Armenian religious leaders in the United States, together with Armenia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Narek Mkrtchyan, met with President Donald Trump at the White House, offering a collective prayer for Armenia, the United States and the president.
The delegation included Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church; Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan, Primate of the Eastern Diocese; Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian and Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian, leaders of the Eastern and Western Prelacies of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia; Bishop Mikael Mouradian, head of the Armenian Catholic Eparchy of North America and Canada; and Rev. Henrik Shahnazarian, Senior Pastor of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America. Discussions focused on Armenia-U.S. relations, religious freedom, Christian ties and peace efforts.
Derderian’s participation comes amid Nikol Pashinyan’s ongoing attack on the Armenian Apostolic Church. In January, he joined the government-backed Church initiative and criticized Catholicos Karekin II. Weeks later, Derderian attended the Bishops’ Assembly convened under Karekin II and signed its declaration affirming loyalty to the Catholicos and rejecting Church reform under external pressure.
Armenia’s 2026–2031 government program now formally calls for Karekin II’s removal, the election of a new Catholicos and changes to Church governance, measures the Mother See says constitute unconstitutional interference in internal Church affairs.
The meeting also drew criticism from ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, who said such encounters hold meaning for Armenian faithful but are “no substitute for substantive dialogue” with Armenian-American civic institutions representing voters.
Hamparian said major concerns remain unaddressed, including the return of Artsakh refugees, release of Armenian detainees held in Azerbaijan, withdrawal of Azerbaijani forces from Armenian territory and protection of Armenian Christian sites.
He also criticized Washington’s Section 907 waiver, Trump’s continued avoidance of the term Armenian Genocide, and the State Department’s response to U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Amy Carlon’s participation in an Azerbaijani-organized visit to Shushi.
