Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated he is willing to show his genitals to Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, to refute a claim made by a priest regarding his circumcision.
The statement came in response to a Facebook post by Father Zareh Ashuryan, who alleged that Pashinyan was circumcised, comparing him to Judas and suggesting he was not a true Christian. In reply, Pashinyan addressed the Catholicos Karekin II by his birth name and invited both him and the priest to verify the claim directly. He also reiterated previous accusations that the Catholicos may have broken his vow of celibacy.
The incident is the latest in an ongoing conflict between Pashinyan’s administration and the Church. In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has accused the clergy of misusing churches and violating ecclesiastical vows. Government-aligned media have published claims about Karekin II’s alleged daughter. A document published by pro-government media outlet has suggested that Church leaders, former officials, and detained tycoon Samvel Karapetyan are part of a coup plan, timed for Armenia’s Independence Day.
The confrontation between the Armenian state and the Church highlights growing tensions between religious institutions and the government, and has evolved into a deeper cultural and symbolic struggle over national identity. Pashinyan’s government increasingly presents the state as the sole foundation of Armenian sovereignty, while the Church, with its historical and spiritual authority, positions itself as the custodian of Armenian identity.