Defense Minister Suren Papikian confirmed at 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. Papikian, who is a leading political ally of Pashinian, gave no reason for his move widely linked to the ongoing campaign against Garegin.
As of last week, the service comprised 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. Papikian’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.
Garegin’s office was quick to condemn the order. Ara Zohrabian, a lawyer representing the church, said it is illegal and will have a negative impact military personnel.
Zohrabian 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’s consent.
“As we can see, the minister had no right to single-handedly dissolve the service,” the lawyer said in a video message.
Zohrabian linked the development to recent reports that senior military officials pressured the chaplains to join a dozen pro-government bishops openly supporting Pashinian’s campaign against Garegin. None of the chaplains has backed the revolt. Opposition leaders and other critics of Pashinian likewise claim that he is furious with their continuing loyalty to the Catholicos.
In January 15 comments to RFE/RL’s Armenian Service, the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman, Aram Torosian, did not deny that the chaplains were summoned by the commanders of their respective units and more high-ranking officials in Yerevan.
“They may have numerous discussions with the command of military units on various topics both related and not related to their service,” said Torosian. But he insisted that none of them was bullied to demand Garegin’s resignation.
“The army cannot be involved in political processes in any way,” Papikian told a news conference for his part.
Zohrabian said the dissolution of the Spiritual Service on the contrary proves that the military is being drawn into “shameful repressions” against clergy.