The swift move of Srpazan Bagrat

 Vahe H  Apelian

In one swift move Srpazan Bagrat Galstanyan wrestled the leadership from the entrenched opposition to Nikol Pashinyan, or should I say, snatched the leadership carpet away from the under the feet of the very leaders who had presented themselves as the leaders of the opposition to the Nikol Pachinyan government, since 2018. 

This blog is a rewording of my previous blog. Things get eventually lost when posted on a Facebook page. But I want to jot down my thoughts to read them a year from now and  find out what whether I had foreseen a glimpse of the upcoming. My blog is my avenue to archive my thoughts. 

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan may be the Armenia's version of the late Archbishop Makarios, president of Cyprus. The archbishop may not want to assume such a role or want to be regarded in such a role. However, he cast himself into the role, as a cleric who now is leading an entire opposition and is on the move threading along to reach Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, the seat of Armenia’s power structure, presumable to unseat the NP government much like the "My Step" marathon march that ushered the Velvet Revolution.

 A new reality has entered in the this ancient nation and the new reality is the Armenian apostolic posturing itself against the state. Although the Armenian Apostolic church has played significant secular, not to say political role, in the life of the nation simply because of the very historical nature of the Armenian Apostolic Church. But this time around it is different. I have no recollection in recent history that the Armenian church has opposed the secular when the nation faced a powerful historical enemy or adversary. I do not want to remian hung on the proper use of the adjective. The consequences of this move will be far reaching into the  life of the Armenian nation. A lot will be written in the coming months and a lot will be written about the young Armenian King Bab and his relations with the church. 

Archbishop Bagrat has now used up his clerical credentials as an ecclesiastical father and is now the opposition's voice and its leader. He succeeded in galvanizing the public in a way the opposition could not over the government’s cross road for peace initiative, or rather strategy for securing the Republic.  No opposition leader can henceforth and for the fore seeable future have any say that may be effective to the public without securing srpazan Bagrat's or the church’s consent and  backing. In one swift move, Srpazan Bagrat, on behalf of the Apostolic Church,  wrestled leadership or swept the leadership carpet away from the under the foot of those who were presenting themselves as leaders of the opposition. Whether the opposition will appreciate the new reality or not, that is another story. 

Srpazan has attempted to distance himself from politics and presented himself standing above politics and find refuge in prayer, or being blessed by elderly women, or by attending ancient monastery. But Srpazan Bagrat cannot have both ways, meddle in politics and lead a political movement and claim that he is not a politician and does not want to dabble in politics. He already has, at a critical time and over a critical issue, the implementing of the cross road for peace strategy the Armenian government has adopted to pursue. I doubt that his depiction praying and in communion with God, will change the perception, especially of the young and upcoming. However humble and meek Srpazan may look next the former president Serzh Sargsyan, the master politician, he has opened a Pandora’s box for the Apostolic church to deal with what is a political matter and there will be no solution handed down from heaven. The srpazan or the chuch will have to have a say and assume political responsibility of  Armenia’s dealing with its neighbors

I have no vision how this will unfold, whether Srpazan Bagrat will be the next prime minister or whether the church henceforth will be the power broker.  But I know the following. The opposition will not make territorial claim  of what was ours as the former Nagorno Karabakh Oblast plus, turned into Artsakh.  The opposition will not lay claims of historical lands, from Turkey and / or Azerbaijan. It is understandable of course, what was tacitly referenced or known, that  the opposition includes the Armenian Apostolic Church. Srpazan Bagrat, has stated he enjoys the support of the Catholicos Karekin II.  Likewise, the opposition will not request Tukey to recognize the genocide, let alone request for restitution and reparation. The opposition will not set pre-condition for normalizing relations with Turkey, the post Nikol Pachinyan regime will pursue, sooner or later much like the first republic did and did it big time.

Nothing of this sort has happened in the tortuous recent Armenian history. It will be interesting to read if there has been a parallel, the Apostolic Church, opposing the Armenian state confronting a historical enemy in its attempt to secure the safety of Armenia. 

The stage is set and the stage is Armenia and I mean to say the "real" Armenia and not historical Armenia.

May you live in interesting times, goes a Chinese saying, which I just learned is in fact a curse. God forbid!

We are and will be living in interesting time. So, especially for us in the Diaspora, a cup of coffee may come handy as we witness the short sighted, shoot yourself in your own foot, and the sad unfolding in Armenia.