Fr. Serop Azarian - Armenian Church Under Attack | Ep 503, Jan 11, 2026 [EP503]

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Guest:

• Fr. Serop Azarian

Topics:

• Pashinyan Attacks: Geopolitics or Vendetta?
• Renegade Bishops: Demands and Narratives
• Stolen Church Property
• From Christmas to Easter

Episode 503 | Recorded: January 9, 2026

#ArmenianApostolicChurch #ArmenianChurch #Garegin #Catholicos #NikolPashinyan #ArmenianDiaspora

Show Notes

Episode 503 Synopsis

Father Serop Azarian joins us to discuss Nikol Pashinyan’s escalating confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church, and what it may signal ahead of 2026. We examine the narratives used to justify state pressure on the Church, the role of “renegade” bishops and canon-law claims, and the practical stakes around Church property and independence. The episode closes with a short reflection on the Church calendar, from Theophany to Easter.

Main Topics Addressed

• The shift from a tense but functional Church-state relationship to an open political campaign against the Catholicos and senior clergy
• Whether the attack is driven by geopolitics, personal vendetta, or both, and how it connects to 2026 political planning
• The “reform roadmap” and what it would change (leadership, naming, governance, and state leverage)
• The “renegade” bishops: their statements, internal hierarchy, and what their participation changes inside the Church
• Canon law: how it works today, who has authority to change it, and what a state-driven rewrite would mean
• Stolen or unrestituted Church property, and how property access shapes Church capacity and independence
• The meaning of Theophany and Easter in Armenian life

Key Questions Discussed

• What stage is Pashinyan setting for 2026 in his confrontation with the Church?
• Is the driver geopolitics, personal vendetta, or an attempt to rewrite recent history?
• What is implied by renaming the “Armenian Apostolic Church” to the “Apostolic Church of Armenia”?
• Why is Archbishop Hovnan Derderian consistently listed first, and what does that signal?
• What do we know about the moral standing and public record of the bishops making morality-based demands?
• What is the current canon-law framework, how can it be changed, and what standing does the state have in that process?
• What would be the real effect of a new canon law aligned with the government’s agenda?
• How does this split affect quorum, governance, and the national episcopal council?
• What is the impact of the Church lacking access to historic property and land?

Referenced Articles & Sources

• Swiss Peace Initiative summit in Bern (Catholicos remarks): https://www.kron4.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/816359399/swiss-peace-initiative-for-nagorno-karabakh-launched-in-bern/
• Azerbaijani religious figure claim on Armenian holy sites: https://www.thecaliforniacourier.com/azerbaijans-islamic-sheikh-calls-etchmiadzin-historical-azerbaijani-land/
• Anna Hakobyan post targeting clergy: https://www.facebook.com/wifeofarmenianPM/posts/pfbid0GN57zVZmxpzVB9wUTG1PKELHoL2zLRkxAH7xhHkjDaxjdgDs6WtUoSwjnY3Mr4uPl

Wrap-up

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