Armenia’s Public Television did not broadcast the visit of Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex, where an intercessory service was held for the holy martyrs of the Armenian Genocide.
The omission comes despite earlier assurances from Public Television Director Hovhannes Movsisyan, who stated that April 24 coverage would follow the same format and timing as in the past 7 to 8 years. This was expected to include uninterrupted live broadcasting from the memorial between 09:00 and 13:00, alongside periodic live segments during news bulletins.
However, footage from the broadcast shows clergy descending toward the Eternal Flame, and just before the appearance of the Catholicos, the feed cuts back to a studio presenter.
The incident unfolds against the backdrop of a deepening rift between the authorities and the Armenian Apostolic Church. For more than a year, Nikol Pashinyan has repeatedly targeted the Church and its leadership, including Catholicos Karekin II, in public statements described as direct attacks. In this context, the decision not to broadcast the Catholicos’ presence at Tsitsernakaberd is likely to intensify accusations that state institutions are deliberately sidelining the Church, particularly on a day of national remembrance.
