists of the Holy Battle organization, police officers are searching cars heading to the Mother See of Armenia.

MP from the Hayastan faction Mher Melkonyan called on citizens to gather at 14:00 local time at the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God in Gyumri, the second largest city in Armenia.

The confrontation between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian government

Recently, the confrontation between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the country's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has escalated in Armenia. Since May 2025, he has been actively criticizing the church and its representatives, including for violating the vow of celibacy. The accusations were also directed against Catholicos Garegin II, while Pashinyan called on him to leave his post. Despite this, the real cause of the conflict is considered to be the patriotic position of Catholicos Garegin II and his support for opposition forces.

On June 17, Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan was detained in Yerevan. His statements of support for the Armenian Apostolic Church and promises to respond to the attacks of the authorities became the reason for the initiation of a case against him for public calls to seize power.