“The Armenian Church is the spiritual cradle and sanctuary of every Armenian and the unshakable fortress of our people’s faith,” Karekin II said. “Steps are now being taken by the authorities and government structures to damage the Church’s authority, limit its autonomy, and subordinate it to their will — to transform the perception of national identity, cherished sacred symbols, and memories for temporary political expediency.”

The message circulated as a new judge was appointed on Tuesday to preside at the trial of Karekin II and six archbishops from the Church’s Supreme Spiritual Council, four days after a previous judge withdrew, citing a conflict of interests.

Karekin II said that he believed his Church was being persecuted, as “illegal and fabricated criminal cases” were brought against its clergy and benefactors. He thanked public figures in Armenia and abroad who were “steadfastly and zealously” defending it in the face of “provocations and deceitful schemes”.

Armenian Church leaders have accused the liberal government of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, currently negotiating accession to the European Union, of conceding too much under a peace deal brokered by the US in 2025 to end the longstanding territorial conflict with neighbouring Azerbaijan. Government officials have retaliated by harassing and arresting supporters of Karekin II, and backing dissident bishops who are demanding his resignation.

The trial of the Catholicos, who is barred from travelling abroad, began last Friday at Vagharshapat, close to his Etchmiadzin see, on charges that he and the six archbishops ignored a court ruling in January ordering the reinstatement of Bishop Gevorg Saroyan, who was dismissed and defrocked after calling for Karekin’s ousting.

Supporters insist secular courts have no jurisdiction over internal church matters and say that the criminal proceedings violate the constitutional separation of Church and State.

Human-rights groups have also condemned the trial as politically motivated and part of a crackdown on critics of Mr Pashinyan, whose Civil Contract Party won a landslide in elections in June, which international observers said were impaired.

In a statement issued last weekend, the World Council of Churches paid tribute to the Armenian Church’s “vital role” both at home and in “the wider Christian community”, and voiced concern at the latest “undue interference in inner church matters”.

Support for Karekin II has come from Armenian communities worldwide, including the Armenian diocese of Great Britain and Ireland, which said that anti-Church actions risked “weaking one of the nation’s oldest and most trusted institutions” and impeding the Church’s “spiritual mission” to Armenian communities worldwide.

“The Armenian constitution recognises the Apostolic Church’s unique mission and guarantees freedom of religion and the Church’s internal self-governance,” the diocese said last weekend.

“We respectfully call for wisdom, restraint, and mutual respect, and for all legal proceedings to uphold the principles of judicial independence, due process, and religious freedom.”

In a 2022 census, 90 per cent of Armenia’s three million citizens claimed to belong to the Church, which dates from the early fourth century. Karekin II, who is 74, has been the Catholicos since 1999.