Church vs State: Armenia's Unholy Row The trial of Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Apostolic Church in Armenia, is a symptom of a deeper malaise plaguing the country's relations between church and state.
The allegations against him are serious: that he acted as a spy for Russia. Beneath the surface, however, lies a complex web of politics, power struggles, and historical grievances.
The timing of this trial couldn't be more opportune – or ominous.