Armenia’s First National Prayer Breakfast Sparks Unity Amid Church-State Tensions
Armenia hosted its first-ever National Prayer Breakfast on November 14-15, 2025, marking a historic moment for the country’s Evangelical Christian community. The event drew over 300 attendees, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and senior government officials. Organisers hoped the gathering would foster unity amid growing tensions between the state and the dominant Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC).
The two-day event was spearheaded by Craig Simonian, head of the Peace and Reconciliation Network (PRN) of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) in the Caucasus. Among the guests was Catholicos Garekin II, the supreme leader of the AAC, though his speech reportedly disappointed many by barely addressing matters of faith.
Prime Minister Pashinyan took a more personal approach, reciting Psalms from memory and stressing the role of Christian values in guiding Armenia’s reforms. He praised the organisers and expressed hope that such initiatives would help build peace and prosperity. His remarks came against a backdrop of escalating friction between the government and the AAC, a conflict that has intensified since 2020. The tensions took a dramatic turn earlier in the year when two high-profile AAC clergymen—Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan and Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan—were arrested. Authorities accused them of plotting a violent coup against Pashinyan’s administration. The prime minister publicly condemned the arrested men for their political stance and criticised the AAC leadership for what he described as widespread corruption and moral failings. Another notable arrest involved Russian billionaire Samwell Karapeyan, a figure known for his close ties to the AAC and pro-Russia advocacy. His detention added to the sense of upheaval surrounding the church-state divide.
The National Prayer Breakfast highlighted both the growing influence of Evangelical Christians in Armenia and the deepening rift with the traditional AAC. Pashinyan’s participation signalled government support for religious diversity, while the arrests of clergymen and a pro-Russia oligarch underscored the political stakes. The event’s long-term impact on Armenia’s religious and social landscape remains to be seen.
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