ARMENIA Galstanyan, the Armenian bishop who aspires to the government

The archbishop of Tavowš, the area most affected by the latest disputes with the Azeris, is now the leader of the forces opposing negotiations with Baku. Supported by Katholikos Karekin II himself, he has asked to be suspended from his pastoral duties, but nevertheless he goes out into the streets in his episcopal vestments, without escaping the pushes of the police forces. And he does not hide his ambition to lead the country after overthrowing the “traitor” Pašinyan.

Yerevan () – A new figure is imposed on the political scene in Armenia, torn by the conflict between the majority forces, in favor of peace talks with Azerbaijan, and the opposition forces that demand the defense of the border territories. Since May 9, the latter have found their leader in a cleric, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, of the diocese of Tavowš, the area most affected by the latest disputes between Armenians and Azeris.

After a “march on Yerevan” through Armenia from the periphery to the center, in imitation of the one that brought current Prime Minister Nikol Pašinyan to power, the bishop is now inciting continued street protests. The last procession left the capital’s Santa Ana church without saying where it was going, “to an important place,” Bagrat assured, and finally arrived at the office of the Guarantor of Human Rights, “to obtain answers to our questions, and know if the rights still exist in our country.

Archbishop Galstanyan acts with the blessing of the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Katholikos Karekin II, making clear the Church’s opposition to the policies of the current government, and the role of direct intervention in social issues of a religious institution that it wants to represent the identity of the entire population. The bishop has been suspended from his pastoral duties at his own request, which does not prevent him from going out into the streets with the ornaments and regalia of his ecclesiastical dignity to lead the “Tavowš in the name of the Fatherland” movement, which brings together around him groups and parties of all types of opposition, even very far ideologically from the Church and religion, but all rather supportive of relations with Russia.

Bagrat is a monk, like all bishops of Eastern traditions, and therefore has no family other than the Church and the people, and does not hide his ambitions to be prime minister after overthrowing the current “traitor” Pašinyan. The archbishop, 53, has been impressed by his energy and charisma, and has not hesitated to struggle with the police and hold fiery rallies in the streets, later abandoning himself to the hugs of thousands of followers. His qualities as a politician are evident in his ability to engage in continuous negotiations with representatives of other political forces, entrepreneurs and businessmen, and even with groups of the Armenian diaspora around the world.

By requesting his suspension from ecclesiastical office, Bagrat showed his confidence in his destiny: “I cannot maintain my position along with that of prime minister, I am willing to lay this sacrifice on the sacred altar of the country.” Furthermore, the opposition does not have enough votes in Parliament to subject Pašinyan to impeachment proceedings, and has already been defeated once in early elections, taking into account that the current prime minister had himself won power after a ” soft revolution”, raising up the people against the corruption of the post-Soviet and pro-Russian ruling caste of their predecessors.

Another problem stems from Galstanyan’s Canadian citizenship, which he received 20 years ago as a young bishop of the North American eparchy. The procedure to be solely Armenian is quite long, and the laws prohibit those with dual nationality from holding institutional positions, although he assures that “for service to the country” he will get rid of his second passport. The most sensational issue, however, remains the bishop’s very un”pacifist” stance of inciting confrontation with Azerbaijani enemies, when the secular prime minister preaches dialogue and conflict resolution, a stance that Galstanyan condemns as “worthy of a slave”, challenging the president of Azerbaijan with the words “I will tell you to your face: your little friend from Armenia no longer has power.”

The premier archbishop-candidate began his ecclesiastical career in 1988, entering the seminary during Soviet times and holding various positions in the curia of Holy Ečmjadzin, the seat of the Katholikos-Apostolic Patriarch, before finishing his studies in England and returning as patriarchal information officer, before being sent to Canada. He was a border bishop since 2015 and no one knew him, and the parable of his last month appears to many Armenians as a true revelation of divine will for the rebirth of Christian Armenia.